Psalm 139 part 4 - Love Will Hate
This section of Psalm 139 in many ways is startling. It causes us, rather it forces us, to consider the whole of love.
"Oh that You would slay the wicked, O God! O men of bloodshed, depart from me. For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O Yahweh? And do I not revile those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies" (Psalms 139 19-22).
Meaning
What does love mean? From the entirety of this Psalm, we see the writer's love for Yahweh and that love is a direct result of Yahweh first loving him. However, in these verses the Psalmist shows us something that is a direct outcome of his love. Because, of his abiding love for Yahweh, he hates.
Looking back to earlier verses in Psalm 139 we can see how the Psalmist arrived to this point. The words of the Psalmist express the wonder of Yahweh - His closeness, His care and intimacy; "O Yahweh, You have searched me and known me ... And are intimately acquainted with all my ways." An impersonal distant deity, He is not. Yahweh is a surrounding embracing God, "You have enclosed me behind and before." He is personal, "You have put Your hand upon me." His thoughts are "precious" toward the Psalmist. A result of these truths, the Psalmist worships, "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works."
The Wonder
Then he responds to these truths and declares, "such knowledge is too wonderful for me." In other words ... WOW! "This is absolutely amazing, my God's loving care for me is way beyond what I can fully understand. My God is like no other." In every respect, these words express love directed to Yahweh for who He is. Then, in verses 19-22 (if you will), we come to the dark side of love. What the Psalmist shows, is how love for Yahweh reacts to those who don't: "Oh that You would slay the wicked."
Enemies
Given what is known about Yahweh, it is astonishing that men "speak against You wickedly." Taking His "name in vain." But, it is more than just words, these are "men of bloodshed." Just a few verses earlier the Psalmist wrote, "for You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb." Every person who is in the womb and came from the womb was "formed" by Yahweh. No time in history has bloodshed been on such a massive scale as we see today. Such acts are by the hands of "wicked" people who are "enemies." They are enemies because they reject their Creator, therefore they reject His love. "For they speak against You wickedly" because there is no love in them. Without love for Yahweh, there can be no love for others. Hence, the willingness to shed the blood of God's creatures.
Love That Hates
What the Psalmist is showing us, knowing Yahweh and understanding and embracing who He is, will result in love towards Him. And, will express itself in hate of the loveless wicked. When hate is defined as something that is always wrong and not to ever be part of and beyond the Christians life, as it is today, is to devalue love and dumb-down what love truly means. For love that does not hate wickedness, is no love at all: "Do I not hate those who hate You, O Yahweh?"
Verses 19-22 fit perfectly within the whole of this Psalm. From these verses, we are provided in absolutely amazing detail, a description of who God is, a knowing God, an ever present and personal God and what His caring love looks like toward each individual. How can we not echo the words of verse 22 in our prayers, concerning those who turn their backs to become His enemies: "I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies."
