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I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

I love the Psalms

Tag Archives: evildoers

Loving the LORD and What Is Hating Evil

20 Monday Jun 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 97, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

abused partner, addict, evildoers, hating evil, loving God

Reading: Psalm 97:8-12
Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, L
ORD.
For you, L
ORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the L
ORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the L
ORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name
(NIV).*

img_20220526_1230017

White water at the Shellmouth Dam on the Assiniboine River — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Love and hate are two extremes—two opposites. Almost always we see love as a good thing, something to be encouraged or applauded, while hate is regarded as a universally negative emotion. But is this a correct view of love and hate?

The addict may love his crack cocaine pipe, but is that a good or wholesome kind of love? Strange as it may seem, the battered wife may love her abusive husband and yet feel locked into that relationship despite its toxic or even deadly consequences. Is that a healthy kind of love? Of course not, but the addict and the abused partner both use the term love when they describe the object of their affection.

Similarly hate—that polar opposite emotion—is universally viewed as negative. Is it wrong to hate injustice, murder, or pedophilia? Of course not. Hate is the right emotional response when we see these things taking place. The devastating consequences of sin and criminal wrongdoing are repulsive. Seeing such harmful conduct should prompt us to hate those actions.

In today’s reading from Psalm 97, we see a different perspective on love and hate. Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Are you loving God and hating evil? All too often we see there are those in this world who love evil and hate God. Why do they hate God? Could it be because the LORD expects—no requires—better from them, and they thinking they know better, have gone their own selfish way?

Note that we are commanded to hate evil. We are not commanded to hate evildoers. God in His great mercy may yet redeem the evildoer. It is by God’s grace that we ourselves are not caught up in evil, so wisdom urges us not to be haughty. We do well to focus on loving the LORD. We can draw encouragement from these words: Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

Response: LORD God, teach me to identify and hate evil when I see it. I want your light to shine on me, so I can walk in the path you have set out for me. Let my love for you and others grow day by day. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you loving the LORD and hating evil? How can you learn to hate the sin, but not the sinner?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

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Please pray for the people of Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and for those who love God’s word, it’s an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

My Eyes Are Fixed on You, Sovereign LORD

10 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 141, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

evildoers, praise, Prayer, righteous, Sovereign LORD

I will praise Him!

parliament 2019-01-04

The angel and the cross on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, ON

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD;
    in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
    from the snares they have laid for me.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.

(Psalm 141:5-10, NIV)

Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer

Psalms 365 Volume II

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