TRV
Translation
Young's Literal Translation
With perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
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Commentary on Psalms 139 verses 17–24
17 ¶ How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Here the psalmist makes application of the doctrine of God's omniscience, divers ways.
I. He acknowledges, with wonder and thankfulness, the care God had taken of him all his days, Psa 139:17, Psa 139:18. God, who knew him, thought of him, and his thoughts towards him were thoughts of love, thought of good, and not of evil, Jer 29:11. God's omniscience, which might justly have watched over us to do us hurt, has been employed for us, and has watched over us to do us good, Jer 31:28. God's counsels concerning us and our welfare have been, 1. Precious to admiration: How precious are they! They are deep in themselves, such as cannot possibly be fathomed and comprehended. Providence has had a vast reach in its dispensations concerning us, and has brought things about for our good quite beyond our contrivance and foresight. They are dear to us; we must think of them with a great deal of reverence, and yet with pleasure and thankfulness. Our thoughts concerning God must be delightful to us, above any other thoughts. 2. Numerous to admiration: How great is the sum of them! We cannot conceive how many God's kind counsels have been concerning us, how many good turns he has done us, and what variety of mercies we have received from him. If we would count them, the heads of them, much more the particulars of them, they are more in number than the sand, and yet every one great and very considerable, Psa 40:5. We cannot conceive the multitude of God's compassions, which are all new every morning. 3. Constant at all times: "When I awake, every morning, I am still with thee, under thy eye and care, safe and easy under thy protection." This bespeaks also the continual devout sense David had of the eye of God upon him: When I awake I am with thee, in my thoughts; and it would help to keep us in the fear of the Lord all the day long if, when we awake in the morning, our first thoughts were of him and we did then set him before us.
II. He concludes from this doctrine that ruin will certainly be the end of sinners. God knows all the wickedness of the wicked, and therefore he will reckon for it: "Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God! for all their wickedness is open before thee, however it may be artfully disguised and coloured over, to hide it from the eye of the world. However thou suffer them to prosper for a while, surely thou wilt slay them at last." Now observe, 1. The reason why God will punish them, because they daringly affront him and set him at defiance (Psa 139:20): They speak against thee wickedly; they set their mouth against the heavens (Psa 73:9), and shall be called to account for the hard speeches they have spoken against him, Jde 1:15. They are his enemies, and declare their enmity by taking his name in vain, as we show our contempt of a man if we make a by-word of his name, and never mention him but in a way of jest and banter. Those that profane the sacred forms of swearing or praying by using them in an impertinent irreverent manner take God's name in vain, and thereby show themselves enemies to him. Some make it to be a description of hypocrites: "They speak of thee for mischief; they talk of God, pretending to piety, but it is with some ill design, for a cloak of maliciousness; and, being enemies to God, while they pretend friendship, they take his name in vain; they swear falsely." 2. The use David makes of this prospect which he has of the ruin of the wicked. (1.) He defies them: "Depart from me, you bloody men; you shall not debauch me, for I will not admit your friendship nor have fellowship with you; and you cannot destroy me, for, being under God's protection, he shall force you to depart from me." (2.) He detests them (Psa 139:21, Psa 139:22): "Lord, thou knowest the heart, and canst witness for me; do not I hate those that hate thee, and for that reason, because they hate thee? I hate them because I love thee, and hate to see such affronts and indignities put upon thy blessed name. Am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee, grieved to see their rebellion and to foresee their ruin, which it will certainly end in?" Note, Sin is hated, and sinners are lamented, by all that fear God. "I hate them" (that is, "I hate the work of them that turn aside," as he explains himself, Psa 101:3) "with a sincere and perfect hatred; I count those that are enemies to God as enemies to me, and will not have any intimacy with them," Psa 69:8.
III. He appeals to God concerning his sincerity, Psa 139:23, Psa 139:24. 1. He desires that as far as he was in the wrong God would discover it to him. Those that are upright can take comfort in God's omniscience as a witness of their uprightness, and can with a humble confidence beg of him to search and try them, to discover them to themselves (for a good man desires to know the worst of himself) and to discover them to others. He that means honestly could wish he had a window in his breast that any man may look into his heart: "Lord, I hope I am not in a wicked way, but see if there be any wicked way in me, any corrupt inclination remaining; let me see it; and root it out of me, for I do not allow it." 2. He desires that, as far as he was in the right, he might be forwarded in it, which he that knows the heart knows how to do effectually: Lead me in the way everlasting. Note, (1.) The way of godliness is an everlasting way; it is everlastingly true and good, pleasing to God and profitable to us, and will end in everlasting life. It is the way of antiquity (so some), the good old way. (2.) All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, nor tire in it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–24. Public domain.
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Basil of CaesareaAD 379
HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 17:8
Yet, it is not hard for us, if we wish it, to take up a love for justice and a hatred for iniquity. God has advantageously given all power to the rational soul, as that of loving, so also that of hating, in order that, guided by reason, we may love virtue but hate vice. It is possible at times to use hatred even praiseworthily. “Have I not hated them, O Lord, that hated you and pined away because of your enemies? I have hated them with a perfect hatred.”
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 139
And then He tells what meanwhile, during this whole time when He already has risen, and remains still with the Father, He suffers by the intermixture of sinners in His Body, the Church, and by the separation of heretics. "If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners (since You shall say in Your thought, Depart from Me, you men of blood), they shall receive in vanity their cities" (ver. 19-20). The words seem to be connected in this order; "If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners, they shall receive in vanity their cities." Thus are sinners slain, because, "having their understandings darkened, they are alienated from the life of God." [Ephesians 4:18] For on account of elation they lose confession, and so they are slain, and in them is fulfilled what Scripture says, "Confession perishes from the dead, as from one that is not." [Sirach 17:28] And so "they receive in vanity their cities," that is, their vain peoples, who follow their vanity; when, puffed up by the name of righteousness, they persuade men to burst the bond of unity, and blindly and ignorantly follow them, as being more righteous....But now the Body of Christ, the Church, says, Why do the proud speak falsely against me, as though I were stained by other men's sins, and so, by separating themselves, "receive in vanity their cities"? "Have not I hated those who hated You, Lord?" [Psalm 139:21]. Why do those who are worse themselves require of me to separate myself in body as well as spirit from the wicked, so as to root up the wheat, together with the tares, before the time of harvest, that before the time of winnowing I lose my power of enduring the chaff; that before all the different sorts of fishes are brought to the end of the world, as to the shore, to be separated, I tear the nets of peace and unity? Are the sacraments which I receive, those of evil men? Do I; by consent, communicate in their life and deeds?...But where is, "Love your enemies"? Is it because He said "yours," not "God's"? "Do good to them that hate you." [Matthew 5:44] He says not, "who hate God." So he follows the pattern, and says, "Have not I hated those who hated You; Lord?" He says not, "Who have hated me." "And at Your enemies did I waste away." "Yours," he said, not "mine." But those who hate us and are enemies unto us, only because we serve Him, what else do they but hate Him, and are His enemies. Ought we then to love such enemies as these? Or do not they suffer persecution for God's sake, to whom it is said, "Pray for them that persecute you"? Observe then what follows. "With a perfect hatred did I hate them" [Psalm 139:22]. What is, "with a perfect hatred"? I hated in them their iniquities, I loved Your creation. This it is to hate with a perfect hatred, that neither on account of the vices thou hate the men, nor on account of the men love the vices. For see what he adds, "They became mine enemies." Not only as God's enemies, but as his own too does he now describe them. How then will he fulfil in them both his own saying, "Have not I hated those that hated You, Lord," and the Lord's command, "Love your enemies"? How will he fulfil this, save with that "perfect hatred," that he hate in them that they are wicked, and love that they are men? For in the time even of the Old Testament, when the carnal people was restrained by visible punishments, how did Moses, the servant of God, who by understanding belonged to the New Testament, how did he hate sinners when he prayed for them, or how did he not hate them when he slew them, save that he "hated them with a perfect hatred"? For with such perfection did he hate the iniquity which he punished, as to love the manhood for which he prayed.
Paulinus of NolaAD 431
LETTER 121
I also ask and beg of you to expound for me what [Paul] says to the Romans, for I admit I have very poor sight for this opinion of the apostle about the Jews, where he says, “As concerning the gospel, indeed they are enemies for your sake, but as touching the election they are most dear for the sake of the ancestors.” How can these same ones be enemies for our sake, now that we former Gentiles have become believers, as if Gentiles could only believe if the Jews had refused to believe? Is not God the one Creator of all, “who will have all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and was he not able to gain both without dispossessing one for the other? Second, “most dear for the sake of the ancestors”: how or why this “most dear,” if they do not believe and if they continue to be enemies of God? “O God,” he says, “have I not hated them that hated you and pined away because of your enemies? I have hated them with a perfect hatred.” Certainly, I think the Father’s voice speaks to his Son by the prophet in the same psalm where he spoke on behalf of believers: “But to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable; their dominions are exceedingly strengthened.” How can it be profitable for their salvation to be “most dear to God for the sake of the ancestors” when salvation is acquired only through the faith and grace of Christ? What good does it do them to be loved, when they are inevitably to be damned because of their unbelief, because they have fallen away from the faith of the prophets and of the patriarchs, their ancestors, and have become enemies of the gospel of Christ? If they are most dear to God, how shall they be lost? And if they do not believe, how can they fail to be lost? If they are loved for the sake of the ancestors, without any merit of their own, why will they not be saved for the sake of the ancestors, too? “And if, Noah, Daniel and Job shall be in the midst thereof, they shall not deliver the wicked children: they shall be delivered.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 139:22 presents a challenging yet profound declaration from the psalmist, expressing an intense and absolute opposition to those who are God's enemies. Far from advocating personal animosity, this "perfect hatred" signifies a complete alignment with God's righteous indignation against evil, rebellion, and all that stands in defiance of His holy character and truth, ultimately leading into a prayer for personal purification and divine scrutiny.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically synonymous or synthetic parallelism, where the second clause ("I count them mine enemies") echoes and intensifies the meaning of the first ("I hate them with perfect hatred"). This repetition emphasizes the psalmist's unwavering stance and the totality of his opposition. The phrase "perfect hatred" itself is an example of Intensification or Hyperbole, using strong language to convey the absolute nature of the psalmist's theological opposition, rather than a literal call for personal vengeance. It vividly communicates the depth of his commitment to God's righteousness and his complete abhorrence of evil, elevating the emotion from mere personal dislike to a principled theological position. Furthermore, the verse functions as part of a broader Imprecatory section (Psalms 139:19-22), where the psalmist calls upon God to act against the wicked, reflecting a desire for divine justice to be meted out and for God's honor to be vindicated in the face of active rebellion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 139:22 presents a profound theological statement about the nature of righteous indignation. It is crucial to understand that this "perfect hatred" is not a license for personal vindictiveness or a contradiction of the New Testament command to love one's enemies. Instead, it represents a zealous alignment with God's own holy character, which is utterly opposed to sin, rebellion, and injustice. The psalmist hates what God hates—not the person as a created being, but the active defiance of divine truth and righteousness. This hatred is a reflection of a pure heart that grieves over evil and longs for the triumph of God's justice. It is a theological hatred of the principles and actions that stand against God, rather than a personal animosity towards individuals, demonstrating a commitment to moral purity and divine standards.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For the modern believer, Psalms 139:22 serves as a challenging but vital call to moral clarity and spiritual alignment. While we are called to love all people, even our enemies, and to seek their redemption, this verse reminds us that there must be an absolute and "perfect hatred" for sin, injustice, and anything that actively defies God's holy character and truth. This means grieving over what grieves God, standing against evil in all its forms, and refusing to compromise with unrighteousness. It is a call to examine our own hearts, as the psalmist does in the subsequent verses, to ensure that our affections are rightly ordered: loving what God loves and hating what God hates. This "hatred" for evil should fuel our prayers for justice, our pursuit of holiness, and our compassionate outreach to those ensnared by sin, always remembering that ultimate judgment belongs to God. It encourages us to cultivate a zealous devotion to God's glory that is intolerant of anything that would defile His name or His creation, prompting us to be agents of righteousness in a fallen world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse contradict Jesus' command to love enemies?
Answer: No, it does not. The "perfect hatred" expressed by the psalmist in Psalms 139:22 is best understood as a righteous indignation against active rebellion and defiance of God, rather than a personal, vindictive hatred of individuals. The psalmist is identifying with God's own holy opposition to evil. In the Old Testament context, "enemies" often referred to those who were actively hostile to God and His covenant people. This is a theological hatred of sin, injustice, and spiritual rebellion, not a call for personal vengeance against individuals. The New Testament command to love enemies, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 5:44, speaks to our personal relationships and our call to extend grace and seek the redemption of others, even those who oppose us. The psalmist's hatred is for the principles and actions of wickedness, not the person in a way that would negate compassion or forgiveness, aligning with God's character who hates sin but loves the sinner.
Who are "them" in this verse?
Answer: "Them" refers to those who are actively hostile to God and His ways, as described in the preceding verses of Psalms 139. Specifically, Psalms 139:19 speaks of "bloody men" and those who "speak against you [God] with malicious intent" and "take your name in vain." These are not merely personal adversaries of the psalmist but are fundamentally "God's enemies" – those who defy His truth, oppose His righteousness, and actively work against His divine order. The psalmist's declaration of "perfect hatred" is therefore a statement of his unwavering loyalty to God and his absolute rejection of all that stands in opposition to divine holiness and justice, demonstrating his alignment with God's own righteous judgment against wickedness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 139:22 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus, who perfectly embodied both a "perfect hatred" for sin and an unparalleled love for sinners. Jesus consistently displayed an absolute and uncompromising opposition to evil, hypocrisy, and spiritual rebellion, as seen in His scathing denunciation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 and His zealous cleansing of the temple, declaring it a "den of robbers" in John 2:13-17. His entire ministry was a direct confrontation with the forces of darkness and the spiritual powers that held humanity captive, culminating in His triumph over sin and death on the cross, where He disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them. Yet, this perfect hatred for sin was inextricably linked with His perfect love for humanity. He came not to condemn the world, but to save it, as declared in John 3:17, demonstrating His profound love for us while we were still sinners, by dying for us, as articulated in Romans 5:8. Thus, Christ perfectly models the balance: an absolute, "perfect hatred" for all that opposes God's holiness and truth, coupled with a redemptive love that seeks to transform those who were once His enemies into His beloved children. His future return will bring the final and complete judgment against all evil, fulfilling the righteous indignation expressed by the psalmist, as He comes to judge and make war in righteousness.