“O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” – Psalm 97:10

In many contexts, the word ‘hate’ usually evokes protest from some people saying it’s “too strong.”

From a biblical perspective, ‘evil’ encompasses moral wrongdoing, opposition to God’s will or moral and ethical wrongdoing.

For the saints, there should be nothing attractive about it.

And mark you; it doesn’t say ‘hate evildoers’ but “hate evil.”

Jude 1:23 (Living Bible) stresses this point clearly: “Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”

The Greek word, ‘miseo,’ means ’to hate’ and it’s from this word that we derive the English words; misogyny, misandry, misotheism, misanthropy, misology, etc.

However, it’s important to note that the term ‘hate’ does not always imply a personal feeling of animosity but may also imply relative preference for or devotion to one thing over another.

In Luke 14:26, Jesus said; “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Then in Matthew 6:24-25, Jesus added; “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

Additionally, John 12:25 says; “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Of course, He didn’t imply familicide or suicide here but rather preference for Christian discipleship at the expense of everything else including family and own life.

For example, if someone is told to make a choice between a Samsung phone and iPhone and she opts for the Samsung, it could be said that she ‘hates’ iPhones.

It is not possible to choose both sin and righteousness; every day presents us with the challenge to choose between good and evil.

So, Jesus used the word ‘hate’ in a hyperbolic way to express the priority of allegiance to Christ over all other relationships.

He must be Number One over everything else!

Our meditation today says; “You who love the LORD, hate evil!”

That directly implies that it is not possible to choose both sin and righteousness; every day presents us with the challenge to choose between good and evil.

In reference to Christ, Hebrews 1:9 (AMP) says; “You have loved righteousness [integrity, virtue, uprightness in purpose] and have hated lawlessness [injustice, sin]. Therefore God, your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.”

Though it might appear as if those who hate evil are losing out and the sinners are winning, God promises to reward His saints with His Providence, preservation and deliverance.

In the final analysis, those who hate evil benefit more than those who might appear to be ‘enjoying a life of sin’ temporarily.

May we all be like Moses “who, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”

Amen!