Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Proverbs 11:20
What does Proverbs 11:20 mean?
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 11:20
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The contrast isn't just between wicked and good, but between a deliberately twisted heart and an upright life. God despises those with a deceitful inner core, even if they appear righteous to others, but He truly delights in those whose actions consistently align with integrity.
Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the outcomes of righteousness and wickedness. It follows a warning against dishonest scales and precedes a promise that the righteous will ultimately prosper while the wicked will face punishment. Therefore, this verse highlights God's view of the heart's disposition—whether crooked and deceitful or upright and sincere—as the fundamental difference between those He finds detestable and those who are His delight.
Have you ever felt like you're just not 'good enough' for God? This verse might challenge that idea in a powerful way. It's not about perfection, but about the heart's alignment.
The verse opens with a strong declaration: 'Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD.'
What 'Crooked Heart' Means
The Hebrew word translated as 'crooked' or 'froward' suggests something twisted, perverted, or contrary to what is right and straight. It's a heart that intentionally turns away from God's ways, even while perhaps pretending otherwise.
Beyond Just Mistakes
This isn't about occasional stumbles or making a bad choice. It speaks to a deep-seated disposition, a pattern of being intentionally dishonest or rebellious in one's inner life. It's a heart that is 'false to God,' as one commentator put it, even if it can 'deceive men.'
God's Viewpoint
The word 'abomination' is intense. It signifies something detestable, something God utterly despises. This highlights the seriousness with which God views inner rebellion and hypocrisy. He sees beyond outward appearances to the true condition of the heart.
What does it mean to be 'upright' in God's eyes? It’s less about flawless performance and more about sincere direction.
In stark contrast to the 'crooked heart,' the verse exclaims that 'those of blameless ways are his delight.'
Ask a follow-up
What 'Upright Way' Means
'Upright in their way' points to integrity in conduct and a life lived in accordance with God's principles. It's about a sincere pursuit of righteousness, a 'straight' path rather than a twisted one. This isn't about being sinless, but about being sincere and aiming for what is right.
The Alignment of Heart and Action
Commentators highlight how the shift from 'heart' in the first clause to 'way' in the second suggests that the sincerity of the heart is revealed and judged by one's actions and life's course. An upright heart naturally leads to an upright way.
A Father's Pleasure
The word 'delight' is powerful. It speaks of pleasure, favor, and deep satisfaction. God isn't just tolerating the upright; He finds joy in them. It's the pleasure a loving parent takes in a child who genuinely seeks to please them.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The Hebrew word for YHWH, the personal, covenant-making name of the God of Israel, who is holy and sovereign over all moral life.
toebah · Hebrew Noun
Something that is morally detestable, repugnant, or offensive to God. It highlights the stark incompatibility between sin and the holiness of God.
tamim · Hebrew Adjective
Having integrity, being morally whole, or complete. It implies a person whose life matches their profession and who is blameless before the requirements of the Law.
This Psalm beautifully echoes Proverbs 11:20 by calling those 'blessed' who are 'blameless in their way,' emphasizing that walking according to God's instructions brings delight and favor.
Matthew 6:24Jesus confronts the 'crooked heart' attitude by stating no one can serve two masters, highlighting that undivided devotion to God is essential, just as Proverbs contrasts the wicked with the upright.
Romans 12:2This passage calls believers to 'not be conformed to this world' but to be 'transformed by the renewal of your mind,' which is the ultimate counterpoint to a 'froward heart' and the path to becoming 'upright in your way'.
1 John 1:7The Apostle John speaks to the importance of 'walking in the light' to maintain fellowship with God, directly connecting outward actions ('walking') with the inner state ('heart') that the Lord delights in or detests.
bensonProverbs 11:20: "They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight."
Proverbs 11:20-21 . They that are of a froward heart &c. — They are odious to God, who study to compass their end by wicked means; but they whose exact observance of the rules of righteousness, in the whole course of their lives, testifies the integrity of their hearts, are highly in his favour and love. Though hand join in hand — Though the wicked be fortified a…
jfbProverbs 11:20: "They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight."
- (Compare Pr 11:5).froward—as in Pr 2:15, opposed to the simplicity and purity of the upright.in their way—or, "conduct."
The contrast isn't just between wicked and good, but between a deliberately twisted heart and an upright life. God despises those with a deceitful inner core, even if they appear righteous to others, but He truly delights in those whose actions consistently align with integrity.
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the outcomes of righteousness and wickedness. It follows a warning against dishonest scales and precedes a promise that the righteous will ultimately prosper while the wicked will face punishment. Therefore, this verse highlights God's view of the heart's disposition—whether crooked and deceitful or upright and sincere—as the fundamental difference between those He finds detestable and those who are His delight.
This verse sits within a chapter contrasting the outcomes of righteousness and wickedness. It follows a warning against dishonest scales and precedes a promise that the righteous will ultimately prosper while the wicked will face punishment. Therefore, this verse highlights God's view of the heart's disposition—whether crooked and deceitful or upright and sincere—as the fundamental difference between those He finds detestable and those who are His delight.
"Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight." — The contrast isn't just between wicked and good, but between a deliberately twisted heart and an upright life. God despises those with a deceitful inner core, even if they appear righteous to others,…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026