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. |