Arguments

Somewhere in 1 Corinthians, Paul writes that it is not our practice to be contentious.

Does that mean he automatically agrees with my or your personal opinion on the argument at hand? No I think, guessing at the Greek - philoneikos, that love of conquest is not our practice.

So there is a new book on the Psalms out by Amy Cottrill and Jim Davila and with him, Loren Rossen, both highlight the 'bellicose' nature of the Psalms. The psalmists, praying for the destruction of the enemy, their troubles, the wicked, etc may be desirous that God would implement their notion of such a solution, but do they see only such a rationale as God's necessary response in covenant to their prayer? Or does God see that 'bellicose' solution as the required response to their prayers? There was dialogue about reasonable faith some time ago. Why do the psalms work so well? Perhaps it is because the prayer is to God and the implementation of the answer, whether yes or no, is not in human hands.