What does "conceives evil" in Psalm 7:14 reveal about the nature of sin? Psalm 7:14 in View “Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood.” What the Birth Imagery Tells Us • The verse pictures sin like a pregnancy—hidden, developing, then delivered. • “Conceives” stresses an inward starting point; evil doesn’t appear out of nowhere. • “Travails” shows it is painful work, not an innocent mistake. • “Births falsehood” underlines that sin’s final product is deception and destruction. Sin Begins Beneath the Surface • Mark 7:21-23 — “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts…” • Genesis 6:5 — every imagination “of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” • Sin is first an internal decision before it ever becomes an external deed. The Progression from Desire to Disaster 1. Attraction — the heart entertains a desire. 2. Conception — the desire is welcomed and united with the will. 3. Gestation — the mind nurtures plans and justifications. 4. Birth — the act is carried out, producing deception, harm, and judgment. • James 1:14-15 ties perfectly: “After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Sin Is Active, Not Passive • “Travails” portrays deliberate effort. • Proverbs 6:14 speaks of one who “plots evil continually.” • Wickedness requires intention; no one drifts harmlessly into it. Evil Produces More Evil • Falsehood is the offspring of conceived trouble. • Lies sustain the parent sin, creating a vicious cycle (John 8:44). Inevitable Consequences • Psalm 7:15-16 follows with the wicked falling into the pit he made—sin’s boomerang effect. • Galatians 6:7 — “God is not mocked: whatever a man sows, he will reap.” Hope for a Different Birth • 1 Peter 1:23 — believers are “born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable.” • When God plants His word, a new life is conceived that brings forth truth rather than falsehood. Takeaway “Conceives evil” exposes sin as an intentional, inward conception that grows, labors, and ultimately delivers deceit and ruin. Recognizing that hidden beginning is key to cutting sin off at the heart and embracing the new birth God offers. |