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God has enemies

Psalm 139:17-22 (JDV)

Psalm 139:17 God, how valuable your thoughts are to me; how immense their sum is!
Psalm 139:18 If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:19 God, if only you would kill the wicked — you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me —
Psalm 139:20 who invoke you deceitfully. Your enemies swear by you falsely.
Psalm 139:21 Yahveh, don’t I hate those who hate you, and detest those who rebel against you?
Psalm 139:22 I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies.

God has enemies

It would be nice to live in a world where everyone is honest, and all those who claim to love God really do. The psalmist does not live in such a world, and neither do you and I. God has enemies, and we would be making a mistake to count them as our friends. We should love them, but loving an enemy is not the same thing as adopting him as a friend. For a true believer in God, inclusion has its limits.

May this coming year be one in which we love God, our neighbor, and our enemies — with a clearer vision of who is who.