I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
Psalm 119:163 sets two contrary affections against each other. The psalmist has just said that princes persecuted him without a cause, yet his heart stood in awe of God’s word, and he rejoiced at it as one that finds great spoil (vv.161-162). Now he names what his heart rejects and what it embraces. He hates and abhors lying, but he loves God’s law. Falsehood and truth cannot share the same throne in the heart.
“I.” The confession is personal. The psalmist does not begin by condemning the lying of princes, neighbours, or enemies. He declares his own settled affection before God: “I hate and abhor.” A man may speak strongly against the sins of others while secretly allowing the same sins in himself. The psalmist brings his own heart under examination.
This personal language has appeared throughout the psalm. “Remove from me the way of lying” (v.29). “I have chosen the way of truth” (v.30). “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (v.104). Verse 163 reveals the affection behind those prayers and choices. He asks to be removed from lying because he hates it; he chooses truth because he loves God’s law.
“I hate.” This is strong language, and God approves it. “A righteous man hateth lying” (Proverbs 13:5). Again, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). The psalmist does not treat falsehood as an unfortunate weakness to be managed. He stands against it. Godly love is not soft toward what God condemns.
This hatred is not uncontrolled anger, pride, or personal bitterness. Its object is named: lying. It is the settled rejection of what opposes the God of truth. The psalmist hates lying because he loves Jehovah, His law, His truth, and His righteous ways. “Hate the evil, and love the good” is the command of Scripture (Amos 5:15).
“And abhor.” The second word strengthens the first. The psalmist does not only judge lying to be wrong; he recoils from it. Paul gives the same joined duty: “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9). What Paul calls abhorring evil and cleaving to good, the psalmist expresses as abhorring lying and loving God’s law.
To abhor lying is to refuse fellowship with it. The psalmist will not excuse it because it is useful, defend it because it protects him, or employ it because enemies persecute him. He will not keep falsehood nearby as an instrument for difficult occasions. What he abhors, he wants removed from his way.
“Lying.” Scripture defines lying by its opposition to truth. “No lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21). Paul sets the two against each other: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Ephesians 4:25). Lying presents falsehood as truth or uses words and appearances to cause another to believe what is false.
An honest mistake is not lying, though it should be corrected. Lying contains deceit. It may be an invented statement, selected facts arranged to create a false conclusion, a promise made without intent to perform, flattery spoken for advantage, an excuse designed to conceal guilt, or an outward profession contrary to the heart. The form may change, but the purpose remains false.
Lying is especially tempting when a man is under pressure. The psalmist was persecuted by princes without a cause (v.161). He might have been tempted to protect himself by deceit, answer falsehood with falsehood, or shape his account for advantage. But persecution did not change his judgment: “I hate and abhor lying.” He would rather suffer under falsehood than deliver himself by becoming false.
This is an important mark of righteousness. A man does not truly hate lying if he only hates lies told against him. He must also hate lies that would help him. He must hate the falsehood that protects his reputation, increases his gain, strengthens his argument, excuses his conduct, or harms his enemy. Hatred of lying must be impartial.
The psalmist hates lying because God hates it. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). A lying tongue and a false witness that speaks lies are among the things Jehovah hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), while the devil “is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). Every lie follows the character of the devil rather than the God of truth.
“But.” What a beautiful contrast this word introduces. The psalmist does not stop with hatred. He turns from what he rejects to what he loves. He hates lying, but he loves God’s law. Falsehood is on one side; divine truth is on the other. The heart cannot remain neutral between them.
This contrast also shows that putting away evil is not enough. Lying must be replaced by truth. Paul did not command only, “putting away lying”; he added, “speak every man truth” (Ephesians 4:25). The false way must be forsaken, and the true way must be chosen. The heart emptied of deceit must be filled with God’s law.
“Thy law.” The law belongs to God. It is not man’s custom, opinion, tradition, or convenient rule. It is “the law of thy mouth” (v.72), the revealed instruction and commanding truth of Jehovah. The psalmist loves it because it proceeds from the God he loves.
The contrast with lying is exact, for the psalm itself declares, “thy law is the truth” (v.142). Again, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (v.160). Lying is false; God’s law is truth. Lying deceives; God’s law gives understanding. Lying leads into crooked ways; God’s law directs the feet in the right path.
“Do I love.” The sentence places “thy law” before “do I love,” giving the object special weight. This is what he loves: thy law. He does not endure it reluctantly, submit to it only through fear, or obey it while wishing it were otherwise. He loves it. Earlier he cried, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (v.97).
Love for God’s law includes delight, desire, meditation, obedience, and defense of its truth. It is not a profession contradicted by the life. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). The psalmist later says, “My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly” (v.167). Love and keeping belong together.
This love is evidence of a heart taught by God. Fallen man does not naturally delight in divine rule, for “the carnal mind is enmity against God” and is not subject to His law (Romans 8:7). But the living saint can say, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man” (Romans 7:22). His obedience is not perfect, but his affection has been turned. He loves what once opposed his flesh.
The contrast therefore searches the heart. Do I hate lying when it costs me, or only when another man’s lie injures me? Do I love God’s law when it exposes me, corrects me, and forbids what I desire? Do I change details to strengthen my side? Do I conceal facts to create a false impression? Do I flatter for favour or speak differently according to my audience? Psalm 119:163 allows no comfortable friendship with deceit.
A saint may fall into a lie, as Peter did when fear overcame him; but he cannot safely settle down in love with lying. Peter went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:69-75). Grace brings the offender to grief, confession, correction, and renewed truthfulness. The difference is not that the saint has never lied, but that he hates the lie, repents of it, and desires the law of truth to govern him.
Jesus Christ displays this contrast perfectly. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Hebrews 1:9). He is “the truth” (John 14:6), and no guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). His enemies lied against Him, twisted His words, and raised false witnesses, yet He never used deceit to defend Himself or escape the cross. Truth ruled His heart, mouth, life, and obedience without fault.
Psalm 119:163 therefore reveals the holy affections of a godly heart. It hates and abhors lying, but loves the law of God. Let the lie be put away. Let truth be spoken. Let deceit become hateful and God’s law delightful. The more deeply the law of God’s mouth fills the heart, the less room there will be for falsehood upon the tongue or in the life.
I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
Psalm 119:163 sets two contrary affections against each other. The psalmist has just said that princes persecuted him without a cause, yet his heart stood in awe of God’s word, and he rejoiced at it as one that finds great spoil (vv.161-162). Now he names what his heart rejects and what it embraces. He hates and abhors lying, but he loves God’s law. Falsehood and truth cannot share the same throne in the heart.
“I.” The confession is personal. The psalmist does not begin by condemning the lying of princes, neighbours, or enemies. He declares his own settled affection before God: “I hate and abhor.” A man may speak strongly against the sins of others while secretly allowing the same sins in himself. The psalmist brings his own heart under examination.
This personal language has appeared throughout the psalm. “Remove from me the way of lying” (v.29). “I have chosen the way of truth” (v.30). “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (v.104). Verse 163 reveals the affection behind those prayers and choices. He asks to be removed from lying because he hates it; he chooses truth because he loves God’s law.
“I hate.” This is strong language, and God approves it. “A righteous man hateth lying” (Proverbs 13:5). Again, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). The psalmist does not treat falsehood as an unfortunate weakness to be managed. He stands against it. Godly love is not soft toward what God condemns.
This hatred is not uncontrolled anger, pride, or personal bitterness. Its object is named: lying. It is the settled rejection of what opposes the God of truth. The psalmist hates lying because he loves Jehovah, His law, His truth, and His righteous ways. “Hate the evil, and love the good” is the command of Scripture (Amos 5:15).
“And abhor.” The second word strengthens the first. The psalmist does not only judge lying to be wrong; he recoils from it. Paul gives the same joined duty: “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9). What Paul calls abhorring evil and cleaving to good, the psalmist expresses as abhorring lying and loving God’s law.
To abhor lying is to refuse fellowship with it. The psalmist will not excuse it because it is useful, defend it because it protects him, or employ it because enemies persecute him. He will not keep falsehood nearby as an instrument for difficult occasions. What he abhors, he wants removed from his way.
“Lying.” Scripture defines lying by its opposition to truth. “No lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21). Paul sets the two against each other: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Ephesians 4:25). Lying presents falsehood as truth or uses words and appearances to cause another to believe what is false.
An honest mistake is not lying, though it should be corrected. Lying contains deceit. It may be an invented statement, selected facts arranged to create a false conclusion, a promise made without intent to perform, flattery spoken for advantage, an excuse designed to conceal guilt, or an outward profession contrary to the heart. The form may change, but the purpose remains false.
Lying is especially tempting when a man is under pressure. The psalmist was persecuted by princes without a cause (v.161). He might have been tempted to protect himself by deceit, answer falsehood with falsehood, or shape his account for advantage. But persecution did not change his judgment: “I hate and abhor lying.” He would rather suffer under falsehood than deliver himself by becoming false.
This is an important mark of righteousness. A man does not truly hate lying if he only hates lies told against him. He must also hate lies that would help him. He must hate the falsehood that protects his reputation, increases his gain, strengthens his argument, excuses his conduct, or harms his enemy. Hatred of lying must be impartial.
The psalmist hates lying because God hates it. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). A lying tongue and a false witness that speaks lies are among the things Jehovah hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), while the devil “is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). Every lie follows the character of the devil rather than the God of truth.
“But.” What a beautiful contrast this word introduces. The psalmist does not stop with hatred. He turns from what he rejects to what he loves. He hates lying, but he loves God’s law. Falsehood is on one side; divine truth is on the other. The heart cannot remain neutral between them.
This contrast also shows that putting away evil is not enough. Lying must be replaced by truth. Paul did not command only, “putting away lying”; he added, “speak every man truth” (Ephesians 4:25). The false way must be forsaken, and the true way must be chosen. The heart emptied of deceit must be filled with God’s law.
“Thy law.” The law belongs to God. It is not man’s custom, opinion, tradition, or convenient rule. It is “the law of thy mouth” (v.72), the revealed instruction and commanding truth of Jehovah. The psalmist loves it because it proceeds from the God he loves.
The contrast with lying is exact, for the psalm itself declares, “thy law is the truth” (v.142). Again, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (v.160). Lying is false; God’s law is truth. Lying deceives; God’s law gives understanding. Lying leads into crooked ways; God’s law directs the feet in the right path.
“Do I love.” The sentence places “thy law” before “do I love,” giving the object special weight. This is what he loves: thy law. He does not endure it reluctantly, submit to it only through fear, or obey it while wishing it were otherwise. He loves it. Earlier he cried, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (v.97).
Love for God’s law includes delight, desire, meditation, obedience, and defense of its truth. It is not a profession contradicted by the life. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). The psalmist later says, “My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly” (v.167). Love and keeping belong together.
This love is evidence of a heart taught by God. Fallen man does not naturally delight in divine rule, for “the carnal mind is enmity against God” and is not subject to His law (Romans 8:7). But the living saint can say, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man” (Romans 7:22). His obedience is not perfect, but his affection has been turned. He loves what once opposed his flesh.
The contrast therefore searches the heart. Do I hate lying when it costs me, or only when another man’s lie injures me? Do I love God’s law when it exposes me, corrects me, and forbids what I desire? Do I change details to strengthen my side? Do I conceal facts to create a false impression? Do I flatter for favour or speak differently according to my audience? Psalm 119:163 allows no comfortable friendship with deceit.
A saint may fall into a lie, as Peter did when fear overcame him; but he cannot safely settle down in love with lying. Peter went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:69-75). Grace brings the offender to grief, confession, correction, and renewed truthfulness. The difference is not that the saint has never lied, but that he hates the lie, repents of it, and desires the law of truth to govern him.
Jesus Christ displays this contrast perfectly. He loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Hebrews 1:9). He is “the truth” (John 14:6), and no guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). His enemies lied against Him, twisted His words, and raised false witnesses, yet He never used deceit to defend Himself or escape the cross. Truth ruled His heart, mouth, life, and obedience without fault.
Psalm 119:163 therefore reveals the holy affections of a godly heart. It hates and abhors lying, but loves the law of God. Let the lie be put away. Let truth be spoken. Let deceit become hateful and God’s law delightful. The more deeply the law of God’s mouth fills the heart, the less room there will be for falsehood upon the tongue or in the life.