If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that "regarding iniquity" doesn't just mean knowing sin exists, but actually "seeing it with pleasure" or cherishing it in your heart. This isn't about perfection, but about a genuine desire to turn away from sin, otherwise, our prayers become a hollow echo.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is testifying about a great deliverance, recounting how God heard his cries when he was in trouble. He then makes a strong declaration: if he had harbored any hidden sin or deceit in his heart, God would not have answered him. This is a profound statement about the necessity of sincerity and a pure heart for genuine prayer to be heard.
Ever wondered why sometimes your prayers feel like they hit a ceiling? This verse unlocks a powerful truth about what makes our prayers heard.
The Psalmist here is making a bold declaration, not of sinless perfection, but of sincere devotion. He's saying, 'If I had secretly held onto sin, if I had approved of wrongdoing in my heart, then God wouldn't have answered me.'
A Sincere Plea
This isn't about never sinning. Every believer knows the struggle with iniquity within. Instead, it's about a heart that doesn't cherish or approve of sin. It's a heart that, despite its failings, is turned towards God, grieved by sin, and actively seeking His way.
When we bring our requests to God, the authenticity of our heart matters. It's the difference between a genuine cry for help and a hollow performance.
What does it mean to 'regard' iniquity? It’s more than just knowing sin exists; it’s a subtle but dangerous posture of the heart.
The Hebrew word here suggests more than just seeing or being aware of sin. It implies looking upon sin with approval, liking it, or even encouraging it within yourself. Think of it like a guest you've invited in and given a comfortable chair.
What 'Regarding' Looks Like:
Ask a follow-up
When our hearts 'regard' iniquity in this way, it creates a barrier between us and God, hindering our prayers.
Understand the original words
aven · Hebrew Noun
Wickedness, perversity, or moral evil; specifically, the inner desire or willful intent to do wrong that acts as a barrier between a person and God.
Adonai · Hebrew Noun
The title of authority (Adonai) used to address God, emphasizing His sovereignty, mastery, and the submission owed to Him by His servants.
This passage highlights that obedience and listening to God are far more pleasing to Him than mere sacrifice, mirroring the Psalmist's emphasis on inward sincerity over outward ritual.
Isaiah 1:15Here, God directly states that He will not listen to His people when they spread out their hands in prayer if their hands are full of blood (sin), reinforcing the idea that unrepented sin blocks communication with God.
John 9:31Jesus himself teaches that 'God does not listen to sinners,' which directly supports the Psalmist's conviction that harboring iniquity would prevent his prayers from being heard.
1 John 3:21This New Testament verse offers a similar assurance: 'Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God,' implying that a clear conscience and absence of cherished sin lead to confidence in prayer.
Proverbs 28:9This proverb states, 'Whoever turns a deaf ear to the cry of the poor will also cry out but will not be heard,' drawing a parallel between ignoring others' distress and God ignoring the prayers of those who harbor sin.
clarkePsalms 66:18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
If I regard iniquity in my heart - "If I have seen (ראיתי raithi) iniquity in my heart," if I have known it was there, and encouraged it; if I pretended to be what I was not; if I loved iniquity, while I professed to pray and be sorry for my sin; the Lord, אדני Adonai, my Prop, Stay, and Supporter, would not have heard, and I should have been left without help or support.
ellicottPsalms 66:18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
(18) If I regard . . . —Rather, if I had seen evil ( i.e., had had it purposely in view) in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me. One may not “be pardoned and retain the offence.” The reference may be either to the forming of wicked schemes, or to the complacent view of wickedness in others. The protestation of innocence in this verse, being made by or for the community at large, marks a late period for the compo…
The verse highlights that "regarding iniquity" doesn't just mean knowing sin exists, but actually "seeing it with pleasure" or cherishing it in your heart. This isn't about perfection, but about a genuine desire to turn away from sin, otherwise, our prayers become a hollow echo.
The psalmist is testifying about a great deliverance, recounting how God heard his cries when he was in trouble. He then makes a strong declaration: if he had harbored any hidden sin or deceit in his heart, God would not have answered him. This is a profound statement about the necessity of sincerity and a pure heart for genuine prayer to be heard.
The psalmist is testifying about a great deliverance, recounting how God heard his cries when he was in trouble. He then makes a strong declaration: if he had harbored any hidden sin or deceit in his heart, God would not have answered him. This is a profound statement about the necessity of sincerity and a pure heart for genuine prayer to be heard.
"If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." — The verse highlights that "regarding iniquity" doesn't just mean knowing sin exists, but actually "seeing it with pleasure" or cherishing it in your heart. This isn't about perfection, but about a ge…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026