“But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them!” -Psalm 41:10
Verse ten is technically the end of the Psalmist’s direct dialogue with God that began in verse four. The expression, “But you,” is stated in contrast with “My enemies say of me,” in verse five. To summarize, he says, “my enemies are malicious toward me; but you, Lord, be gracious toward me.”
Many have taken issue with the reason the Psalmist desires to be raised up, calling it “carnal passion.” But if in fact the Psalmist is King David, as we suspect, it is important to note that punishing treasonous subjects is one of the many duties of a faithful ruler. Though the statement is admittedly striking, startling even, given David’s proclivity for leaving vengeance to the Lord (2 Samuel 3:39), H.C. Leupold’s (correct, I believe) observation is noteworthy: “Our soft age has largely overlooked this responsibility in its overly sympathetic attitude toward all miscreants.”
In the passages particular Christological sense, we can be sure that Abraham’s assessment of the Lord’s just is accurate:
“Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”” -Genesis 18:25
As for us, however, who are not wielding the power of the state to execute justice, the Apostle Paul leaves this instruction: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”” -Romans 12:19
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