Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Parallel translations
- WEB won’t God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
- BSB would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
- NKJV Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
- NASB Would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
- NLT God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart.
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
If they had turned to idols, would not God, who knows the heart's secrets, have found it out? It matters because it appeals to God's perfect knowledge as witness to their loyalty.
Overview
The psalmist invokes God's omniscience: He searches and knows the hidden heart. They appeal to this very knowledge as proof they have not secretly betrayed Him. The God who knows all hearts is the same Lord before whom nothing is hidden, and to whom the faithful can entrust their integrity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Jer 17:10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
- Jer 23:24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
- Job 34:21–22For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
- Eccl 12:14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
- Heb 4:12–13For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Job 31:4Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
- Ps 139:1–24O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
- Rom 2:16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
- Josh 22:22–23The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,)
- Job 31:14What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
- Rev 2:23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 44:21 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.