Deuteronomy 32:33-43: a reflection

33Their wine is the poison of serpents, the cruel venom of asps. 34“Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up among my treasures? 35Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides, for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.” 36For the LORD will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, that there is no one remaining, shut up or left at large. 37He will say, “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge, 38which ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection. 39“See now that I myself am he. There is no god with me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. 40For I lift up my hand to heaven and declare, as I live forever, 41if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me. 42I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.” 43Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people.

In the song of Moses, God declares that vengeance and recompense belong to him: he is the one who will repay, who judges rightly, and to whom the righting of wrongs may be entrusted. Vengeance is mine, and recompense, God says; the day of their calamity is at hand. God claims vengeance as his own, not to encourage cruelty but to take the righting of wrongs out of our hands and into his; for he alone judges rightly, sees all, and repays justly. The apostle Paul draws on these very words to teach that we should not take vengeance ourselves, but leave it to God. This shows that vengeance belongs to God, and we can leave the righting of wrongs to him. Vengeance is God's; leave the righting of wrongs to him. God repays justly; we need not take vengeance ourselves. Entrust wrongs done to you to God, who judges rightly. God claims vengeance as his own, taking it out of our hands.

Notice what it means that God claims vengeance as his own. It is not that God delights in cruelty or revenge; rather, by claiming vengeance as his, God takes the righting of wrongs out of our hands and into his own. For God alone judges rightly; he sees all, knows every heart, weighs every circumstance, and repays with perfect justice, without the distortion of our own hurt, anger, and partiality. When we take vengeance ourselves, we act as flawed judges, driven by our wounds and anger, and we usurp what belongs to God. But when we leave vengeance to God, we entrust the righting of the wrong to the one who will judge and repay rightly. This frees us. We do not have to carry the burden of avenging every wrong done to us, of settling every score; we can entrust the wrongs done to us to God, who judges rightly, and be freed to forgive, to let go, to leave vengeance in his hands. Paul draws on these words precisely to free us from taking vengeance: leave it to God, who will repay. Leaving vengeance to God frees us from carrying the burden of revenge. God judges rightly; entrust wrongs to him rather than avenging them. We are freed to forgive when we leave vengeance to God. Do not usurp God's place by taking vengeance yourself.

That is worth taking to heart, for vengeance belongs to God, who judges rightly, and we can leave the righting of wrongs to him rather than taking vengeance ourselves, as God declared vengeance is mine. We can take vengeance into our own hands, driven by our hurt and anger, usurping what belongs to God; but God claims vengeance as his own, taking the righting of wrongs out of our flawed hands into his just ones, and Paul draws on these words to free us from taking vengeance. God repays rightly. When you are wronged, do not take vengeance yourself; entrust the wrong to God, who judges rightly, and be freed to forgive. Entrust the wrongs done to you to God, who judges rightly, rather than taking vengeance yourself, for God declared in the song of Moses that vengeance and recompense belong to him, that he is the one who will repay; for God claims vengeance as his own not to encourage cruelty or revenge but to take the righting of wrongs out of our hands and into his own, since he alone judges rightly, sees all, knows every heart, and repays with perfect justice, without the distortion of our own hurt, anger, and partiality, so that when we take vengeance ourselves we act as flawed judges driven by our wounds and usurp what belongs to God, but when we leave vengeance to God we entrust the wrong to the one who will judge and repay rightly, which frees us from carrying the burden of avenging every wrong and settling every score, freeing us to forgive and let go, as Paul draws on these very words to teach that we should not avenge ourselves but leave it to God, who will repay.

Lord, in the song of Moses, you declare that vengeance and recompense belong to you: you are the one who will repay, who judges rightly, and to whom the righting of wrongs may be entrusted. Vengeance is mine, and recompense, you say. You claim vengeance as your own, not to encourage cruelty but to take the righting of wrongs out of our hands and into yours; for you alone judge rightly, see all, and repay justly. The apostle Paul draws on these very words to teach that we should not take vengeance ourselves, but leave it to you. This shows that vengeance belongs to you, and I can leave the righting of wrongs to you. Show me what it means that you claim vengeance as your own. It is not that you delight in cruelty or revenge; rather, by claiming vengeance as yours, you take the righting of wrongs out of my hands and into your own. For you alone judge rightly; you see all, know every heart, weigh every circumstance, and repay with perfect justice, without the distortion of my own hurt, anger, and partiality. When I take vengeance myself, I act as a flawed judge, driven by my wounds and anger, and I usurp what belongs to you. But when I leave vengeance to you, I entrust the righting of the wrong to you, who will judge and repay rightly. This frees me. I do not have to carry the burden of avenging every wrong done to me; I can entrust the wrongs done to me to you, and be freed to forgive, to let go. Take that to my heart, for vengeance belongs to you, and I can leave the righting of wrongs to you. When I am wronged, keep me from taking vengeance into my own hands, driven by my hurt and anger; help me entrust the wrong to you, Lord, who judge rightly, and be freed to forgive and let go, leaving vengeance in your just hands rather than usurping your place.