Is saving SQL statements in a MySQL table for executing later a bad idea? The SQL statements will be ready for execution, i.e. there will be no parameters to swap or anything, for example DELETE FROM users WHERE id=1.

I guess I'm being lazy, but I thought of this idea because I'm working on a project that will require quite a few cron jobs that will execute SQL statements periodically.

It's safe, if that's what you're asking. As long as you're as careful about your security as you are with your data's security.

But don't reinvent the wheel, Stored Procedures ARE bits of SQL stored in a table. And they support, nay encourage, parameterisation.

Also note, you can make your security simpler AND reduce the number of points of failure AND reduce the network communications by using the MySql Event Scheduler instead of cron.

Other databases have equivalents to these, for good reason. You're not the first to need this functionality.
