Perfect Hatred

The Scripture speaks of “hating with a perfect hatred”. Theologians undoubtedly have explained it. I’m not sure I fully understand it but sometimes I’m sure I feel it.

Consider Psalms 139:21-22; “Do not I hate them O Lord that hate Thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”

Yes, I can feel it sometimes, but I quickly give it back to God because, in my raw emotion, to hold on to it would only fuel feelings better left with Him. My human hatred would be far from “perfect” and would likely be misdirected, unleashed on individuals rather than a world of failed, deceptive systems. It seems there’s always a ‘system’ at work that is supposed to have all the answers…a government system, an education system, a social services system, even a religious system. Even with all the good people out there and great programs available, they unfortunately fall miserably short of ever being able to meet humanity’s greatest need, a love-relationship with their Creator.

More importantly, the Enemy is not my cranky neighbor, or the teen with the purple hair and smart mouth, or the woman behind the desk whose hands are tied. It’s not even the cashier that sabotages my order at McDonald’s. How do you confuse mocha with caramel anyway?? But this isn’t about me being personally offended or needing a platform to strike back.

I look in the eyes of a teen that harbors a hardness of heart; I walk by a parked car in a parking lot and hear the foul language and the harshness and the meanness pouring from an adult’s mouth toward another, especially a child. I see the places people live, not because they have to but because they choose to, in the filth, the perversion, the drinking and drugging, the reckless sex, the noncommittal relationships, the materialism and pleasure-seeking. It’s the nothing-really-matters place, the until-something-better-comes-along place, the mind-your-own-business place, the going-nowhere-fast place. The grieving, the heaviness, like someone died… it’s there again; I’m incensed with the product of sin and selfishness, wickedness and a no-God-consciousness glaring me in the face.

I often even feel it rising to the surface when I see the carelessness and complacency of believers, those that won’t rely on the Word and the Spirit of God to draw them to Christlikeness. Rather, they’re allowing themselves to be strongly influenced by the world’s systems, their way of thinking. They’re slowly swallowing the philosophy of self-centeredness, the “it’s all about me” mentality. They can’t handle the thought of not being accepted, of appearing to be weird or outdated in their thinking, of not going along, fitting in or adapting to current trends. There’s a fear of questions being raised about their actions and attitudes, or about having a firm belief in anything and especially God. Everything has to be situational, or else there’s no way out when cornered to commit. Christ is Truth, yet truth is so lightly regarded. Self-importance is priority and will not allow for anything that might threaten it.

Yet, when they are weak and stumbling, being strangled by stress, or suffocating in the grip of some habit or desire, they wonder where God is. Worse yet, they see their children not having any desire to know God or live for Him and wonder why…the heaviness, there it is again. The hurt is even harder to handle, knowing there is a simple solution. Simple, yes, but costly. As in Jesus’ day there are some not willing to pay the price to follow Him (Mark 8:34; John 6:66-67).

Is there anything positive this “hatred” can accomplish? Yes, and there is a glorious dimension to it. It is to pray and trust and give and serve and live for Christ instead of dwelling on the darkness. It is to wait and expect and be excited to see the power of unconditional love take hold and begin to melt a hard heart; it is to watch as the saving grace of Christ is appropriated and a life is changed; it is the thrill when God intervenes on behalf of His children and miracles happen! It’s the peace that comes with a quiet acceptance of the sovereignty of God, an understanding of His love and care that is difficult to explain but divinely intoxicating to experience. It’s to praise Him and be genuinely thankful when others come to know Him as you do.

A perfect God with perfect hatred will mete out perfect justice in His perfect time. I give my hatred to Him. I am grateful for His perfect love. Others can know His perfect love. It’s so perfect and real that it overwhelms me. Righteous hatred births humility, unconditional love, and a burning passion for others to know and live for the Savior.


“You who love the LORD, hate evil!” Psalm 97: 10 NKJV