What does Proverbs 11:20 mean?
What is the meaning of Proverbs 11:20?

The perverse in heart

• “Perverse” pictures someone whose inner compass is twisted—thinking, motives, and values bent away from God’s standards (see Proverbs 2:14-15).

• Scripture consistently links an impure heart to corrupt actions. Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts… These are what defile a man” (Matthew 15:19-20).

• Jeremiah confirms the problem: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9).


Are an abomination to the LORD

• “Abomination” is strong language—God’s settled, holy revulsion toward sin (compare Proverbs 6:16-19, a list of actions the LORD hates).

Psalm 5:4-6 underscores this: “You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness… You hate all workers of iniquity”.

• The point is not mere dislike; it is absolute moral opposition. A warped heart offends the very character of God, who is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3).


But the blameless in their walk

• “Blameless” describes integrity, not sinless perfection—an honest, wholehearted alignment with God’s ways (see Psalm 15:2, “He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness,”).

• Notice the word “walk.” Righteousness is lived out daily, not merely professed. Micah 6:8 puts it plainly: “He has shown you, O man, what is good… to walk humbly with your God”.

• This verse contrasts inner perversity with outwardly evident faithfulness; what fills the heart shapes the footsteps.


Are His delight

• Amazingly, the Creator finds joy in people who reflect His character. Proverbs 12:22 echoes the thought: “Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight”.

1 Samuel 15:22 reminds us that obedience pleases Him more than ritual: “To obey is better than sacrifice”.

• God delights because blameless living showcases His own righteousness and spreads blessing to others (Proverbs 10:9; 11:3).


summary

Proverbs 11:20 draws a sharp line: a twisted heart repels God, while a life of integrity attracts His pleasure. The verse presses us to examine our inner motives, not just outward habits, and urges a daily walk that mirrors the Lord’s own faithfulness—turning from the crooked path to the straight one that delights Him.

How does Proverbs 11:19 challenge modern views on morality and ethics?
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