TLIC Psalms. October 15. Let Curses Come Upon Him.

Read Psalm 109:16-20 ¹⁶For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. ¹⁷He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! ¹⁸He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones! ¹⁹May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day! ²⁰May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life!

Often God’s justice plays out as people getting what they deserve. Reaping what they sowed. That’s the prayer of David here against his enemies in verses 17 and 18. He cursed. Let him be cursed. He failed to bless. May blessing be far from him. 

Jesus is the only person who ever lived who did not reap what he sowed. He delighted in blessing yet received cursing. He showed kindness, yet was pursued. He clothed himself in righteousness yet was stripped naked.

When the rest of us reap what we sow there is no injustice, for we are guilty. But for Jesus to reap what we sowed is an injustice that was absorbed into God’s greater justice. His restorative justice whereby he could transfer our curse to Christ, and his blessing to us. Let curses come upon him was the decree of the Father for our sake.

Galatians3:13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.

For those who are in Christ reaping what we sow may be the natural law we live under on this side of heaven, but it is no longer God’s eternal decree over us in regard to our sin. Rather, in him, we will sow and reap to the Spirit. We will reap what HE sowed. What glorious grace!

To live is Christ is to remember that he took the curse that we deserve so that we might receive the blessing he earned.

Prayer. Jesus, may I be spared graciously from all the reaping of punishment that I deserve for my sinful sowing. May I rather sow to the Spirit and reap his fruit in my inner being by your grace. Amen.