Israel’s problems today are not new — they’re the same as when the Bible was written.

Why do so many hate Israel? It’s rather simple. Because Satan hates God, he also hates any nation or people whom God chooses to love. That includes the Jews, and also you. So Satan incites hatred in people whose hearts are held captive by him and his evil plans.

But here’s David’s surprising response to their hatred of the Jews and of God:

“For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.’… So pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O Lord… That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” — Psalms 83:2, 4, 15-16, 18 NKJV

Did you catch that? David is asking God to reveal His wrath against them so they can repent and come to know their God too! This means he is interceding for non-Jews as well — even for those causing them harm.

Didn’t Jesus say to bless those who curse us? It’s because it’s only by the grace of God that we are saved. Without His grace, we could be the ones cursing God and Christians. So when we bless them, we don’t bless their attitude — we pray that God would shower His mercy upon them and provoke them to want to know God personally, rather than curse Him.

Simply put, God does not desire anyone to perish, but for all to repent and have eternal life with Him.

That includes your pesky neighbor, that antagonizing coworker, or that loud-mouthed relative who always thinks he knows it all. God’s love wants to overwhelm them and all their idiosyncrasies.

So we bless them… because God’s grace is, always has been, and always will be, greater than our sin.