Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

PSALMS 139:21KJV
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Psalms 139:21 (KJV)

What does Psalms 139:21 mean?

Psalms 139:21 expresses the psalmist’s strong feelings against those who oppose God, stating that he hates those who hate the LORD and is deeply troubled by those who rebel against God. The verse shows the psalmist’s loyalty to God and his emotional response to people who are hostile toward God.

In this verse, David is speaking directly to God, emphasizing his alignment with God’s values and his distress over those who are against God. The language is intense, reflecting a deep personal commitment and a sense of solidarity with God’s cause. This verse is part of a larger psalm where David reflects on God’s knowledge of him and his desire to distance himself from those who oppose God.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 139:21

  • The word "hate" (שָׂנֵא, śānē’) appears twice and means a strong rejection or opposition, not just an emotional dislike. Here, it highlights David’s clear stance against those who are hostile to God, showing that his loyalty is not neutral.
  • The word "grieved" (קָטַט, qāṭaṭ) carries a sense of deep pain or indignation. David is not just intellectually opposed to God’s enemies; he is emotionally affected by their rebellion.
  • The word "up" (תְּקוֹמְמֶיךָ, təqomemekha) comes from a root meaning to rise up or rebel. It describes those who actively oppose or challenge God, not just passive disagreement.

Why Psalms 139:21 matters

  • This verse clarifies that David’s loyalty to God is not passive; he feels a strong, personal response to those who oppose God, which helps explain the emotional tone of the whole psalm.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing that knowing and loving God also means taking a stand against what is opposed to God, reinforcing the theme of personal alignment with God’s ways.
  • Understanding the original words for "hate" and "grieved" helps modern readers see that David’s reaction is about deep loyalty and emotional investment, not casual dislike or personal vendetta.

Where else these words appear

“grieved” Hebrew H6962 · used in 7 verses

  • Psalms 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
  • Ezekiel 6:9 And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
  • Ezekiel 20:43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

“hate” Hebrew H8130 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
  • Esther 9:1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them,(though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
  • Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: