God, I’m Angry! , livre ebook

The lament and imprecatory psalms are often a source of embarrassment for the church. In this highly readable book, Maggie Low has shown that when rightly understood, they can be an important resource for a perennial pastoral problem, namely, anger and unforgiveness. Low helpfully distinguishes between righteous and unrighteous anger, between unconditional love and conditional forgiveness. The result of a nuanced treatment of these emotionally charged topics is a book that will benefit anyone who struggles with these issues. What makes it especially helpful is that it is grounded in the real life encounters of the author as a pastor.
Rev. Simon Chan, PhD
Editor, Asia Journal of Theology
Former Lecturer in Theology,
Trinity Theological College, Singapore
In God, I’m Angry! Rev. Dr. Maggie Low tackles, with both competence and compassion, thorny issues such as anger, unforgiveness, and vengeance. She speaks as a theologian, exegeting numerous texts and engaging with selected theologies. She speaks also as a pastor, drawing from her considerable experience in counselling believers. The case she makes goes against the grain of what is often put forward as the biblical position on forgiveness. Whether we agree with her or not, this book will not only push us to examine our personal stand, it will also aid us in addressing this topic with greater clarity. I am pleased to commend it to you.
Rt. Rev. Titus Chung, PhD
Bishop of The Anglican Church in Singapore
This is a courageous but timely book, delving into a topic that is seldom treated and hence fraught with misunderstanding. Dr. Low is to be thanked for arguing strongly and clearly for a Christianity that is robust enough to take into its ambit angry responses towards injustice and evil. While not all will agree with her exegetical conclusions, they cannot deny that much food for thought has been given. The many examples from her rich pastoral experience transport the reader from mere academic discussion to the rough and tumble of life, making this book particularly practical.
Tan Kim Huat, PhD
Chen Su Lan Professor of New Testament,
Trinity Theological College, Singapore
God, I’m Angry! manifests skilled Old Testament teacher Maggie Low’s sensitivity and passion for attending to the pastoral needs of those she serves as she delves deeply into the psalms of vengeance. Her interest lies in more than just elucidating these very difficult psalms. Having encountered many who have experienced deep and unsettling feelings of anger, occasioned by all kinds of situations, she does not flinch from attending to these. She is prepared to disagree with accepted views that offer believers little or no help as they struggle with these raw emotions.
Maggie’s writing is easily accessible, and her desire to see her readers move in a direction that will enable them to participate in behaviour that is pleasing to their Father in heaven is clear to see in this book.
Joseph John
Adjunct Lecturer,
School of Counselling, Singapore Bible College
How should we handle the anger we feel when we are sinned against and hurt by others? Some (consciously) suppress the anger and suffer from physical ill-health. Others (unconsciously) repress the anger and suffer emotionally. Yet others give vent to their anger by freely expressing it, which is often unhelpful. The key is to learn to process the anger in God’s presence. The final chapter of Dr. Maggie Low’s thoughtful book is particularly helpful in this regard. It provides help for sufferers as well as pastoral counsellors.
Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon, PhD
The Methodist Church in Singapore

God, I’m Angry!
Anger, Forgiveness, and the Psalms of Vengeance
Maggie Low

© 2023 Maggie Low
Published 2023 by Langham Global Library
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK
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ISBNs:
978-1-83973-685-8 Print
978-1-83973-770-1 ePub
978-1-83973-771-8 Mobi
978-1-83973-772-5 PDF
Maggie Low has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
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Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-83973-685-8
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Contents

Cover


Abbreviations


Introduction and Acknowledgements


1 Is It OK to Be Angry?


Anger in the OT


Anger in the NT


Conclusion


2 Is Forgiveness Conditional or Unconditional?


The Forgiveness Debate: Conditional or Unconditional?


Definitions of Repentance and Forgiveness


Conclusion


3 What Is Forgiveness in the New Testament?


Forgiveness Is Not Conditional on Repentance?


Forgiveness Is Conditional on Repentance


Conclusion


4 What Is Forgiveness in the Old Testament?


God’s Forgiveness


Human Forgiveness


Conclusion


5 What Is Vengeance and Enemy Love in the Old Testament?


Vengeance in the OT


Enemy Love in the OT


6 What is Enemy Love and Vengeance in the New Testament?


Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:38–48 )


Paul in Romans 12:9–21


Other Texts on Enemy Love


Conclusion


7 Can We Pray the Psalms of Vengeance?


1. The Allegorical Interpretation


2. Human Expressions


3. The Socio-historical Interpretation


4. The Pre-Christian Interpretation


5. The Messianic/Prophetic Interpretation


6. Understanding the OT Theologies in the Psalms


7. Prayers of Dependence


Conclusion


8 Psalm 83: Creation Theology


Psalm of Blessing and Cursing


Genre Analysis


Poetic Analysis


Structural Analysis


Theological Analysis: Creation Theology


Conclusion


9 Psalm 109: Covenant Theologies


Genre and Structural Analysis


The Crux: Who Is the Speaker of Psalm 109:6–19 ?


Poetic Analysis


Theological Analysis: Covenant Theologies


Conclusion


10 Psalm 137: Zion Theology


Zion Theology


Genre Analysis


Poetic Analysis


Structural Analysis


Theological Analysis: Zion Theology


Conclusion


11 Ministering with the Psalms of Vengeance


I. Complain


II. Commit


III. Confess


IV. Call for Help


V. Celebrate


Conclusion


Bibliography


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes

Index
Abbreviations

AB Anchor Bible ABC Asia Bible Commentary BCOTWP Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms BDB Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament BECNT Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament BST Bible Speaks Today FOTL Forms of the Old Testament Literature JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series NAC New American Commentary NCB New Century Bible NIBCOT New International Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament NICOT New International Commentary on the Old Testament NIGTC New International Greek Testament Commentary NIVAC NIV Application Commentary PNTC Pillar New Testament Commentary SHBC Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary Smyth Smyth, Herbert Weir. Greek Grammar. Revised by Gordon M. Messing. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1956. SNTSMS Society for the New Testament Studies Monograph Series TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren. Translated by John T. Willis et al. 8 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974–2006. TOTC Tyndale Old Testament Commentary WBC Word Biblical Commentary
Introduction and Acknowledgements
You get angry, and then you feel guilty for being angry. Sound familiar?
Jesus said that anger is as sinful as murder, didn’t he? So you try to forgive your enemy, but you feel so upset by the injustice. You struggle to say as Jesus did at the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” But you still get triggered or end up numbing yourself and trying to ignore psychosomatic symptoms like insomnia and indigestion.
Christians have been conditioned by well-meaning presumptions about anger and forgiveness, but are such beliefs the biblical truths? We might know how to do sadness with God because it’s OK not to be OK. After all, the psalmist lamented, “Why are you cast down, O my soul . . . ?” (Ps 42:5). But we hardly hear anything about doing anger with God or about the psalmist who cursed his enemies, “O God, break the teeth in their mouths,” “Break the arm of the wicked” (Pss 58:6; 10:15).
This book helps you express and resolve your hurts and anger by bringing them to God through the imprecatory