For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
Parallel translations
- KJV For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
- BSB For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.
- NKJV For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths.
- NASB For the ways of everyone are before the eyes of the Lord, And He observes all his paths.
- NLT For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.
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
A person's ways are fully seen by the LORD, who examines every path. God observes all our conduct, including the secret.
Overview
The decisive reason for faithfulness is that the LORD sees all, watching and weighing every path a person takes. No sin is truly hidden from God. This sobering truth of God's omniscience (cf. Ps 139; Heb 4:13) grounds moral integrity not merely in consequences but in living before the all-seeing God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Heb 4:13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
- Prov 15:3Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
- Jer 32:19great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
- Job 34:21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
- Hos 7:2They don’t consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face.
- Ps 11:4Yahweh is in his holy temple. Yahweh is on his throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.
- Jer 16:17For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.
- Jer 23:24Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says Yahweh. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says Yahweh.
- Job 31:4Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
- Ps 119:168I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies, for all my ways are before you. TAV
- 2 Chr 16:9For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
- Ps 139:1–12For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.
- Job 14:16But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
- Jer 17:10“I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- Ps 17:3You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Rev 2:18“To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:
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 5:21 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.