Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me. But instead, they give me poisonfor food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and their prosperity become a trap.Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see. Psalm 69:20-23 NLT
We cannot read the reference to “sour wine” without thinking of the Crucifixion and the sour wine offered to Jesus (Mk 15:36; Lk 23:36). Then we remember that he said of those who crucified him and mocked him, “Forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing,” and we look at the words above with some disapproval. Shouldn’t the Psalmist have done better?
But, in fact, the Psalmist’s response is the normal one. This is a cause and effect world. There ought to be retribution. If someone has done wrong to us, it is only right that they should “get their own back.” That is not necessarily a desire for revenge, but just for fairness.
What I am saying is that Jesus’ response is not normal, whereas the Psalmist’s is normal. So how do we explain Jesus’ response? He had spoken very harshly about the religious leaders at various points in his ministry and had no hesitation about passing judgment on them. But now he asks the Father to forgive them, and imputes the very best motives to what they are doing: they don’t know any better. What has happened?
We get a clue in the Joseph story. Jacob is dead and Joseph’s brothers are sure he will now take revenge (Gen 50:19-20). But he does not? Why not? Notice, first of all, that the offenses against Joseph, and Jesus, were personal. Therefore, the choice what to do about them was up to each of them. Then both of them knew that their lives and destinies were never in the abusers’ hands. They were in God’s good hands. Joseph, and Jesus, didn’t have to hate and fear those who abused them. Those people could not finally destroy them. Jesus, and Joseph, were free.
Who is holding your life and mine? Are we free? And being free, can we offer forgiveness to those who have abused us?
Called To Be Transformed 