Psalms 139:22 · Bible study
Psalms 139:22 Commentary: Perfect Hatred and Divine Loyalty
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How can the psalmist's 'perfect hatred' for God's enemies be reconciled with Jesus' command to love? A careful study of the Hebrew and context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist fully rejects those who oppose God, but immediately submits his own heart to God’s examination, showing that this hatred is not personal malice.
- Key words: “perfect hatred” (תַּכְלִ֣ית שִׂנְאָ֣ה), a unique phrase using “completeness” to intensify “hatred” to its absolute degree; the Qal perfect verbs “I hate” and “they have become” indicate settled, decisive positions.
- Main debate: Whether this OT expression of hatred can coexist with Jesus’ command to love enemies. Some emphasize a break between testaments; others find continuity in righteous indignation against evil.
- Theological theme: Covenant loyalty requires separation from evil, yet that loyalty must always be paired with self-scrutiny and dependence on God’s grace.
- Best use: As a springboard for teaching on righteous anger, the balance of zeal and humility, and the importance of letting God search our motives before we judge others.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.
WEB World English Bible 2000
I hate them with perfect hatred. They have become my enemies.
KJV King James Version 1769
I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
I hate them with perfect hatred: They are become mine enemies.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
With perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
I hate them with perfect hatred; I account them mine enemies.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Aborrézcolos con perfecto odio; téngolos por enemigos.
Eu os odeio com ódio completo; eu os considero como inimigos.
Je les hais d’ une parfaite haine;
Ich hasse sie im rechten Ernst; sie sind mir zu Feinden geworden.
Ik haat hen met volkomen haat, tot vijanden zijn zij mij.
Io li odio di un odio perfetto; li tengo per miei nemici.
Główną nienawiścią nienawidzę ich, a mam ich za nieprzyjaciół.
我切切地 恨惡他們，以他們為 仇敵。
My hate for them is complete; my thoughts of them are as if they were making war on me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 139:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the hatred expressed in this verse is not personal malice but a complete rejection of evil and opposition to God. Barnes notes the psalmist feels 'no approval whatever of their conduct' and 'no sympathy for the evil they do.' Gill echoes this, explaining that David hates 'heartily and really; not in word only, but in deed and in truth.' Adam Clarke specifies that what is abhorred is their 'conduct, their motives, their opposition to thee, their perfidy and idolatrous purposes.' The Cambridge Bible adds that this 'burning indignation against moral evil' is a duty that remains under the Christian dispensation.
Critically, all agree this statement must be read in context: the psalm immediately pivots to a prayer for self-examination (vv. 23, 24). The psalmist does not claim personal righteousness but invites God to search his own heart for 'any wicked way.' This humility guards against self-righteousness. Wesley's short note, 'See the difference between the Jewish and the Christian spirit', highlights a tension, but the deeper consensus is that the hatred is directed at sin, not toward sinners as objects of personal vengeance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Old Covenant Loyalty: The psalmist’s hatred is a covenantal stance against those who reject God; it is a prayer for God to act, not personal vengeance. Verses 19–22 and parallel psalms like 101:3–8 support this.
- Imprecatory Ethic Problem: Some Christians see this as an example of an OT ethic that is superseded by Jesus’ command to love enemies (Luke 6:27). The verse is read as a contrast, not a model.
- Righteous Indignation Continuity: Others see continuity: Jesus himself expressed strong denunciation of hypocrisy (Matthew 23) and called for hating one’s own life. The hatred is directed at evil, not individuals, and the self-examination in vv. 23–24 mirrors Jesus’ call to first remove the log from one’s own eye (Matthew 7:5).
- Prayer for Divine Justice: The verse is an expression of desire for God to vindicate his name and put down evil. It is not a personal curse but a surrender of judgment to God, as seen in the petition “Surely you will slay the wicked” (v. 19).
What is clear: The psalmist is not expressing personal malice but a complete rejection of sin and alignment with God’s opposition to evil, and he immediately subjects himself to God’s examination, showing humility and openness to correction.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'perfect hatred' | All commentators agree it means total rejection of evil deeds and opposition to God, not personal animosity. | Some (e.g., Wesley) see it as a mark of the old covenant that is superseded by the new; others (e.g., Cambridge Bible) argue that righteous indignation against evil remains a Christian duty. |
| Relation to New Testament love of enemies | Both testaments affirm that God alone is the ultimate judge, and personal vengeance is wrong. | Christians differ on whether this verse reflects a lower OT ethic or a consistent biblical principle of hating sin while loving sinners, some point to Jesus’ denunciations of Pharisees as parallel, while others stress the radical call to enemy love. |
| Role of self-examination (vv. 23, 24) | All note that the psalmist’s prayer for God to search his heart immediately follows the hatred statement, showing humility and openness to correction. | Some see this as a condition that makes the hatred acceptable; others argue it merely proves the psalmist’s sincerity but does not change the harshness of the words. |
| Authorship and date | The psalm is traditionally attributed to David, but many scholars note Aramaic forms that suggest a later date. | Conservative commentators generally maintain Davidic authorship; critical scholars assign it to the post-exilic period. The theological message is not dependent on which view one holds. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 139 unfolds as four strophes of six verses each, moving through the themes of God's omniscience (vv. 1, 6), omnipresence (vv. 7, 12), and creative power (vv. 13, 18). The final strophe (vv. 19, 24) turns abruptly to the wicked. This is not a random outburst; it flows from the psalmist's meditation on God's intimate knowledge and presence. If God sees everything and is everywhere, then evil cannot be ignored.
The Hebrew intensifies the emotion. The phrase 'perfect hatred' uses the noun takh•lit (תַּכְלִ֣ית, H8503), meaning 'completeness' or 'consummation', a word that appears only here in the Psalms. It pushes 'hatred' (sin•'ah, H8135) to its absolute limit. The verb 'I hate' (se•ne•ti•m) is in the Qal perfect, a completed action: the psalmist has fully committed himself to this stance. Similarly, 'they have become my enemies' uses the perfect of ha•yah (H1961), marking a decisive change of status: they are now regarded as enemies because they are God's enemies.
The cultural background is covenant loyalty. In ancient Israel, friendship with God required opposition to those who defied him (Psalm 101:3, 8). This was not primitive vendetta but fidelity to the covenant relationship. Yet the psalmist does not take vengeance into his own hands. He appeals to God: 'If only you, God, would kill the wicked' (v. 19), rather than acting himself. And then he opens his own heart to divine scrutiny (vv. 23, 24), ensuring this 'hatred' is not contaminated by personal sin.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate follow the same sense. The only variation is in English translations: some render “I count them mine enemies” (KJV) while others have “They have become my enemies” (WEB), but both reflect the Hebrew accurately.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been a point of tension. Early church fathers like Augustine interpreted it allegorically as the soul’s rejection of sin, not a command to hate people. In the Reformation, Calvin and Luther saw it as expressing godly zeal against false teaching and persistent sin. John Wesley’s brief comment, ”See the difference between the Jewish and the Christian spirit!”, reflects a tradition that sees the OT as a preparation for the fuller revelation of enemy love in Christ. In modern evangelicalism, the verse is often treated as a difficult passage that must be interpreted in light of the whole psalm and the whole canon, with emphasis on the psalmist’s subsequent prayer for self-examination. Some traditions have used it to justify righteous anger in social justice contexts; others caution against any form of hatred and stress that only God can rightly judge the heart.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Problem of Perfect Hatred. This verse jars against Jesus’ command to love enemies (Luke 6:27). Yet the psalmist is not nursing a personal grudge; he is aligning himself with God’s judgment on evil. The hatred is directed at sin’s rebellion, not at sinners as objects of personal revenge.
- The Perspective of Covenant Loyalty. The psalmist stands with God. Because the wicked speak against God and take his name in vain (v. 20), the psalmist counts them as his enemies (v. 22). This is not self-righteousness but a refusal to compromise with evil.
- The Protection of Self-Examination. Immediately after this strong statement, the psalmist prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (v. 23). He knows he could be wrong; he submits his own motives to God’s light. That humility keeps zeal from becoming sin.
Five-point outline
- Intensity in the Hebrew: “Perfect hatred” uses the rare noun takh•lit, a consummate, complete rejection of evil, not a casual dislike.
- Alignment with God: The enemies are God’s enemies first; the psalmist’s stance is derived from his relationship with God.
- No Personal Vengeance: The psalmist does not attack the wicked; he calls on God to act (v. 19) and separates himself from their deeds (v. 21).
- Balance with Prayer: The same heart that says “I hate them” says “Search me.” This is the safeguard against hypocrisy.
- Christian Continuity: Jesus himself expressed righteous anger (Matthew 23; John 2:13, 17) and called for hatred of sin in a disciple’s own life (Luke 14:26). The difference is that in Christ, we also have the command to love our enemies, hating their sin while seeking their redemption.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who loves an addict but hates the addiction, opposing the destructive behavior while still longing for the child’s recovery. This mirrors the tension of hating evil while loving the person.
- A judge who must sentence a criminal. The judge may feel sorrow for the offender but must uphold justice against the crime. The psalmist’s ‘perfect hatred’ is like that commitment to righteousness, not personal spite.
- A doctor fighting a disease with everything she has, she hates the cancer but loves the patient. The cancer must be destroyed; the patient is treated with compassion.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it ever right for a Christian to hate? How do we distinguish between hatred of evil and hatred of people?
- Does this verse contradict Jesus’ command to love our enemies? If not, how do we hold both together?
- How can I be angry at sin without becoming bitter or judgmental toward sinners?
Leading a Discussion
This verse often stops readers cold. It seems to clash with Jesus’ call to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Yet the same psalmist who says “I hate them with perfect hatred” also says “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” That tension is the key to understanding the passage. Discussing it honestly, with open Bibles, helps us learn what righteous anger looks like and how to check our own hearts.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 139:19, 22. What do these verses tell you about the psalmist’s relationship with God? Why does he feel such strong emotion?
- The word “perfect” (takh•lit) means “complete” or “consummate.” How does the intensity of the language affect how you read the verse?
- Look at verse 21: “Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you?” How does the psalmist connect his hatred to God’s honor rather than his own injury?
- Read verses 23, 24. Why do you think the psalmist immediately turns to self-examination after such a strong statement? What does that tell us about his humility?
- Compare this passage with Jesus’ words in Luke 14:26 and his cleansing of the temple (John 2:13, 17). How is Jesus’ ‘hatred’ of sin similar or different from the psalmist’s?
- How can we ‘hate’ evil without hating people? What practical steps help us maintain love for enemies while opposing their sin?
- When have you felt righteous anger? How did you keep it from turning into unforgiveness or pride?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 101:3 | I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me. |
| Psalms 101:8 | Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land, to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city. |
| Luke 14:26 | “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
With perfect hatred - Their conduct, their motives, their opposition to thee, their perfidy and idolatrous purposes, I perfectly abhor. With them I have neither part, interest, nor affection.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "perfect hatred" means complete disapproval of their conduct, not personal malice or emotional hostility. He regards these people as enemies only because they are enemies of God, not from any private grudge or desire for association.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that David wrote this psalm to strip away every excuse and pretense, forcing the reader to face the fact that nothing is hidden from God. The proof lies in our very creation: the One who formed every part of us in the womb cannot possibly be ignorant of how we live.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible recognises that the Psalmist's fierce indignation against the wicked can seem jarring. Yet it argues this is simply the limited human form of a necessary hatred of evil. Drawing on Stanley, it insists that keeping alive a burning indignation against moral evil remains a duty for Christians as much as for the Jews.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the psalmist's hatred toward these enemies is genuine and not pretended. It is as real and complete as the hatred felt toward one's most bitter adversaries, not a half-hearted or polite disdain.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that David's "perfect hatred" is not personal malice but complete alignment with God's own enmity. He counts God's enemies as his enemies because friendship with God means sharing both friends and foes. This reveals the inseparable bond between God and the faithful.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights the wonder that God's total knowledge of us becomes a source of tender care rather than judgment. The same omniscience that could have watched over us to harm has instead been employed for our good, through countless kind counsels and providential acts we cannot fathom.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points to the phrase "perfect hatred" as a marker of the Jewish spirit, then calls readers to contrast it with the Christian spirit. For him, the difference exposes how the Old Testament mindset of righteous indignation stands apart from the New Testament way of love and grace.