What is the meaning of Psalm 66:18? If I had cherished To “cherish” is to treasure, nurture, or hold onto something deliberately. The psalmist admits that any willful clinging to sin places him outside the posture God honors. Proverbs 28:13 reminds, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them finds compassion,” showing a direct link between honest repentance and God’s favor. In James 1:14-15 desire is pictured as conceiving and giving birth to sin—language that parallels “cherishing” something until it takes root. • The verse starts with personal accountability: “If I…” indicates the psalmist owns his choices. • God’s people are called to constant self-examination rather than excusing or minimizing wrongdoing (Psalm 139:23-24). iniquity “Iniquity” points to bent or twisted moral behavior—sin in its active, rebellious form. Isaiah 59:2 warns, “Your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God,” underlining that sin always builds walls, never bridges. Romans 6:23 states the ultimate cost: “the wages of sin is death,” underscoring how seriously God views iniquity. • Scripture treats iniquity as more than mistakes; it is a breach of covenant fidelity. • Genuine fellowship with God requires that sin be confessed and forsaken, not domesticated (1 John 1:9). in my heart The heart is the control center of thoughts, motives, and desires. 1 Samuel 16:7 declares, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart,” emphasizing that hidden attitudes matter as much as visible acts. Jesus echoes this in Matthew 15:19, listing the evils that “come out of the heart.” Jeremiah 17:9 warns that the heart is “deceitful above all things,” so unexamined inner life can foster secret sin. • God’s scrutiny penetrates beyond behavior to intention (Hebrews 4:12-13). • A clean heart is not self-generated; it is created by God when we yield (Psalm 51:10). the Lord would not have listened The sobering conclusion: unrepentant sin hinders prayer. Isaiah 59:1-2 connects blocked communication with harboring sin: “His ears are not dull… but your iniquities have separated you.” Peter applies the same principle to believers: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous… but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12, quoting Psalm 34). Yet Scripture also offers the remedy—confession restores access: “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14), a promise conditioned on walking in the light (1 John 1:7). • Prayer is not a mechanical ritual; it is relational. Sin that is clutched rather than confessed short-circuits that relationship. • God’s willingness to listen returns the moment repentance is genuine (Proverbs 15:29; Luke 18:13-14). summary Psalm 66:18 teaches that God gladly hears His children, but willful, cherished sin creates a self-imposed barrier. The verse moves from personal responsibility (“If I”) to the nature of sin (“iniquity”), its locus (“in my heart”), and the consequence (“the Lord would not have listened”). The consistent testimony of Scripture is clear: honest confession and forsaking of sin restore open communion with God, while hidden, loved sin dulls heaven’s ear. |
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