Psalm 139:21-22
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This isn't just a statement of hate, but a profound declaration of alignment with God's own heart. The psalmist is asking, "Doesn't my very love for you compel me to grieve and abhor those who stand against everything you are?" It reveals that genuine devotion means sharing God's perspective, even on His enemies.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist is addressing God directly, acknowledging God's intimate knowledge of him and commitment to righteousness. Having just reflected on how God’s constant presence and detailed understanding of his life should shape his conduct, he now asks God to witness his own internal disposition toward those who oppose God. This intense feeling of opposition to God's enemies flows directly from his deep desire to walk in God's ways and his plea for God to search his heart for any hidden wickedness.
Have you ever felt a deep-seated aversion to something wrong, not just a mild dislike, but a gut-level rejection? The Psalmist here expresses that kind of intensity.
Psalm 139:21 isn't about arbitrary hatred, but about a divinely-aligned heart. The phrasing, "Do I not hate those who hate you?" is a rhetorical question, a strong assertion. The Psalmist is essentially saying, "Lord, you know my heart – I do hate what you hate."
A Shared Enemy
This isn't about personal vendettas. It's about recognizing that God's enemies are those who oppose His goodness, His truth, and His reign. When we truly love God, we naturally find ourselves repulsed by anything that stands in opposition to Him and His character.
Not About Persons, But Principles
The commentators wisely point out that this hatred is directed towards sin and rebellion against God, not necessarily the individuals who perpetrate them. The goal is to hate the way of wickedness, to loathe the actions that go against God's nature, just as God Himself does.
What does it truly mean to be on God's side? This verse suggests that our emotional and ethical alignment with God is a vital sign of our relationship with Him.
The Psalmist presents his hatred for God's enemies as evidence of his own integrity and devotion. He appeals to God's omniscience, saying, "You know my heart; you see that I am not aligned with those who rebel against you."
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A Test of Loyalty
In a world where compromise can feel easy, this verse serves as a powerful self-examination. Our genuine sorrow and loathing for sin, especially the sin that attacks God's name and authority, reveals the depth of our commitment to Him. It's a sign that His cause has become our cause.
The Heart of the Matter
As Benson notes, a faithful servant shares the interests, friends, and enemies of their Master. This isn't about being harsh or unloving towards people, but about a profound internal alignment where our affections and aversions mirror God's own. It’s about hating what dishonors the One we love most.
Understand the original words
sane' · Hebrew Verb
To feel intense hostility or aversion toward something or someone. In a biblical context, it often denotes a settled opposition to those who oppose God and His righteousness.
qut · Hebrew Verb
An intensive verb describing a feeling of utter detestation or disgust. It signifies a profound, active rejection of something that is abhorrent to God.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the covenant-keeping God of Israel. It represents the self-existent, eternal God who reveals Himself to His people.
'oyeb · Hebrew Noun
One who is hostile or opposed to another. In Scripture, God's enemies are those who rebel against His sovereignty and moral standards.
This passage echoes the same principle by commanding Israel to 'hate' the nations with whom they were not to make covenants, highlighting a divine mandate to oppose those who stand against God's people and His ways.
1 John 2:15This New Testament passage warns against loving the world, which implies a necessary detachment from worldly desires and values that are contrary to God's character, similar to the Psalmist's stance against God's enemies.
Romans 12:9This verse calls for love to be 'without hypocrisy' and to 'detest evil, clinging to what is good,' which reframes the hatred of evil and its practitioners as an active pursuit of goodness and purity.
Psalm 119:158This verse directly parallels the sentiment, stating 'I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your word,' showing a consistent theme in the Psalter of revulsion towards those who disregard God's commands.
ellicottPsalms 139:21: "Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?"
(21) Do not I . . .—Better— “Must I not hate thy haters, Jehovah, And feel loathing for thy assailants?”
pulpitPsalms 139:21: "Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?"
Verse 21. - Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? Those who love God must hate God's enemies. The psalmist claims to be of this number.
This isn't just a statement of hate, but a profound declaration of alignment with God's own heart. The psalmist is asking, "Doesn't my very love for you compel me to grieve and abhor those who stand against everything you are?" It reveals that genuine devotion means sharing God's perspective, even on His enemies.
The Psalmist is addressing God directly, acknowledging God's intimate knowledge of him and commitment to righteousness. Having just reflected on how God’s constant presence and detailed understanding of his life should shape his conduct, he now asks God to witness his own internal disposition toward those who oppose God. This intense feeling of opposition to God's enemies flows directly from his deep desire to walk in God's ways and his plea for God to search his heart for any hidden wickedness.
The Psalmist is addressing God directly, acknowledging God's intimate knowledge of him and commitment to righteousness. Having just reflected on how God’s constant presence and detailed understanding of his life should shape his conduct, he now asks God to witness his own internal disposition toward those who oppose God. This intense feeling of opposition to God's enemies flows directly from his deep desire to walk in God's ways and his plea for God to search his heart for any hidden wickedness.
"Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies." — This isn't just a statement of hate, but a profound declaration of alignment with God's own heart. The psalmist is asking, "Doesn't my very love for you compel me to grieve and abhor those who stand…
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Last reviewed October 2026
