Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 31:6
I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
6. I have hated ] Better, as R.V., I hate. He disclaims all sympathy and fellowship with the worshippers of false gods. But the LXX, Vulg., Syr., Jer. read, thou hatest (cp. Psa 5:5). This reading gives the contrast required by the next line, which must be rendered, but as for me, I trust in Jehovah.
that regard lying vanities ] Cp. Jon 2:8. False gods are vanities of nothingness, having no real existence, and deluding their worshippers; the exact opposite of the God of truth, Who IS, and constantly proves His faithfulness (Deu 32:4; Deu 32:21). Vanity is a common expression for false gods in Jeremiah (Jer 8:19; &c.). For regard = pay respect to, worship, see Psa 59:9 (A.V. wait upon); Hos 4:10 (A.V. take heed to).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I have hated them that regard lying vanities – This is evidently stated as a reason for the prayer offered in the previous verses. It is a reference by the psalmist to his own past life; to his general aim and conduct. The meaning is, that he had been a friend of God; that he had separated himself from wicked men; and he now prays in return for His protection and interposition. The sentiment is similar to that which occurs in Psa 26:3-5. See the notes at that passage. The word rendered regard here means to observe, to keep, to attend upon; and the reference is to those who show honor to what is here called lying vanities; that is, those who attend upon them, or who show them favor. The lying vanities are probably idols, and the allusion is to those who attended on the worship of idols as distinguished from those who worshipped the true God. Idols are often represented as false – as vain, or vanity, – as a lie – in contradistinction from that which is true and real. See the notes at 1Co 8:4. There is special emphasis in the language used here as denoting the utter worthlessness and vanity of idols. The language means vanities of emptiness; denoting that they were utterly vain and worthless.
But I trust in the Lord – In Yahweh, the true God, as distinguished from idols.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 31:6
I have hated them that regard lying vanities, but I trust in the Lord.
Trust the antidote of superstitious vanities
Many think that superstition is but an exaggerated faith; that it will diminish with the growth of intelligence, and that it is necessary in appealing to ignorant and vulgar people. But some who have been alive to its mischiefs and horrors have been willing to risk the loss of faith in order to get rid of it; but when the reaction has come, and we have felt that the world could not go on safely without some faith, we have been ready to tolerate a considerable amount of superstition, lest faith, its companion, should perish with it. But the psalmist looks at it from quite a different point of view. He opposes superstitious vanities to trust in the Lord. One is the protest against, the deliverance from, the other. This is the very spirit of the Old Testament. Trust in God–invisible and righteous, is the principle which every lawgiver, prophet, priest, is to exhibit in his actions, to enforce upon his land. So far as his trust fails, he fails to do the work he is called to do. Losing trust, they are told that they will infallibly bow down to objects of Nature, to idols of wood and stone; they will listen to wizards who peep and mutter; they will fear where no fear is; they will make their cruel imaginations into gods and worship them. Such was the message of Elijah. The people to whom he was sent were busy with religious acts and exercises. But he goes to turn them from these acts that they may trust in the Lord. So Hezekiah. The general of Sennacherib accused him of taking away altars: what hope, therefore, could he have of deliverance? But those very acts proved that Hezekiah trusted in the Lord more than all the kings that were before him. And so it is in the New Testament. The apostles found men everywhere bowing down to visible gods, trembling at the future, seeking for diviners who could penetrate its secrets. Wherever they went, they found men fearing gods, trying to conciliate their favour or avert their wrath. To interfere with them was not ill their power: state force, and mob opinion, were leagued in support of them. All they could do was to proclaim a Being whom men might trust. They did proclaim such a Being, they did incite men to trust in Him. And by so doing they struck such a blow at superstitious vanities as no iconoclast ever struck. They testified a hatred of them which they could not have testified, if they had had power to lay low every heathen altar, to cast every idol into the fire. They earned the hatred of those who held to these superstitious vanities. Not a martyr fell under the axe, or was tied to the stake, or was fastened to a cross, but because he would not do sacrifice to the likeness of some emperor, or some god whom the emperor sanctioned with his divine fiat. Not one had courage to make that denial, but because he trusted in the Lord, who had given His Son to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. And so Trust, because the object of it was more fully revealed, was a mightier destroyer of superstition than it had ever been. And our own experience confirms all this. Each one has some superstitious vanity or other to which he is prone: some dark shadow which haunts him; some visible or invisible terror, which is always ready to make a coward of him. And we cannot rid ourselves of it by reason or arguments of science, These often fail when they are wanted most. There is no help but in trust in God. It alone answers our dark fears. God has spoken to us sinners, and bid us confide in Him. And as we trust, so we conquer our sin; as we fail to trust, so are we overcome. What greater proof could there be that Superstition and Faith are not of the same kin, but are deadly and everlasting foes? And the history of Christendom leads to the same conclusion. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. I have hated them] That is, I have abominated their ways. Idolaters are the persons of whom David speaks.
I trust in the Lord.] While they trust in vanities vain things; (for an idol is nothing in the world😉 and in lying vanities; (for much is promised and nothing given😉 I trust in Jehovah, who is God all-sufficient, and is my Shepherd, and therefore I shall lack no good thing.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have hated them; their very persons, not simply, but for their wickedness. Compare Psa 139:21,22.
That regard, Heb. that observe, to wit, with respect to them, dependence upon them, or expectation of any good from them.
Lying vanities; or, most vain vanities; such as are foolish, and deceitful, and fruitless. By which he understands, either,
1. All human or carnal helps, any arm of flesh; for he that trusteth therein is pronounced cursed, Jer 17:5, and therefore is hateful. Or,
2. Idols, which are oft called vanities, as Deu 32:21; Jer 2:5; 8:19, &c. Or,
3. Curious arts, and all sorts of divinations by stars, or the notions or inwards of living creatures, or by the dead; which practices were common and prevalent among those Eastern people, and by their example were too rife among the Israelites also, Isa 2:6, of whom he here speaks; for the Gentiles that observed these vanities he rather pitied than hated; but the Israelites that did so were apostates from God, and professed enemies to him and his laws, and therefore were the proper objects of just hatred.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I have hated them that regard lying vanities,…. Soothsaying and divination, as Aben Ezra and others think; made use of by kings, and generals of armies, to know when it was proper to go out to war, and what success they should have; see Eze 21:21; but such men and their practices David abhorred; he took no such methods when in distress, but applied to the Lord, and trusted in him; or rather idol gods, as Jarchi, and others, who are vanity, and the work of errors, and are nothing in the world; see Jon 2:8; all will worship and superstition may be included in this phrase, which being not according to the will and word of God, is worshipping in vain, and carries off from true spiritual worship; and so is a lying vanity, and to be detested, and the abettors of it: as also all errors and heresies; these are great swelling words of vanity, and are lies in hypocrisy; and likewise all immorality and wickedness, which spring from the vanity of the mind, and promise much liberty and pleasure, but deceive, and therefore lying; yea, all worldly enjoyments are vanity and vexation of spirit, and are fallacious and deceitful when trusted in; and indeed every false trust and confidence may come under this name; such as trust in riches, in wisdom and knowledge, in carnal descent, and privileges, in a moral and legal righteousness, and even in a bare profession of true religion, and a subjection to Gospel ordinances; for there is no true object of trust, no Redeemer and Saviour, but the Lord: now such as regard those lying vanities are they that look to them, love them, embrace them, and put their confidence in them; and such are to be “hated”; not their persons, but their principles and practices, and they themselves are to be shunned and abstained from;
but I trust in the Lord; the God of truth, that cannot lie, deny himself, nor deceive; who is unchangeable, and without any variableness, or shadow of turning.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. I hate all that give heed to lying vanities. In order the better to express that his faith was firmly fixed on God, he affirms that he was free from the vile affections which usually turn away our minds from God, and under which unbelievers for the most part labor. For we know that by contrasting things which are opposite, a subject is better illustrated. To restrict the Hebrew word הבל, hebel, which we have rendered vanities, to magical arts, as some interpreters do, is absurd. (641) I confess, indeed, that the Orientals were so much addicted to these impostures, that it was a common evil among them. But as the devices by which Satan ensnares the minds of men, and the allurements by which he draws them away from God, are innumerable, it is not at all probable that the prophet mentions one species only. Whatever vain hopes, therefore, we form to ourselves, which may draw us off from our confidence in God, David generally denominates vanities, yea, false or lying vanities, because, although they feed us for a time with magnificent promises, in the end they beguile and disappoint us. He affirms, therefore, that casting away the vanities which men usually invent to support their hopes, he relies solely on God. And as men not only intoxicate themselves personally with the deceitful allurements of the world, but in this respect also deceive one another, the prophet expressly declares, with a view that we may carefully avoid them, unless we wish to be wilfully entangled in their dangerous toils, that he hated all who involved themselves in such lies. The second clause, I have trusted in Jehovah, must be read in connection with the first, because it both assigns the cause of his hatred of lying vanities, and shows that it is impossible for men to have any true faith in God, unless they abhor whatever would draw them away from him.
(641) Hammond considers “vanities” as referring to the practice of superstitiously having recourse to auguries and divinations for advice and direction, a practice which prevailed among the heathen, when they met with any difficulty or danger. To the responses of augury, they showed the greatest regard; although they were deceived and disappointed in the confidence which they reposed in them. David declares that he detested all such practices, and trusted for aid to God alone. French and Skinner, by lying vanities, understand idols. “Idols,” says Walford, “are often thus denominated; though the term is not to be confined to this sense, as all the pursuits of iniquity may be justly comprehended under it. – Vide Deu 32:21; Jon 2:8.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) Lying vanities.Literally, breath of lies (Jon. 2:8), undoubtedly idols, as the parallelism in Jer. 8:19 shows. It was the term adopted by the Deuteronomist (Deu. 32:21) and apparently brought into use by him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Lying vanities Two words expressive of total emptiness and worthlessness, commonly applied to idols and the lying divinations of the heathen. Jon 2:8; Jer 2:5; Jer 8:9
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Some of the sweetest views of our Lord, considered as our Redeemer and Surety, are those which represent the unequalled humility of Christ when completing salvation. As the servant of Jehovah, how frequently do we find the meek and lowly Saviour expressing his obedience to the Father, while manifesting his regard to holiness and purity! Who but Christ uniformly set forth a perfect hatred against the doers of iniquity? Who but Christ could say, that he possessed a perfect freedom from the power of the enemy, though so violently assaulted by Satan? Reader, doth not this last verse refer to the subject of Christ’s temptations? Mat 4:1 ; Luk 22:53 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
Ver. 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities ] i.e. Idols, or aught else besides the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy, 1Ti 6:17 Joh 2:8 . See Trapp on “ Jon 2:8 “ Vanitates vanitatis, Vatablus rendereth it, and telleth us that some understand it of astrology. R. David doth so in this note of his upon the text, Astrologos et incantatores in fuga mea non consului, sed in Domino et prophetis eius confisus sum; I have not consulted astrologers and soothsayers in my trouble, but have trusted to the Lord and his prophets.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 31:6-8
6I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the Lord.
7I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
8And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.
Psa 31:6-8 This strophe is dominated by perfects that denote a complete or settled condition.
1. I hate those who regard vain idols BDB 971, KB 1338, Qal perfect. The intensity of the psalmist’s requests for YHWH to judge is based on his worldview (i.e., viewing the world as YHWH’s agent). He hates those who break or ignore YHWH’s covenant. The LXX has You hate.
2. I trust in YHWH BDB 105, KB 120, Qal perfect; this is a recurrent theme, cf. Psa 4:5; Psa 13:5; Psa 25:2; Psa 26:1; Psa 28:7; Psa 31:6; Psa 31:14; Psa 52:8; Psa 56:3-4; Psa 56:11; Psa 91:2. If fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge (cf. Pro 1:7), then trust is the key to knowing Him personally.
3. YHWH sees his affliction BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal perfect (cf. Exo 3:7-8)
4. YHWH knows his trouble BDB 393, KB 390, Qal perfect (see SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW )
5. YHWH has not given him into the hands of his enemy BDB 688, KB 742, Hiphil perfect
6. YHWH has set his feet in a large place BDB 763, KB 840, Hiphil perfect, cf. Psa 18:19; Psa 118:5; a large place is the opposite of a narrow place/strait, which is an idiom of distress (cf. Psa 4:1; Psa 18:19; Psa 118:5)
Psa 31:7 This verse has two Qal cohortatives.
1. I will rejoice BDB 162, KB 189
2. I will be glad BDB 970, KB 1333
NASBlovingkindness
NKJV, LXXmercy
NRSVsteadfast love
TEVconstant love
NJBfaithful love
JPSOAfaithfulness
REBunfailing love
All of these English translations are trying to express the essence of the powerful covenant noun, hesed. It denotes YHWH’s unbreakable commitment to the covenant. See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED) .
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
I have hated. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read “Thou hatest”.
lying vanities = idols. See Jer 8:19; Jer 10:8. Compare 2Sa 5:21. Jon 2:8.
trust in = have fixed my hope on, or confidence in. Hebrew. batah. App-69.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
hated: Psa 26:5, Psa 139:2
lying: Psa 24:4, Psa 96:7-9, 1Ch 16:28, 1Ch 16:29, Jer 10:8, Jer 10:15, Joh 2:8, Rom 1:21, 1Co 8:4, 1Co 10:20
Reciprocal: Deu 32:21 – with their vanities 1Ki 16:26 – their vanities Psa 139:21 – Do not I Jon 2:8 – General Act 14:15 – from
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 31:6. I have hated them Not the persons, but the ways of them, that regard Hebrew, , hashomerim, that observe; that is, are attached to, depend upon, or expect help from, lying vanities, , hablee shave, vanities of emptiness, or, most vain vanities, such as are foolish, deceitful, and fruitless. By which he means either, 1st, All human and carnal helps and dependances; or any and every arm of flesh, in which those that trust are pronounced accursed, Jer 17:5 : or, 2d, idols, which are often called vanities, as Deu 32:21 : or, 3d, curious arts, and all sorts of divinations, whether by the stars, or by the entrails of living creatures, or by the dead, &c., which practices were common and prevalent among the eastern people, and through their example were also practised by many of the Israelites.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I {d} trust in the LORD.
(d) This affection should be in all God’s children to hate whatever is not grounded on a sure trust in God, as deceitful and vain.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The opposite of trusting in Yahweh is putting confidence in an idol, a vain object of hope, whatever that object might be (cf. Jon 2:8).