First of all, where do you get that Mary and Joseph and Company “praised God when Herod died”? I don’t see them praising that fact anywhere (cf Matt 2:13-23).
Secondly, let’s be clear here: Psa 138 (139) is a Psalm of David. So it’s David who is saying he “hates them [his enemies] with perfect hatred” not God. God does hate sin but not the sinner.
We are indeed exhorted to love our enemies but this doesn’t mean to bow down to them in submission at all times. Sometimes love is saying “no”. We aren’t to hate people but we are to hate their sin.
Scripture is quite clear in all of these points. Let’s not think that loving enemies means being nicey nice to them all the time. But let’s also not think that Scripture somehow gives us permission to *hate* them sometimes. No, we are to love them all the time. Sometimes this means saying no, sometimes it means enduring their persecution. Vengeance is God’s to mete out as He chooses.
The Return to Nazareth
(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
You dont think that they took the following as good news? Thats what I was taught in Sunday school, and it`s how it reads to me and always has
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life
You dont thing they praised God for the good news, that the evil man that wanted to kill their child was now dead.
Was it not good news, they were hiding out, of course it was good news, I believe they praised God. Not logical that they would take the news lightly, certainly they gave thanks to God.
They did not know at that time that his replacement was even worse