Psalms 139:19 (GNV)

Passage

Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:

Nearby Context

Psalms 139:17 Howe deare therefore are thy thoughtes vnto me, O God! how great is ye summe of them!

Psalms 139:18 If I should count them, they are moe then the sand: when I wake, I am still with thee.

Psalms 139:19 Oh that thou wouldest slay, O God, the wicked and bloody men, to whom I say, Depart ye from mee:

Psalms 139:20 Which speake wickedly of thee, and being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine.

Psalms 139:21 Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "thou", "wouldest", "slay", "wicked", "bloody", and "depart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "thou" and "wouldest", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "If I should count them they are..." into verse 20's "Which speake wickedly of thee and being...", so "thou" and "wouldest" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "thou" and "wouldest" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.