Psalm 119:163 kjv
I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
Psalm 119:163 nkjv
I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law.
Psalm 119:163 niv
I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law.
Psalm 119:163 esv
I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
Psalm 119:163 nlt
I hate and abhor all falsehood,
but I love your instructions.
Psalm 119 163 Cross References
h2Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 6:16-19 | There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue... | God hates lying and its agents. |
| Zec 8:16 | These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another... | Command to speak truth. |
| Eph 4:25 | Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth... | Christian imperative to shed lying. |
| Col 3:9 | Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self... | Lying is part of the old, unregenerate life. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable... all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns... | Lying has severe eternal consequences. |
| Jn 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. | The devil is the origin and epitome of lying. |
| Ps 1:2 | But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. | Delight in God's law. |
| Ps 119:97 | Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. | Fervent love for God's law. |
| Rom 7:22 | For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being... | The believer's inner desire for God's law. |
| 1 Jn 1:6 | If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. | Incompatibility of truth with falsehood. |
| 1 Jn 2:4 | Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar... | False claim of knowing God with disobedience. |
| Ps 52:3 | You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. | Contrasts those who love evil/lying. |
| Prov 8:13 | The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. | God-given hatred of evil. |
| Amos 5:15 | Hate evil, and love good... | Command to choose righteousness. |
| Rom 12:9 | Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. | General principle of hating evil and loving good. |
| Heb 1:9 | You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness... | Christ's example of loving righteousness. |
| Matt 5:17-18 | Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets... not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law... | Christ affirms the enduring validity of God's Law. |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace... self-control. Against such things there is no law. | Love for law transforms us to embody it. |
| Jn 14:15 | If you love me, you will keep my commandments. | Love for Christ demonstrated by obedience to His commands. |
| Ps 34:12-13 | What man is there who desires life...? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. | Abstaining from lying brings blessings. |
| Isa 66:4 | ...their choosings are what I delight in, and their abominations are what I bring upon them. | God hates human perversion and unrighteousness. |
| Tit 1:2 | ...God, who never lies... | God's intrinsic truthful nature. |
| 2 Thess 2:10-12 | ...because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false... | Consequence of not loving the truth. |
Psalm 119 verses
Psalm 119 163 Meaning
Psalm 119:163 profoundly expresses the psalmist's intense moral clarity and spiritual commitment. It articulates an absolute, visceral rejection of falsehood, characterized by both hatred and abhorrence, balanced by an equally fervent and deep affection for God's instruction and revealed truth, His Law. This verse highlights a fundamental opposition in the heart of one who truly follows the Lord: a vigorous turning away from all that is deceptive and unrighteous, and a passionate clinging to divine wisdom and guidance.
Psalm 119 163 Context
h2ContextPsalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, a magnificent acrostic poem dedicated entirely to the excellence and supremacy of God's Word, variously referred to as law, statutes, decrees, commandments, precepts, rules, warnings, and judgments. It is structured into 22 sections, each corresponding to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, with eight verses in each section beginning with that letter. This verse, Psalm 119:163, belongs to the 'Shin' (ש) section, which generally focuses on God's righteousness and the psalmist's longing for salvation and justice amidst persecution and deceit. The historical context reflects a devoted servant of God living in a world often hostile to divine truth, facing lies, oppression, and adversaries who deviate from God's ways. Throughout the Psalm, the author expresses a deep personal love for God's revealed will, seeking strength, wisdom, and comfort from it in every circumstance, which contrasts starkly with the pervasive ungodliness and falsehood of the surrounding society.
Psalm 119 163 Word analysis
h2Word analysis
- I hate (שָׂנֵאתִי - sane'ti): Derived from the Hebrew root for "to hate" or "to detest." It signifies a strong, personal aversion, not just dislike, but an active antipathy. In the biblical context, "hatred" often indicates a decisive moral repudiation or choosing against something, rather than a mere emotional whim. It implies a deliberate decision to reject and separate oneself from something because it is fundamentally evil or opposed to God's will.
- and abhor (תִּעַבְתִּי - ti'avti): From the root meaning "to be abominable," "to loathe," or "to detest." This verb often describes what is religiously unclean or morally repulsive to God and His people (e.g., idolatry, certain sexual sins). It is a stronger term than 'hate,' conveying utter disgust and profound revulsion. This indicates that the psalmist's rejection of lying is not just intellectual or emotional but deep within his being, treating it as an detestable defilement.
- lying, (שֶׁקֶר - sheker): Refers to falsehood, deceit, deception, treachery, or even an empty nothingness (as in false gods). It encompasses not only spoken words but also deceptive actions, false appearances, or anything that deviates from truth and reality. It's often used in contrast to 'truth' (emet). For the biblical mindset, sheker represents a rebellion against God's nature, as God is truth and cannot lie.
- but I love (אָהַבְתִּי - a'havti): The standard Hebrew verb for "to love," signifying deep affection, devotion, and attachment. It denotes a profound commitment and a cherishing of something or someone. This love is active, resulting in a desire to be near, uphold, and live according to what is loved.
- your law. (תּוֹרָתֶךָ - toratecha): "Your law" (Torah) here refers to God's instruction, teaching, revelation, or entire divine revelation of Himself and His will. It encompasses not just strict legal commands but God's comprehensive guidance for life, embodying truth, wisdom, and righteousness. This love is not merely intellectual assent but an active delight and adherence, a surrender to the perfect will of God.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "I hate and abhor lying": This strong double expression ("hate and abhor") emphasizes the absolute and complete rejection of falsehood. The psalmist expresses an antithetical spiritual nature where everything false, deceptive, and untrue is repugnant. This is a deliberate moral choice mirroring God's own character, who is Truth and detests falsehood (Prov 6:16-19).
- "but I love your law": This forms the crucial contrast, typical of wisdom literature. The two intense feelings are directed at opposite poles: the ultimate bad (lying) and the ultimate good (God's law/truth). This is not a lukewarm preference but a passionate embrace, signifying a heart truly transformed and aligned with divine righteousness. It implies a consistent pursuit and adherence to God's word, as love naturally leads to obedience and delight (Ps 1:2; Jn 14:15).
Psalm 119 163 Bonus section
h2Bonus sectionThis verse encapsulates a crucial aspect of genuine spiritual transformation. It is not enough merely to claim to love God's law; there must also be an active and visceral repulsion for all that opposes it, particularly falsehood. This reflects a renewed conscience, one that perceives and responds to sin as God Himself does. In Christian theology, this aligns with the work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts of sin and regenerates the heart to love what is true and hate what is evil (Rom 12:9). This antithesis—the deep abhorrence of sheker (falsehood) and the fervent ahavah (love) for Toratecha (Your law)—is a hallmark of walking in light, indicating a life authentically striving for holiness. It emphasizes that a mere absence of specific sin is insufficient; true piety involves an active, passionate rejection of evil itself, side-by-side with an active, passionate embrace of God's righteousness.
Psalm 119 163 Commentary
h2CommentaryPsalm 119:163 powerfully articulates the ethical and spiritual bedrock of a truly God-devoted life. The verse is an extreme declaration, presenting an unwavering stance: a vigorous revulsion from all forms of falsehood coupled with an ardent devotion to divine truth. This intense dual emotion — hating evil and loving good — reflects the very nature of God, who hates sin yet delights in righteousness. For the psalmist, "lying" is not merely verbal deception; it embodies all that opposes God's righteous standards—false ideologies, deceptive practices, and every deviation from truth. His "love for God's law" signifies an active embrace of God's revealed will as the absolute standard of life, seeing in it wisdom, life, and the very character of God. This verse demonstrates a spiritual maturity where moral lines are sharply drawn, fostering a distinct identity rooted in divine truth, even when facing a world permeated by deceit. It invites believers to cultivate this same radical devotion, allowing the Spirit of God to cultivate within them an instinctual hatred for what is contrary to God and a passionate hunger for His truth.