Does God Hate Anyone? Series

A young lady and a pastor’s daughter when off to a state school here in Texas and the very first person she met said, “There is no God. There has never been any God. If there is a God, I am he.” This same young lady when to her first class where her professor announced: “I want to serve notice on you right away that the idea of God is obsolete.” God is so important that an atheist college professor feels the need to introduce the class by denying God’s existence.

The quality of your life will be determined by how well you know God. Not information about God, but really know God. Why is knowing God so important? Think with me for a moment: Our nation’s Declaration of Independence contains at least four references to God. The first step in AA’s twelve steps program instructs you to submit to God. You cannot beat an addiction without knowing God and you cannot even form a nation without Him.

How important is it to know God? Knowing God is oxygen to your lungs. Knowing God is water to the soil. The quality of your life will be determined by how well you know God. The true beginning point in knowing God is entering into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.

Today’s Scripture

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! 20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:1–24)

Our focus this morning is in Psalm 139: 19-24 and with this question, “Does God Hate Anyone?” You’ll notice there’s a wish in verses 19-20, a commitment in verses 21-22, and a plea in verses 23-24. This part of Psalm 139 is what as known as an “Imprecatory Psalm.” An “Imprecatory Psalm” calls down divine curses as well as expressing hatred for God’s enemies. Keep in mind they are scattered throughout the book of Psalms. You can go to church a lifetime and maybe hear one or two sermons on what is known as the “Imprecatory Psalms.”

1. Adjusting to God’s Altitude

David has a reentry of sorts… let me explain. Everyone loves the 1st 18 verses of Psalm 139. You’ll find many verses from verses 1-18 on embroidery and hung decoratively on walls; many sincere Christians dearly love it. But you will not find verses 19-22 anywhere. The psalm takes a radical turn at verse 19: “Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me” (Psalm 139:19)! Verses 19-22 are the verses we love to skip. Christians are often embarrassed by the Bible’s tone here: “Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies” (Psalm 139:21-22). In fact, there are a lot of people who think these verses are a mistake – they should not be included here.

1.1 Reentry: A Clear Vision of God

David has clearly seen a mind-boggling picture of God in the first eighteen verses. The first part of David’s vision (verses 1-6) tells us we are surrounded by God’s rich knowledge. The second part (verses 7-12) tells us we are surrounded by God’s presence. The third part (verses 13-18) tells us we are surrounded by God’s power. Clearly seeing God has an effect on a person, you know? The atmosphere is thin where David has been. And when the mind turns from God to the world below, something powerful happens. You can liken it to reentry or “altitude sickness”, if you will.

1.2 Reentry from Space

Many of us remember what happened at 7:51:14 a.m. CST on February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia started breaking apart. It would take nearly nine more minutes before the Columbia would completely break apart on returning from space’s atmosphere, killing all seven crewmembers. Our nation grieved as debris from the shuttle Columbia was scattered from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf States east of us. But David is going through a different kind of reentry. Instead, David returns from clearly seeing God. David reenters earth’s orbit from heaven and he immediately recognizes something is missing on earth: the holiness of God.

2. Seeking God’s Justice

As soon as David comes down from his high vision of God and begins to orbit with other humans, his tone changes – he wants holiness … he needs holiness. “Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me” (Psalm 139:19)! When we say God is holy we are saying everything about God is pure, categorically spotless, and free from corruption. Every aspect of God is holy – the Bible uses this word “holy” over 700 times. “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24). When Moses saw the burning bush, he took of his shoes for the ground was holy (Exodus 3:5). When we come to faith in Christ, what comes into our life? The HOLY Spirit.