What does "lacks judgment" in Proverbs 6:32 reveal about moral discernment?

◄ Meaning of "lacks judgment" in Proverbs? ►

Setting the scene: Proverbs 6:32

“But he who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.”

The phrase “lacks judgment”

• Hebrew: ḥasēr-lēb — literally “missing heart”

• “Heart” in Scripture = seat of intellect, will, emotion, moral reasoning

• To be without heart is to be morally senseless, spiritually dull, incapable of weighing consequences

Layers of meaning

1. Intellectual deficit

– Not a lack of information; God’s commands are clear (Exodus 20:14)

– It is a willful refusal to think God’s thoughts after Him (Romans 1:21–22)

2. Moral blindness

– Adultery warps perception; passion overwhelms prudence (Proverbs 7:21–23)

– The sinner “walks in darkness and knows not” (1 John 2:11)

3. Spiritual folly

– Ignoring the fear of the Lord, which is “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)

– Choosing fleeting pleasure over covenant faithfulness reflects a heart unaligned with God’s righteousness

Implications for moral discernment today

• Discernment is not merely instinct; it rests on a heart saturated with God’s Word (Psalm 119:11)

• Sexual sin is uniquely deceptive, promising intimacy while delivering ruin (James 1:14–15)

• True judgment recognizes sin’s self-destructive trajectory: “whoever does so destroys himself” (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18)

Guarding the heart

– Internalize Scripture (Proverbs 2:1–12)

– Cultivate the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 8:13)

– Flee temptation, don’t negotiate with it (2 Timothy 2:22)

– Walk by the Spirit to overcome fleshly desires (Galatians 5:16)

Key takeaways

• “Lacks judgment” exposes a voluntary moral vacuum, not an innocent mistake.

• Moral discernment flows from a heart surrendered to God’s revealed truth.

• Guarding the heart preserves both wisdom and life.