A Time for Cursing Psalms

"Job" (bronze, 1945), by Ivan Meštrović. Installed at Syracuse University

When Al Qaeda-inspired terrorists attacked multiple targets in the USA on Sept 11, 2001, there was a uniform feeling among Americans of shock (mixed, of course with many other things). That day, students and faculty gathered spontaneously in the chapel to grieve and console each other. I, too came to the gathering, but I had something else on my mind. I had been assigned to speak in chapel the next day. I had already thought to talk about the “difficult” psalms, but that day the need to lift up the cursing psalms became clear.

And now, with the invasion of Ukraine, shock and horror have returned and the cursing psalms have their relevance renewed. In these days of renewed war in Europe, what shall we do with our sorrow, our despair, and our anger at such naked aggression, mass slaughter, and soulless calculation for war? I know I should have felt just as outraged for other things, but guilt for that cannot diminis…