Reconciling David's invoking God's Wrath on Enemies vs "Love your enemies"?

Might we reconcile David’s imprecatory prayers and Jesus’ command to “love your enemies”?

1. There is the time-honored explanation that David operated under the law; Jesus brought grace and truth. David acted on the light he had. The HS had not yet been given in fullness.

2. This contrast would seem to be a monument to the superiority and wonder of grace.

3. David the warrior surely had killed many men. Yet in Psalms he holds back from conceivably doing in enemies with the authority of the throne to back him up. Is his withholding the sword a passive act of love?

4. Perhaps Jesus and David are dealing with apples and oranges, separate issues? One is saying, this is how to relate to with your enemies. The other is demonstrating how to deal with negative feelings. One is man to man. The other is man to God, talking, sharing honest but real feelings.

David takes his urges to God rather than killing his enemies himself. When we are feeling similarly should it not be warning light that we are overdue for an appointment in our prayer closet beside David?

Sine 9/11 many of us should be able to relate to David’s invocations of wrath, curses, death. What thoughts have many had regarding OBL and his terrorists? Better to take those angry, negative feelings to God or act on them?

Discussion