Are passages like Psalm 137:9 barbaric? This is partly answered by noting the frankness and openness of the ancient mind. We often have fleeting thoughts of vengeance today, but seldom repeat them in polite company.

At any rate, such are simply typical expressions of Near Eastern imprecation. Rihbany (The Syrian Christ, 92ff) gives more modern examples: 'May God burn the bones of your fathers'; 'May your children be orphaned and your wife widowed', and so on. Such petitions actually serve a purpose as a 'safety-valve' through which the person vents their wrath verbally. As a rule, such expressions allowed individuals to cool off, thus averting graver consequences.

More importantly for Christianity, the Church Fathers universally understood this verse spiritually rather than literally. In Orthodox ascetic theology, 'Babylon' represents the confusion of the passions, and the 'infants' represent nascent sinful thoughts (logismoi). The faithful are called to dash these early temptations against the 'Rock', which is Christ, before they can grow and mature into sinful actions.

Psalm 137:9
—How could the Psalmist rejoice at the thought of little ones being dashed against rocks?
Problem:
When the psalmist considers the ultimate judgment that will be brought against Babylon, he appears to rejoice that babies will be injured. How could a man of God rejoice over such a tragic and cruel event?
Solution:
The psalmist is not rejoicing over the dashing of babies. Rather, he is rejoicing over the retributive justice of God that would ultimately return the cruelty of the Babylonians upon them as a just punishment for their crimes. The Babylonians had treated the Hebrews and their children with just such acts of brutality. Ultimately, God would bring the Medes and Persians to inflict His judgment upon Babylon. In the hands of God, the armies of the Medes and Persians would balance the scales of justice, for the Babylonians would reap what they had sown

Expanded from Ps. 109:1ff:
Psalm 109:1
ff—How can the God of love in the NT be reconciled with the vengeful God of these cursing Psalms?
Problem:
This psalm, like many others in the OT (e.g.,
Pss. 35
;
69
), pronounces curses on one’s enemies. Thus they are called imprecatory (cursing) psalms. David says, “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife
a widow” (
109:9
). By contrast, Jesus said, “Love your enemies ... and pray for those who ... persecute you” (
Matt. 5:44
). How can the God of vengeance of the OT be the same as the God of love of the NT (
1 John 4:16
)?
Solution:
Several important factors must be kept in mind in understanding these imprecatory or so-called cursing psalms.

First, the judgment called for is based on
divine justice
and not on
human grudges.
David said clearly of his enemies in this psalm, “they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love” (v.
5
). While David did pray this imprecation (curse) on his enemies, he nonetheless loved them and committed them to the justice of God for a due reward for their wicked deeds. David’s action in sparing Saul’s life is vivid proof that revenge was not a motivation behind this psalm. In spite of the fact that Saul stalked David’s life, David forgave Saul and even spared his life (cf.
1 Sam. 24
;
26
).

Second, judgment in these psalms is expressed in terms of the culture of the day. Since being fatherless or a widow was considered a tragedy, the curse is expressed in these commonly understood categories.

Third, since the Hebrew culture made no sharp distinction between the sinner and his sin, the judgment is expressed in personal terms rather than abstractly. Furthermore, since the Hebrew family was a solidarity, the whole family was saved (cf. Noah,
Gen. 7–8
) or judged together (cf. Achan,
Josh. 7:24
).

Fourth, the phenomenon of imprecation is not unique to the OT. Jesus urged His disciples to curse cities that did not receive the Gospel (
Matt. 10:14
). Jesus Himself called down judgment on Bethsaida and Capernaum in
Matthew 11:21–24
. Paul declared anathema any who did not love the Lord Jesus (
1 Cor. 16:22
). Even the saints in heaven cried out to God for vengeance on those who martyred believers (
Rev. 6:9–10
).

Fifth, imprecations are not a primitive or purely OT phenomenon. Justice executed on evil is just as much a part of God, as is blessing on the righteous. Both are true of God in the OT as well as in the NT. In fact, God is mentioned as being loving more often in the OT than in the NT.

Sixth, because the OT emphasis was on earthly reward, connected with family, prosperity, and the land, the OT curses were expressed in these terms. With the NT revelation expressed more in terms of eternal destiny, there was less need to express imprecations in these earthly terms.

Even in these OT imprecations one can see an anticipation of Christ. God has committed all judgment to the Son (
John 5:22
). So those who long for justice are not only aspiring to His righteous kingdom, but can wait patiently for Him who comes quickly to execute it justly (
Rev. 22:12
). Christians also interpret these enemies spiritually as our sinful passions.

. Christians often interpret these 'babies' spiritually as incipient sins.