A Question for those who know Hebrew

[Michael]

I’ve never understood the Imprecatory Psalms, and I’m wondering if Augustine could have something here?

“With a perfect hatred did I hate them” Psalm 138:22. What is, “with a perfect hatred”? I hated in them their iniquities, I loved Your creation. This it is to hate with a perfect hatred, that neither on account of the vices thou hate the men, nor on account of the men love the vices. For see what he adds, “They became mine enemies.” Not only as God’s enemies, but as his own too does he now describe them. How then will he fulfil in them both his own saying, “Have not I hated those that hated You, Lord,” and the Lord’s command, “Love your enemies”? How will he fulfil this, save with that “perfect hatred,” that he hate in them that they are wicked, and love that they are men?

newadvent.org/fathers/1801139.htm

In most of our Bibles, the passage he’s commenting on would be Psalm 139:22, and I’m wondering if the text could be taken the way he takes it here.

One problem I have is that the KJV reads “I hate them with perfect hatred,” but the NIV has “I have nothing but hatred for them,” and the ESV reads “I hate them with total hatred.”

Does anyone who knows Hebrew here know what the Hebrew word actually means?

Could it mean “perfect” (in the sense Augustine takes it here–“What is, “with a perfect hatred”? I hated in them their iniquities, I loved Your creation. This it is to hate with a perfect hatred, that neither on account of the vices thou hate the men, nor on account of the men love the vices”)???

[WE_ARE_ALL_BROTHERS]

This verse is written by the Psalmist. This needn’t suggest God hates anyone. In its context:

If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent;
Your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord,
And abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
— Psalm 139:19-24
To which I imagine Yahweh would respond: “Yes, the offensive way in you is your unrelenting hatred for my wayward child, and your own prodigal brother. Repent.”

[Michael]

This verse is written by the Psalmist. This needn’t suggest God hates anyone. In its context:

If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent;
Your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord,
And abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
— Psalm 139:19-24
To which I imagine Yahweh would respond: “Yes, the offensive way in you is your unrelenting hatred for my wayward child, and your own prodigal brother. Repent.”

That’s interesting.

But isn’t David called “a man after God’s own heart,” and doesn’t this verse kind of imply that hatred of God’s enemies (or at least of their conduct, which is the way Augustine seems to have taken it) is a virtue?

P.S. It looks like Augustine may have had the right idea when he commented on this passage.

The Hebrew word seems to have something to do with completeness, but our English word (and Augustine’s Latin) have the same etymology.

perfect (adj.)
early 15c. alteration of M.E. parfit (c.1300), from O.Fr. parfit “finished, completed, ready” (11c.), from L. perfectus “completed, excellent, accomplished, exquisite,” pp. of perficere “accomplish, finish, complete,” from per- “completely” (see per) + facere “to perform” (see factitious). Often used in English as an intensive (perfect stranger, etc.).
perfect (v.) Look up perfect at Dictionary.com
“to bring to full development,” late 14c., parfiten, from perfect (adj.). Related: Perfected; perfecting.

etymonline.com/index.php?term=perfect

And it seems to be from Augustine’s commentary on this verse that we got the current saying “hate the sin, but love the sinner.”

[WE_ARE_ALL_BROTHERS]

But isn’t David called a man after God’s own heart, and doesn’t this verse kind of imply that hatred of God’s enemies (or at least of their conduct, which is the way Augustine seems to have taken it) is a virtue?

I think God probably does “hate” our vices (and metonymically speaking, hate the wicked). But I don’t think this verse says anything like it here. Maybe I’m simplistic, but it just seems like David is venting his own negative feelings and offering an uncharitable prayer to God. He’s human, doing human stuff. Being a man “after God’s own heart” just shows an honest, general and concerted intention to fulfill God’s will. It doesn’t necessitate that such a person had received the fullness of revelation (about God’s self-sacrificial love for his enemies), or that even knowing such revelation, he would perfectly act in accordance with that revelation.

[Michael]

But isn’t David called a man after God’s own heart, and doesn’t this verse kind of imply that hatred of God’s enemies (or at least of their conduct, which is the way Augustine seems to have taken it) is a virtue?

I think God probably does “hate” our vices (and metonymically speaking, hate the wicked). But I don’t think this verse says anything like it here. Maybe I’m simplistic, but it just seems like David is venting his own negative feelings and offering an uncharitable prayer to God. He’s human, doing human stuff. Being a man “after God’s own heart” just shows an honest, general and concerted intention to fulfill God’s will. It doesn’t necessitate that such a person had received the fullness of revelation (about God’s self-sacrificial love for his enemies), or that even knowing such revelation, he would perfectly act in accordance with that revelation.

Thank you.

[Michael]

P.S. Thanks for mentioning “Metonymy” too.

I’d forgotten about that figure of speech, did a little googling, and found this very interesting.

Common Figures of Speech in the Bible
I. DESCRIPTION

1. Simile: Explicit comparison (using “like” or “as”)
   Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water.
2. Metaphor: Identification of one thing as another.
   Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd.
3. Hypocatastasis: Direct substitution of a figurative idea in the place of someone or something in order to describe it.
   Psalm 22:16 Dogs (i.e. evil men) have surrounded me.
4. Personification: Giving human characteristics to objects, ideas, or animals.
   Genesis 4:10 Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
5. Anthropomorphism: Giving human characteristics to God.
   Psalm 130:2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry.
6. Zoomorphism: Giving animal characteristics to non-animals.
   Psalm 63:7 I sing in the shadow of Your wings.
7. Parable: An extended comparison using a story to make a single point.
   Ezekiel 17, Mark 4.1-20.
8. Allegory: An extended parable with many points of comparison.
   Judges 9.7-15.
   II. EMPHASIS
9. Irony/Sarcasm: Stating opposite of what is actually meant.
   Amos 4:4 Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more.
10. Hyperbole: Exaggeration for emphasis.
    Deuteronomy 1:28 the cities are large, with walls up to the sky.
11. Rhetorical Questions: Asking questions without expecting an answer.
    Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
12. Tapeinosis: Stating an idea in overly modest terms to emphasize it.
    Acts 12:18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
    III. SUBSTITUTION
13. Euphemism: Using inoffensive terms in the place of offensive ones.
    Judges 3:24 Surely he is covering his feet in the closet of the cool chamber (evacuating his bowels).
14. Metonymy: Stating a part in the place of the whole or vice versa; often cause and effect or product and source:
    Psalm 5:9 Their throat is an open grave (throat causes speech).
    Psalm 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness (forgiveness brings joy).
    Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me (a feast is eaten on a table).
    Ezekiel 24:16 I am about to take away the delight of your eyes (his wife gives him joy).
15. Synecdoche: Giving an example in the place of a category or vice versa (like metonymy but generic).1
    Isaiah 40:6 All flesh is grass (people).
    Psalm 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow (weapons or ability to defend oneself).
    Proverbs 1:16 For their feet run to evil (evil people).
    John 12:19 the world has gone after Him (many people).
    1The main difference between a metonymy and a synecdoche is that metonymies refer to definite parts of the whole but synecdoches do not necessarily carry that implication. For example look at Acts 2.38, what difference would it make to understand “baptized” literally, as a metonymy, or as a synecdoche.

horizon.hessel.org/wp-conten … Speech.pdf