Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

PSALMS 97:10KJV
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Psalms 97:10 (KJV)

What does Psalms 97:10 mean?

Psalms 97:10 calls on those who love the LORD to reject and oppose evil, promising that God protects the lives of His faithful people and rescues them from the power of wicked individuals. The verse highlights both a call to moral loyalty and an assurance of God's care for those devoted to Him.

The psalm is directed to people who love the LORD (the God of Israel), urging them to take a clear stand against evil. The verse comes in the context of a psalm celebrating God's reign and justice, reminding listeners that devotion to God includes a commitment to goodness and trust in His protection. The assurance is that God actively preserves and delivers His "saints"—a term for those who are faithful or set apart for Him.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 97:10

  • "Love" (אָהֵב, ’ahev): This word means a deep, loyal affection, not just a feeling but a committed relationship. The verse speaks to those who have chosen to align themselves with God.
  • "Hate" (שָׂנֵא, sane’): This word means to reject or oppose strongly, not just to dislike. The call is for an active stance against evil, not passive indifference.
  • "Saints" (חָסִיד, chasid): This word refers to those who are faithful, loyal, or devoted to God, often understood as people who live according to God’s covenant love.
  • "Preserveth" (שָׁמַר, shamar): This word means to guard or keep safe. The verse emphasizes that God is actively watching over and protecting the lives ("souls") of His faithful ones.

Why Psalms 97:10 matters

  • The verse clarifies that loving God is inseparable from rejecting evil; it is not just about positive feelings but about moral choices.
  • The promise of protection and deliverance is specifically for those described as "saints," highlighting God’s special care for those who are faithful to Him.
  • In the wider context of Psalms 97, the verse connects personal devotion to God’s larger work of justice and righteousness in the world, showing that individual choices matter in the bigger picture of God’s reign.

Where else these words appear

“saints” Hebrew H2623 · used in 32 verses

  • Deuteronomy 33:8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;
  • Psalms 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
  • Psalms 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

“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: