Hating?

[Jon-Marc]

I just finished the Psalms, and now I have a question. In mMatthew we read, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you."

Yet in Psalms 139:21,22 we read, "Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies."

So, in OT times it was OK to hate people but now it isn't? What has changed? Certainly not God since we are told He never changes. Yet He has changed the way He deals with people. In the OT times he dealt with them through the law. Now he deals with them through grace. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something as usual.

[Soldier4Christ]

Psalm 139:21-22 is not a good verse to reach a conclusion with. Here David is speaking and asking God if that was a correct manner to be in. We do not see an answer there. If we search the Old Testament thoroughly we will not find any direction from God telling us to hate our enemies. In fact we will see just the opposite. We are indeed told to love them and show them compassion in many different ways.

Exo 23:4  If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Exo 23:5  If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Job 31:29  If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
Job 31:30  Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.


2Ki 6:22  And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

Pro 17:5  Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Pro 24:17  Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Pro 24:18  Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

[Sherri]

Thank you. I've often wondered about that when reading some of the psalms.