Why does the Psalmist speak about killing children?

by Matt Slick


Critics often bring up this verse as an attack on the validity of the Bible, but does the Bible teach that it is okay to kill children?  The answer, of course, is no it doesn't.  We must ask what the Psalmist was saying and why he was saying it.



It is worth noting that the Old Testament records many atrocities.  The fact is that God allowed people their sinful desires, and he worked within their culture even as he does now as he permits all kinds of bad things to happen.  Nevertheless, God introduced what is called the Apoditic Law (Exodus 21:24): an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  The Apoditic Law was instituted to prevent the increase of blood revenge--a practice where revenge would escalate out of control between two parties.  Since the hearts of the fallen are so wicked and the harsh environment and culture produced difficulties for survival, God has a few options to counter their proclivity towards evil.  He can run roughshod over their free will and force everyone to obey him, or he could wipe them all out (he had already done this with Noah's flood), or he could work within the situation at hand.  In the case of this psalm and its Babylonian captivity context, God chose to work with people and through them instead of violating the freedom he had given them and forcing them to act in a manner that he instructs. Therefore, the Psalmist is expressing his curse against Babylon--a natural response to what his people have already suffered.



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