Psalm 97:10-12
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This verse doesn't just say to avoid evil; it connects a deep hatred of evil to a genuine love for God. This isn't about outward actions alone, but an internal alignment, where you actively abhor what God abhors.
O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm has been building a powerful picture of God's glorious reign and his mighty actions, culminating in the idea that He is sovereign over all. Now, the psalm turns to address those who follow Him, calling them to actively demonstrate their love for God by hating everything that stands against Him. This call to action is immediately followed by a promise of divine protection, assuring believers that God guards and rescues His faithful followers from the grasp of their enemies.
How do you really know if you love God? It's not just about good feelings or Sunday morning songs. This verse gives a surprisingly bold clue.
The psalmist doesn't mince words: if you love the Lord, you must hate evil.
A Divine Mandate
This isn't a suggestion; it's an imperative. Our love for God is meant to be so profound that it naturally produces a deep aversion to anything that opposes Him. Think of it like this: if you truly love someone, you'll naturally dislike or even hate the things that hurt them or try to destroy them.
The Opposite of Love
Indifference to evil is what the commentaries warn against. When we become comfortable with sin, when we look the other way, or even participate in it, we're not just compromising; we're actually dimming the light of our love for God. Genuine faith isn't passive; it actively recoils from what God Himself despises.
Life throws punches, and sometimes it feels like the wicked are winning. What does God promise to those who take His command to hate evil seriously?
The second half of the verse shifts focus to God's unwavering commitment to His people.
Divine Preservation
'He preserves the lives of His saints.' This isn't just about keeping people breathing. The original Hebrew can point to preserving the very or . It speaks to God’s active involvement in safeguarding those who are set apart for Him – His 'saints' or 'godly ones'.
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Rescue from the Enemy
And it doesn't stop there: 'He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.' This is a promise of active rescue. When His people are under threat, when they're caught in the snare of those who oppose God, the Lord Himself steps in. This deliverance isn't always immediate or without trial, but it is certain.
Understand the original words
ahab · Hebrew Verb
Refers to those who have set their affection, loyalty, and commitment upon the Lord; a defining characteristic of the true believer.
sane · Hebrew Verb
An intense moral revulsion toward sin and all that stands in opposition to God’s holiness and will.
shamar · Hebrew Verb
God’s active work of guarding, protecting, and keeping His people secure in their relationship with Him.
chasid · Hebrew Noun
Literally 'holy ones' or 'godly ones'; those who are set apart for God through His covenant, marked by their faithfulness to Him.
or · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, light is a symbol of God's presence, truth, holiness, and salvation. It represents the revelation of God that dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin, providing guidance and hope to those who walk in obedience.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective
Refers to those who have been declared right with God and who live in accordance with His moral law. In the Bible, righteousness is not merely human virtue, but a status granted by God and evidenced by a life of integrity, faithfulness, and obedience.
simchah · Hebrew Noun
A deep, settled state of gladness and spiritual exhilaration that comes from a relationship with God. It is distinct from temporary happiness because it is rooted in God's character and the assurance of His promises, even amidst trials.
yashar · Hebrew Adjective
Describes a moral orientation of consistency and integrity before God. It signifies a life that is straight and unswerving in its devotion to the Lord, characterized by honesty and an absence of duplicity or hypocrisy.
samach · Hebrew Verb
A command to express extreme gladness and celebration. Biblically, it is not merely an emotion but an active response to God's character, His mighty works, and the victory He has secured for His people.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal existence, His faithfulness to His covenant promises, and His redemptive relationship with His people.
yadah · Hebrew Verb
An act of worship expressing gratitude for God’s character, actions, and benefits. It is a fundamental duty of the believer to acknowledge God as the source of all grace and to vocalize appreciation for His saving works.
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
Refers to God's absolute moral purity, set-apartness, and distinctness from all creation. His name represents the entirety of His revealed character, which demands awe, reverence, and worship from those who know Him.
This passage echoes the sentiment by directly commanding, 'Hate evil, and love good; maintain justice in the courts.' It underscores that a genuine love for God is inseparable from a strong aversion to evil.
1 John 2:15This verse highlights the incompatibility of loving God and loving the world (which often represents sinful desires and pursuits), mirroring the psalmist's call to hate evil as a demonstration of love for the Lord.
Romans 12:9Paul's instruction to 'let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good' provides a New Testament parallel to the Old Testament call in Psalm 97:10, showing this is a timeless principle for believers.
Proverbs 8:13Wisdom personified declares, 'The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.' This links the hatred of evil not just to loving God, but also to the very essence of fearing and honoring Him.
Psalm 34:14This verse, from a psalm often associated with David's flight from Saul, offers a complementary perspective: 'Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.' It emphasizes the active pursuit of good as the other side of hating evil.
pulpitPsalms 97:10: "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."
Verse 10. - Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. The psalmist ends his strain with an exhortation to the faithful - an exhortation, first of all, to "hate evil." God hates evil (Psalm 45:7); evil will separate them from God, evil will be their destruction. Therefore let them hate and abhor it. It is indifference to evil, that, more than anything else, lays men…
bensonPsalms 97:10: "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."
Psalm 97:10 . Ye that love the Lord — O all you that love and worship the true God, and rejoice in the establishment of his kingdom; hate evil — Show your love to him by hating all sin in temper, word, and work. Thus the psalmist, “having sung the glory of the Redeemer, now delineates the duty of the redeemed. They are characterized by their love of God; the…
This verse doesn't just say to avoid evil; it connects a deep hatred of evil to a genuine love for God. This isn't about outward actions alone, but an internal alignment, where you actively abhor what God abhors.
This psalm has been building a powerful picture of God's glorious reign and his mighty actions, culminating in the idea that He is sovereign over all. Now, the psalm turns to address those who follow Him, calling them to actively demonstrate their love for God by hating everything that stands against Him. This call to action is immediately followed by a promise of divine protection, assuring believers that God guards and rescues His faithful followers from the grasp of their enemies.
This psalm has been building a powerful picture of God's glorious reign and his mighty actions, culminating in the idea that He is sovereign over all. Now, the psalm turns to address those who follow Him, calling them to actively demonstrate their love for God by hating everything that stands against Him. This call to action is immediately followed by a promise of divine protection, assuring believers that God guards and rescues His faithful followers from the grasp of their enemies.
"O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, O you r…" — This verse doesn't just say to avoid evil; it connects a deep hatred of evil to a genuine love for God. This isn't about outward actions alone, but an internal alignment, where you actively abhor w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
