The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Parallel translations
- WEB Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.
- KJV They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
- NKJV Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
- NASB The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their walk are His delight.
- NLT The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God detests those with crooked hearts but delights in the blameless. The Lord's pleasure rests on integrity, not mere outward behavior.
Overview
This proverb looks past appearances to the heart, declaring God's hatred of inner perversity and His delight in those whose ways are whole. It reminds us that the Lord weighs our motives and character, not just our actions. Such inward blamelessness is the work of grace, granted to those whom Christ cleanses and renews.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 119:1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- 1 Chr 29:17I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.
- Prov 21:29A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
- Ps 140:13Surely the righteous will praise Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.
- Ps 51:6Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
- Ps 11:7For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
- Prov 8:13To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
- Ps 18:25–26To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
- Prov 6:14With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
- Prov 9:7He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.
- Prov 6:16–19There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
- Prov 12:22Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
- Prov 16:17The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life.
- Prov 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- Prov 13:6Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness undermines the sinner.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 11:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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