Loving Our Enemies (Ps. 139:19-22)

O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
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 the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
(Psalm 139:19-22, NASB)

Solomon wrote, “… there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc. 1:9). Isn’t that the truth? Centuries ago, David wrote about those who spoke against God and took His name in vain. God’s enemies rose up against Him, and David considered God’s enemies his own.

And what’s happening today? A new generation of atheists is inviting people to actually denounce God—Father, Son, and Spirit—on an on-line forum. It seems that the only acceptable swear words are “Jesus Christ” or “Oh my God.” You don’t hear anyone saying “Buddha” or “Oh my Mohammed.” It’s only the name of the one true God that’s taken in vain.

One thing has changed, however, since David wrote this psalm. God Himself came to earth in human form, and Jesus spoke of loving our enemies and loving others as ourselves. David hated his enemies and wanted to see them destroyed. We, one the other hand, should love them.

And we must stand firm in our own faith, continually filling our minds with God’s word. We must ask God to fill our hearts with love for those who speak against Him. We must let our hearts be broken when we think of how the enemy has brainwashed so many. And we must do all we can do to help them see truth.