The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the words of the pure are pleasant to Him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.
- KJV The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
- NKJV The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the pure are pleasant.
- NASB Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord, But pleasant words are pure.
- NLT The Lord detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words.
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 loathes the schemes of the wicked but delights in pure thoughts. It matters because the Lord judges the heart and its intentions, not just outward acts.
Overview
This proverb teaches that Yahweh evaluates inner thoughts, detesting evil plans and finding pleasure in purity. It underscores that righteousness is a matter of the heart before God. Jesus deepens this in the Sermon on the Mount, where He locates sin and obedience in the inner life (Matthew 5:8, 21-28).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Prov 6:16–19There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
- Matt 12:34–37You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- Jer 4:14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
- Prov 15:23A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!
- Ps 19:14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
- Ps 37:30–31The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
- Ps 45:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
- Matt 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
- Prov 24:9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
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 15:26 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.