THE LORD ACCEPTS RIGHTEOUS ACTIONS OVER SACRIFICES

Passage: Proverbs 21:1-19

Key verse: 3

NIV

21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.(A)

2 A person may think their own ways are right,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.(B)

3 To do what is right and just
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(C)

4 Haughty eyes(D) and a proud heart—
    the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(E)
    as surely as haste leads to poverty.

6 A fortune made by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.[a](F)

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(G)
    for they refuse to do what is right.

8 The way of the guilty is devious,(H)
    but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

9 Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(I)

10 The wicked crave evil;
    their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
    by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.(J)

12 The Righteous One[b] takes note of the house of the wicked
    and brings the wicked to ruin.(K)

13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
    will also cry out(L) and not be answered.(M)

14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
    and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(N)

15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
    but terror to evildoers.(O)

16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
    comes to rest in the company of the dead.(P)

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(Q)

18 The wicked become a ransom(R) for the righteous,
    and the unfaithful for the upright.

19 Better to live in a desert
    than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(S)

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
  2. Proverbs 21:12 Or The righteous person
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he (A)turns it wherever he will.
2 (B)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the Lord (C)weighs the heart.
3 (D)To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 (E)Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    (F)the lamp[a] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of (G)the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is (H)hasty comes (I)only to poverty.
6 (J)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a (K)fleeting (L)vapor and a (M)snare of death.[b]
7 The violence of the wicked will (N)sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty (O)is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is (P)better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When (Q)a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One (R)observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 (S)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
14 (T)A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe,[c] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    (U)but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
    (V)will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 (W)The wicked is a (X)ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is (Y)better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 21:4 Or the plowing
  2. Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
  3. Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The Lord weighs the heart (1-12) A king may think he is in control. But the king's heart is in God's hand. People do many things they think are right. But corrupt sinners cannot do what is right. God sees motives and weighs the heart. God is pleased with righteous actions over ritual sacrifices. Here are some characteristics the Lord hates: Self-righteous heart (2), haughty eyes and a proud heart (4), hasty people (5), lying tongues(6), one who refuses to do what is right (7), a quarrelsome wife(9), he who craves evil (1 ) and a mocker (11). 2. If a man shuts his ears... (13-19) Here are some characteristics of the righteous: he listens to the cry of the poor (13), loves justice and brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers (15), walks on the path of understanding (16), hates the pleasure-seeking life (17) and is careful not to choose a wife from among the quarrelsome (19).

Prayer: Lord, help me to have pure motives and do what is right to others and before you.

One Word: Do right over sacrifice