Does the Bible encourage murder? - Psalm 137:9

Psalm 137:9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!

Psalm 137:9 is part of what we call the Imprecatory Psalms (Psalm 5; 10; 17; 35; 58; 59; 69; 70; 79; 83; 109; 129; 137; 140). Such texts are also in the New Testament (cf. Matt 23:13; 26:23-24; John 2:17; 15:25; 1 Cor 16:22; Gal 1:8-9; 5:12; 2 Tim 4:14; Rev 6:10; 18:20). The Imprecatory Psalms are passages that speak of the just violence against the enemies of God. In context, Psalm 137:9 is calling for God to exact just judgment against his enemies.

The enemies of God's people are God's enemies too (Gen 12:3; Num 10:35; cf. Psa 69:27-28; 139:19-22; Jer 18:19-23, etc.). This Psalm was written when Israel was in exile in Babylon (Psa 137:1; 2 Chron 36:20-21), which was prophesied many years prior (Lev 26:24-39, 43; Deut 28:64-69; Jer 25:8-12; 29:10-14, etc.). Jerusalem had been destroyed and the Israelites were enslaved. The Babylonians (Psa 137:1), as the Edomites (Psa 137:7), were a cruel heartless enemy.

Just prior to Psalm 137:9 the text states, "O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!" (Psa 137:8). This is a request for God to justly judge Babylon. The intentional destruction of children was part of ancient warfare; God himself commanded Israel to adopt this practice when conquering the land of Canaan (Deut 20:16-18). This was no religious war, but part of God's righteous command to wipe out the wickedness in his land (Deut 9:4-6; cf. Gen 6:5-8). In Psalm 137:9, because heathen children could later grow up and destroy God's chosen people (Deut 7:1-16), divine retribution is not only requested, but also warranted. The non-elect are "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction" (Rom 9:22). See Isaiah 13:16; Hosea 13:16; Nahum 3:10.

The author is not instructing Israelites (or Christians) to exact personal vengeance and just to go out and kill babies (Rom 12:17-19); but rather is requesting divine justice upon God's enemies. So, Psalm 137 is a plea for God to intervene in the affairs of men and keep his covenant. In the consummation of God's kingdom (Matt 6:10), final divine judgment (Hell) awaits all God's enemies (Rev 20:7-10). This will be the final imprecation in its everlasting completion.

God does not encourage his people to commit murder (cf. Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17). However, he justly judges all - each and every one - of his enemies (Psa 68:1-2, et. al.). Also, God does appoint the length of every person's life (Heb 9:27). See James 4:13-15.

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