Psalms 97:1-12: a reflection

1The LORD reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad! 2Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side. 4His lightning lights up the world. The earth sees, and trembles. 5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory. 7Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you gods! 8Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, LORD. 9For you, LORD, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. 10You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. 11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12Be glad in the LORD, you righteous people! Give thanks to his holy Name.

Psalm 97 exalts the reign of God, majestic and just, before whom the mountains melt and the peoples see his glory. And in the midst of this exaltation comes a pointed command to God's people: You who love the LORD, hate evil. Love for God and hatred of evil are joined together; those who truly love the LORD are called to hate what is evil, what God himself hates. The two go together: to love God is to hate evil.

Notice how the psalm links love for God with hatred of evil. It does not say those who love the LORD may be indifferent to evil; it says, you who love the LORD, hate evil. Genuine love for God includes a corresponding hatred of what is evil, what opposes and dishonors him. We cannot truly love God and be indifferent to, or comfortable with, evil; love for him means being set against what he hates.

That is a searching test of our love for God. We may claim to love God while being comfortable with evil, tolerating it in the world and in ourselves, indifferent to what dishonors him. But the psalm insists that true love for God includes hating evil, being set against it, grieved by it, unwilling to make peace with it. Examine whether your love for God is joined with a hatred of evil, or whether you are comfortable with what he hates. If you love the LORD, hate evil, not with a harsh, self-righteous spirit toward people, but with a genuine turning against the evil that opposes and grieves the God you love. Love for God and love of evil cannot coexist; let your love for God set you against evil.

Lord, your word commands, you who love the LORD, hate evil, joining love for you with hatred of what is evil. Search my love for you. I may claim to love you while being comfortable with evil, tolerating it in the world and in myself, indifferent to what dishonors you. But you call true love for you to include hating evil, being set against it, grieved by it, unwilling to make peace with it. Show me where I am comfortable with what you hate. Help me love you in a way that is joined with a genuine turning against evil, not with a harsh spirit toward people, but with a real grief and hatred of the evil that opposes you. Let my love for you set me against evil, for love for you and love of evil cannot coexist. If I love you, help me hate evil.