(Nehemiah 4:1-5 ESV) Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building — if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. [Emphasis added.]
Christ prayed from the cross that His Father might forgive those who crucified Him. That was probably a pretty good sized crowd, by the way. All the mockers and scorners there. Later on the Day of Pentecost, Peter would tell the crowd that they crucified Christ by the hands of wicked men. And then it was from that crowd that some 3,000 were saved. I suspect this would not have happened had not Christ prayed for His elect from the cross. He prayed for them —
….for they know not what they do…. (Luke 23:34 ESV)
Similarly, Paul told Timothy that the Lord showed him mercy because he “acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13 ESV) when he persecuted Christ’s church.
But here in Nehemiah 4, another godly man is being jeered and persecuted by wicked men. And he prays for them as well. Only his prayer is much different — “Return their reproach on their own heads….give them up for plunder….do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You…. ” What is this all about? Maybe Nehemiah was being too human and thus unkind and unforgiving?
No.
Nehemiah’s prayer was a good and righteous prayer. The context makes that clear. When wicked, evil people set out to destroy the work of the Lord, and they do so knowing full well that it is the work of the Lord, it is right to pray that the Lord judge them. Nehemiah’s prayer was just like the many imprecatory Psalms that are prayers calling upon the Lord to destroy His enemies. And I would maintain that victims of abusers have every right before God to pray these very kinds of prayers when they feel moved to do so. We should ALL be praying these kinds of prayers regularly. Let’s face up to it — evil people abound within our churches. They hide behind their façades while they carry out their wickedness unseen. Sexual abusers of children. Abusers of their spouses. Power and control hungry Diotrephes-types looking to lure the whole flock into following them. The Word of God has some pretty rough words for these kind:
(Jude 1:12-13 ESV) (12) These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; (13) wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
There are people who are worse than your average sinner. Without conscience. Charming. And very dangerous to our souls.
So why is it not quite appropriate then for all of us, including pastors in their pastoral prayers in the worship service, to be praying — “Lord, do not forgive such people who lurk about as hidden reefs in the fellowship of Your people. Rise up, O Lord! Expose them and bring them to nothing. Bring their evil down upon their own heads and give us the wisdom to recognize it when You do so.” We should all pray for our churches that the Light of the world would bring hidden things to light.
We sing Shine, Jesus, Shine! [Internet Archive link]1. Do we really understand the implications of that prayer? When the Light of Christ shines among us, it has a way of turning things upside down.
1[September 7, 2022: We added the link to Graham Kendrick’s Shine Jesus Shine (Lord, The Light of Your Love is Shining). The Internet Archive link it a copy of that page. Editors.]
[September 7, 2022: Editors’ notes:
—For some comments made prior to September 7, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be an exact match.
—For some comments made prior to September 7, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be found in the post.
If you would like to compare the text in the comments made prior to September 7, 2022 that quoted from the post to the post as it is now (September 7, 2022), click here [Internet Archive link] for the most recent Internet Archive copy of the post.]
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UPDATE Sept 2021: I have come to believe that Jeff Crippen does not practise what he preaches. He vilely persecuted an abuse victim and spiritually abused many other people in the Tillamook congregation. Go here to read the evidence. Jeff has not gone to the people that he spiritually and emotionally abused. He has not apologised to them, let alone asked for their forgiveness.
A Cry For Justice 
Those who “sin willfully” after having received the knowledge of the truth are a unique breed of sinner for whom no repentance and no forgiveness may be available. “I say not that ye should pray for them.”
Thanks, Larry. This verse is rarely discussed; I’m glad you quoted it so appropriately.
For a long time, I prayed anguished prayers for his soul and his deliverance from the demons he welcomed. But I realized that only God could free him, and only if HE let God in. I now pray for God to do as He will, trusting that only He knows what is possible. I gave my abuser totally over to God and left him there, not out of anger or hatred, but because I had to for my own well-being. It is a sad fact, that some WILL NOT allow themselves to be saved and he may be one of them….it was breaking my heart all over again each day. He is in God’s hands now.
About a year ago, the Lord gave me this Psalm (55). I figure if David could pray it, so could I.
Pippa – my attention was called to that very same Psalm a couple of years ago too. VERY reassuring for victims of abuse. Thank you.
Yes, Pippa, Psalm 55 is the domestic abuse victim’s prayer.
My companion, my close friend, betrayed me. He became filled with malice, lies wickedness and abuse. This psalm has given me unspeakable comfort and support over the years.
Another passage that has sustained me is Genesis 19:9-11, where the angels strike the men of Sodom with blindness:
I also used to waken during the night praying in tears for my former husband’s salvation. Now I leave him and the church Elders who wronged me in God’s hands to do with as he wills. I rarely pray for my former husband now. I prayed that the Elders will have their eyes opened to my husband’s deceit as they believe he is born again.
Maree – and that is very wise!
[…] while ago, Jeff wrote a post called Lord, do not forgive them, for they know exactly what they are doing. The post discusses how Sanballat was trying to undermine the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem, […]
(Airbrushing through fog and pain….)
Pastor Jeff wrote:
Imprecatory prayers.
Imprecatory psalms.
Lamentations.
None are taught….not with thoughtful application.
We are not to say “bad” things. (Different from slander or gossip.)
We are taught we are evil if we wish another “child of God” harm.
We are taught “Respect your elders.” for anyone older then ourselves, even when that person shows no respect to anyone they feel “lesser” than themselves.
Why are we taught age is the only requirement for “power over”?
Why are we taught education is the only goal worth pursuing?
Why are we taught children have no choices in life?
We are taught nothing of value in the Kingdom of God.
We are taught nothing of the value of the Kingdom of God.
Yet we are supposed to “know” God.
We are His children.
We need His Teacher.
We need His tenderness.
We need His mercy.
We need His justice.
We need Him.