Praying

For the third time in less than a week I have been presented with a plea to pray for our President, but I think a prayer for the soul of our nation might be more appropriate. When the email arrives, it usually has the concerned, serious and heartwarming message that states, “Pray for Obama.” It then implores the reader to base their prayers on the scripture found in Psalms 109 verse 8. These emails and messages cleverly omit the actual text, but rather ask the reader to find the verse in the Good Book themselves, thus proving it’s veracity.


The verse (from the New International Version) reads: May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

I’m sure that this is meant to provide a chuckle and an approving nod. Almost certainly it’s meant to inspire forwarding the message, which has apparently been occurring since it first appeared not long after Obama’s Inauguration. The Christian Science Monitor published a discussion on the spread of this email on November 16, 2009.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2009/1116/biblical-anti-obama-slogan-use-of-psalm-1098-funny-or-sinister

While I’m sure that most people who forward this email believe it to be nothing but harmless fun, I believe they are missing the much larger message, and certainly are ignorant of the context in which the original Psalm was written. At least, I would hope so.

If you are praying for the Obama in relation to Psalms 109:8, then you are praying in the context of Psalms 109 and you should read the entire chapter, particularly the verses that immediately follow verse 8.

9: May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.


10: May his children be wandering beggars; May they be driven from their ruined homes.


This is dangerous stuff. This goes far beyond simple political differences. This is essentially praying for the imminent death of the President of the United States. A human being. A father. A fellow self-pro-claimed Christian.

Now…before some of you start arguing the legitimacy of his claim to be a Christian…let me offer this simple query: how do you prove that you yourself are a Christian, other than by your own word? I have personally known many people who claimed to be one, but did not act in a way that I would deem befitting a Christian. I have had many such moments myself. It is important that I remind myself that I do not have the wisdom or vision to know what is truly in someone else’s heart.

I am also eternally grateful that my salvation is not determined by the varied opinions of those who would so quickly assign my guilt, based almost entirely on the fact that I do not see the world through their eyes.

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.


Sadly, we are a very judgmental people. Somehow the general spirit of Christianity today is not the message of peace and love that Jesus taught, but the angry, bitter, self-righteous poison of the Pharisees. We are only too happy to cast the first stone…and many more after that.

If we truly wish to spread a Christian message, a more appropriate email might point people to 1-Timothy, Chapter 2:

1: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone


2: for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.