Imprecatory Psalms and Planetboom

If you tuned in one sunny morning to the Jerusalem Hottest 100, back in 10 A.D., there is little doubt that numbered among the top hits would have been ‘Psalm 98 – Joyful noise ft Rabbi Elishama’, and let us not forget ‘Psalm 48 – Great Zion by The Korah Collective’.

Well, apart from that facetious anachronism, the point remains that the Psalter was the songbook of the Jewish people. They had songs for all different purposes and seasons, some ceremonial songs of ascent, some songs of praise, others of lament and woe, etc. In fact, some of Jesus’ final words from the cross are a quotation from the Psalms, in which the Psalmist had portrayed the very crucifixion Jesus was experiencing.

There are many proper uses of music and lyrics in the worship of our God, but one use that the air-conditioned, secularised and emasculated church of our day has not taken to with gusto is that of the Imprecatory Psalms. These are those Psalms in which the Psalmist prays for God to bring judgement against God’s enemies, and the enemies of God’s people. John’s gospel attributes a verse from Psalm 69 to Jesus when he cleanses the Temple, which reads, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me’.

The Western church today is a cup of tea that has been steeped too long with the tea bag of secularism. As such, we blush at the thought of petitioning God to bring judgement against someone. After all, didn’t God somewhere say, ‘Thou shalt be nice’? Or somewhere perhaps, ‘Thou must not offend’? Or isn’t it somewhere written, ‘God is too nice to punish people’?

No. However, the truth remains that God has provided a mixtape for his bride to listen to and sing along with, and some of those songs involve petitioning God to bring his righteous and just judgement on his enemies. To the one who finds that to be at odds with the command for us to forgive, it isn’t. We do well to pray that a wicked ruler would relent and repent, and we also do well to pray that the just judge would judge justly. In fact, St John saw in his infamous letter, The Apocalypse, that the great multitude of the redeemed were right there in heaven singing God’s praises due to his condemning unfaithful Jerusalem for her idolatry and wickedness.

“for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Revelation 19:2

We commend to the reader the Imprecatory Psalms, they are an eye-opening read and a vivid reminder that God has prepared for us a book that guides us through joy and elation, but also through the darkest injustice, bitterness and sorrow.

However, those sombre verses are not the only type of worship that your average pew-warming fellow might find uncouth. Do not hear this disparagingly, for this author has at different times worn very different hats, where taste in Christian music is concerned. There are some classics that are the cherished inheritance and legacy of the Church, such as ‘How Great Thou Art’, ‘Be Thou My Vision’ and ‘O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing’. Some might find these clunky and passé, but it is by no means controversial to assert that they belong within the repertoire of the worshipper.

JC Squad by Planetboom, on the other hand, is basically dance/club music with Jesus-lyrics thrown in. Listening to it the first time, you might sigh, ‘what has happened to Christian music? Back in my day…’

We will here appeal to a biblical analogy to justify the validity and value of a song such as this. The beautiful hymns and ballads and anthems we have inherited are the torso, the arms, the legs, the muscles and the head of the body. However, Christian Trap (that is the genre I would assign to music such as this song) does have a place. Can the arms and legs say to the eyes ‘I have no need of you’?

If you rejoice in the great and cosmic victory of King Jesus over all the forces of evil, then listening to JC Squad will magnificently reflect to you the energy and power of that victory. The sense of excitement and victory and majesty is spot on. Your appreciation of how great your God is will be improved by a tasteful selection of these songs, which this author affectionately calls ‘Jesus bangers’.

“I know who I am because I know who I belong to

He’s the prince of peace and he’s sitting on the throne too

The God of heaven’s armies is the God that I am known to”

– Planetboom, ‘JC Squad’