Psalm 119 113

Psalm 119:113 kjv

I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

Psalm 119:113 nkjv

I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.

Psalm 119:113 niv

I hate double-minded people, but I love your law.

Psalm 119:113 esv

I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.

Psalm 119:113 nlt

I hate those with divided loyalties,
but I love your instructions.

Psalm 119 verses

Psalm 119 113 Meaning

Psalm 119:113 declares the psalmist’s intense aversion to spiritual duplicity and his profound love for God's divine instruction. It draws a clear contrast between those with divided allegiances or inconsistent hearts, and the devoted heart that finds singular delight and stability in God's revealed will. The verse expresses a resolute commitment to righteousness and truth, rejecting all forms of compromise or wavering.

Psalm 119 113 Context

Psalm 119 is an extensive acrostic poem, each eight-verse stanza dedicated to a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 113 falls within the Samekh stanza. The psalm as a whole is a fervent hymn celebrating the manifold perfections, benefits, and enduring nature of God's law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commands, and judgments. It depicts a deep, personal relationship between the psalmist and God's word, highlighting its role as a guide, source of delight, comfort, strength, and light in a challenging world. Throughout the psalm, the psalmist faces opposition from the wicked and proud, yet he consistently anchors his hope and conduct in God's unchanging truth. Verse 113 captures this resolve, articulating a spiritual purity of heart that disavows any divided loyalty, standing firmly in love for God’s instruction against all wavering paths.

Psalm 119 113 Word analysis

• I hate (שָׂנֵאתִי - sānēti): This is a strong, definitive declaration of abhorrence, indicating a profound moral and spiritual rejection. It signifies not merely a dislike but an intense detestation that stems from a core spiritual conviction aligned with God's purity. It is a righteous hatred of what is spiritually detrimental, rather than a personal vendetta.
• double-minded men (סְעַפִּים - se'aphim): The Hebrew word se'aphim literally means "divided thoughts" or "divided minds/opinions." It implies vacillation, wavering allegiance, or internal conflict, like branches going in different directions. These are individuals who are not wholeheartedly committed, who oscillate between God and the world, or between truth and error. Their instability and lack of conviction are a source of deep spiritual unease for the psalmist. It contrasts with singleness of heart towards God.
• but I love (וְתוֹרָתְךָ אָהַבְתִּי - v'torat'kha 'ahavti): The conjunction "but" (v') introduces a sharp contrast. "I love" ('ahavti) denotes a deep affection, delight, and devoted commitment. This love is comprehensive, engaging the will, emotions, and intellect, and drives obedience and adherence to the object of affection. It stands opposite to the indifference or conditional embrace of the "double-minded."
• your law (תּוֹרָתְךָ - Torat'kha): This term, Torah, comprehensively refers to God's divine instruction, teaching, direction, or revealed will. It includes the commandments, statutes, judgments, and precepts that guide human conduct and relationship with God. It represents truth, order, and life as ordained by the Creator, the ultimate standard of purity and consistency against which "double-mindedness" is seen as antithetical.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "I hate double-minded men": This phrase asserts the psalmist's clear boundary and moral stance. His strong emotional rejection isn't capricious but principle-based. It indicates an awareness of the insidious nature of spiritual duplicity, which undermines true faith and spiritual integrity. The hatred here is for the spiritual state of instability and hypocrisy, not merely the individual, as this state opposes the divine unity and truth of God's character and word.
• "but I love your law": This juxtaposes the negative rejection with a fervent positive affirmation. The psalmist's deep love for God's law is the positive manifestation of his faith, contrasting with the negative rejection of the double-minded. His devotion to Torah is not just intellectual assent but a profound delight that shapes his identity and conduct, providing stability and singular focus where the double-minded possess none. The law serves as a beacon, guiding him away from paths of wavering and compromise.

Psalm 119 113 Bonus section

The "Samekh" section (Psalm 119:113-120), in which this verse appears, emphasizes the themes of God's preserving power and the psalmist's unwavering hope in His word, even amidst persecution and the ways of the wicked. This strong declaration of hate for duplicity and love for the law acts as a foundational resolve, explaining why the psalmist can find safety and trust in God's promises despite external pressures (Psa 119:114-116). His unmixed devotion allows him to appeal to God as his refuge. The "double-minded" are implicitly aligned with the "wicked" and "proud" who despise God's law, a recurring motif in the psalm. The verse thus sets up an internal spiritual distinction—a resolute singleness of purpose—that enables steadfastness in an ungodly world. This singleness of mind is an essential attribute of those who truly walk with God, securing their footsteps where the path of the wavering is inherently unstable.

Psalm 119 113 Commentary

Psalm 119:113 articulates a core principle of genuine faith: a singular, unwavering commitment to God's truth. The psalmist reveals an antipathy towards "double-mindedness"—a state of spiritual indecision or duplicity, marked by divided affections between God and the world, or inconsistency in one’s walk. Such individuals are spiritually unstable, lacking integrity and clear direction. This aversion is not mere personal dislike but a righteous spiritual conviction, seeing "double-mindedness" as antithetical to the nature of a holy God and His unified truth. This rejection is then powerfully contrasted with the psalmist's profound love for God’s "law," His revealed word. This love signifies an unreserved devotion and deep delight in divine instruction, which serves as a firm anchor for life, guiding principles, and unwavering commitment. The verse thereby calls believers to undivided loyalty to God and His word, highlighting that genuine faith demands a clear choice and steadfast adherence, abhorring all forms of spiritual compromise. Practically, it encourages self-examination regarding one's sincerity and the depth of commitment to God's ways, fostering a desire for wholehearted devotion over lukewarmness.