The Lord weighs the heart
Proverbs 21:2 - Don’t deceive yourself when it comes to sin
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“A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.”
Proverbs 21:2 NIV
Humans are experts at deceiving themselves, especially when it comes to sin. Until we’ve learned to listen to God’s whisperings and to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit, it’s very easy to sin repeatedly and in a number of ways!
The first nine words of this proverb of Solomon shine a spotlight on this all too human tendency to deceive ourselves about sin (“it’s not mentioned in the Bible, so it can’t be a sin”) and to justify our sinful nature (“Hey, I’m human. God knows that I sin, but I’m forgiven, right? I’ll just keep sinning…”).
In a Biblical context, thinking that our “own ways are right” reflects humanity’s fallen nature. From Genesis 6:5: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” God was considering wiping out humanity because of our sinfulness, (see Genesis 6:7), but fortunately one man — Noah — found favor with the Lord.
Most of us who study the Bible and have surrendered our lives to Jesus are painfully aware that our judgement is flawed — it’s our nature. So how do we get around making bad decisions in our lives? First, we need to be humble, recognize our faults, and be aware of how sin adversely affects our lives and the lives of people around us. Second, we must make God the guide for every decision we make — which means we need to follow the first step and make ourselves humble and open to His guidance! Prayerfully consider what you do, before you do it.
In the second part of this verse, Solomon emphasizes that God knows everything, so He knows our true intentions and motives for what we do. Now, God doesn’t grab His cosmic scale and weigh the mass of our heart; that’s not what Solomon meant by “the Lord weighs the heart.” At the time this wisdom was written (between the 10th and 8th centuries BC), the heart was considered to be more than just a blood-pumping organ — it was the center of thought, emotion, and will.
When “the Lord weighs the heart,” He is examining our thoughts and emotions, our motives for doing what we do. God doesn’t just look at the outward appearance of a person and think “Wow, this person is well-dressed and neatly groomed, so he/she obviously makes good moral decisions!” He looks at the core of our being and knows exactly what we’re doing. God relayed this fact to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7:
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””
Jesus also taught us in Matthew 15:18-19 that the heart — our thoughts, emotions, and motives — are what defile a person:
“But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Transforming the heart through the message of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives is the goal of Christianity. Have you been transformed yet?
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, please help me to see that my ways are not always right. Give me the insight I need to see beyond my own perspective and to make decisions in alignment with Your will and purpose for my life. Instill in me a humble heart that is open to correction and constantly seeking Your guidance in decisions big and small. I thank You for weighing my heart and leading me forward on the path of righteousness. AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
BibleHub was accessed on April 16, 2025 for commentary on Proverbs 21:2