Even their prayers are detestable
Proverbs 28:9 - The effectiveness of prayer depends on the righteousness of the person praying.
A man not listening to the reading of Torah at a biblical-era synagogue. Image generated by ChatGPT (OpenAI) using the DALL·E model.
“If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.”
Proverbs 28:9 NIV
Before we start off today’s devotional, I just want to thank all of our growing community of readers for joining with me and Barb as we learn more about God’s word and the love of our savior Jesus Christ. We have now been engaged in this ministry for 191 weeks, and each day is a joy to us as we find more wisdom and instruction in Scripture. You are constantly in our prayers, both in thanks and in hope that you are finding comfort, strength, and peace in the love of Jesus!
Today we look at another gem of wisdom from Proverbs. This proverb is teaching us to have our ears and minds open to God’s Word — His Law. All believers should hunger for God’s Word and pay attention to what it says. To lack in this hunger and to not learn from the Word is an indicator of spiritual sickness.
Irish theologian Adam Clarke said:
Many suppose, if they do not know their duty, they shall not be accountable for their transgressions; and therefore avoid every thing that is calculated to enlighten them…. But this pretense will avail them nothing; as he that might have known his master’s will, but would not, shall be treated as he shall be who did know it, and disobeyed it.1
Put in more simple terms, ignorance is not bliss. Not knowing what God wants of us — and even ignoring it — is as bad as knowing His Word and continuing to sin unchecked!
In the culture of Solomon’s time, the instruction referred to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. The Torah contains God’s detailed instructions for His people. Turning a deaf ear — that is, choosing to deliberately ignore or reject God’s guidance — suggests a rejection of the authority of God. This same turning away from God was echoed in Jesus’ day, when He likened those who heard His words yet didn’t put them into practice to “a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Matthew 7:26-27)
Jesus used a perfect simile in this verse from the Gospel of Matthew. Not having a firm foundation of God’s law to build your life on is certain to cause your faith to fall “with a great crash”.
The person who “turns a deaf ear” to God’s instruction will soon find out that God is (in the words of David Guzik from Enduring Word):
… not bound to hear or honor the one who neglects His word. Before we would speak to God in prayer we must humbly and attentively listen to His word, or our prayers may be an arrogant abomination.
From the same source, Alan Ross tells us why praying without a knowledge of God’s commandments is an empty gesture:
The prayer certainly will not be a proper prayer; someone who refuses to obey God will not pray according to God’s will — he will pray for some physical thing, perhaps even making demands on God.2
It’s not just that God has no reason to listen to the prayers of those who refuse to align their lives with His will; He actually finds those prayers to be repugnant. He is not going to listen to the prayers of those who continue to sin, as in Isaiah 1:15:
“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!”
The message of today’s verse is quite simple: the effectiveness of prayer depends on the righteousness of the person praying. In James 5:16, this connection between confession, repentance, and prayer is illustrated concisely:
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
If that last verse seems familiar, it’s because God pointed me to it just last week. He certainly wants me to understand that answered prayers and a deep relationship with Him requires obedience and faith!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach me to listen when You speak. Guard my heart from pride that would close my ears to Your Word. Give me a spirit that delights in obedience, so that my words, my thoughts, and my prayers are pleasing to You. AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author
BibleHub was accessed on October 26, 2025 for commentary on Proverbs 28:9
Clarke, Adam “Clarke’s Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes” Volume 3 (Job-Song of Solomon) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1827)
Ross, Allen P. “Proverbs: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary” Volume 5 (Psalms-Song of Songs) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1991)