Proverbs 21 - Heartlight

¹The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD;

He directs it where He pleases.

²All a man’s ways seem right to him,

but the LORD weighs the heart.

³To do righteousness and justice

is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart —

the guides of the wicked — are sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent bring plenty,

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶Making a fortune by a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.

⁷The violence of the wicked will sweep them away

because they refuse to do what is just.

⁸The way of a guilty man is crooked,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹Better to live on a corner of the roof

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked man craves evil;

his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;

and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.

¹²The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,

he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

¹⁴A gift in secret soothes anger,

and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.

¹⁵Justice executed is a joy to the righteous,

but a terror to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The man who strays from the path of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will become poor;

the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

¹⁸The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,

and the faithless for the upright.

¹⁹Better to live in the desert

than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

²⁰Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise,

but a foolish man consumes them.

²¹He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion

finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

²³He who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps his soul from distress.

²⁴Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—

of him who acts with excessive pride.

²⁵The craving of the slacker kills him

because his hands refuse to work.

²⁶All day long he covets more,

but the righteous give without restraint.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable —

how much more so when brought with ill intent!

²⁸A lying witness will perish,

but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face,

but the upright man makes his way sure.

³⁰There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

that can prevail against the LORD.

³¹A horse is prepared for the day of battle,

but victory is of the LORD.

— Proverbs 21

(BSB)

Related Resources from Heartlight

There are 19 resources related to this passage:

Proverbs 21:21

Devo: Today's Verse

"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor."

Proverbs 21:29

Devo: Today's Verse

"A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways. "

Proverbs 21:30

Devo: Daily Wisdom

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."

Proverbs 21:30

Devo: Today's Verse

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD."

Proverbs 21:4

Devo: Today's Verse

"Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!"

Pursuing Righteousness and Unfailing Love

Devo: Together in Christ

"Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor."

Find Life

Illustration of Proverbs 21:21

Inspirational illustration of Proverbs 21:21 -- He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.

Haughty Eyes

Illustration of Proverbs 21:4

Inspirational illustration of Proverbs 21:4 -- Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!

The opposite of wicked ways!

Illustration of Proverbs 21:29

Inspirational illustration of Proverbs 21:29 -- 29 A wicked man puts up a bold front,but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

This is one flow you cannot buck

Illustration of Proverbs 21:30

Inspirational illustration of Proverbs 21:30 -- There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Seeking What Matters Most!

Virtual Worship by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

We can spend our lives pursuing accomplishments and health and joy, or we can seek God's righteousness, love, and reign in our lives and have him bless us with what we need on our journey! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's greatness, righteousness, love, and faithfulness to bless us as we seek him with our lives.

Beware the Quick Fix

Article by Rubel Shelly

Why do we so easily swallow the lure for the quick fix? Rubel Shelly warns us about the lure of the quick fix and reminds us that there are no short cuts to what is valuable and that perseverance is necessary for character.

Grand Slam?

Article by Kelly Breece

When is a hit more than a home run? Kelly Breece talks about her son, Shane, and his first hit in baseball.

Too Slow or Too Hasty?

Article by Alan Smith

How do you know what the right pace really is? Alan Smith laments the fact that discerning the time is very hard -- whether we are too hasty or too slow, but seeking God is the only way.

Cross References for Proverbs 21

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.