Psalms 66:18
in Psalms 66If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear:
KJV
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
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This verse in Psalms 66
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIf I regard iniquity in my heart. If, having seen it to be there, I continue to gaze upon it without aversion; if I cherish it, have a side glance of love toward it, excuse it, and palliate it; The Lord will not hear me. How can he? Can I desire him to connive at my sin, and accept me while I wilfully cling to any evil way? Nothing hinders prayer like iniquity harboured in the breast; as with Cain, so with us, sin lieth at the door, and blocks the passage.
This site's exposition
Come and listen, all you who fear God
on Psalms 66:16-20
Come and listen answers the come and see of verse 5. Sight was offered to the whole earth; the testimony is offered to those who fear God. Verse 18 names the condition the answer rests on, a heart that does not keep hold of iniquity.
This site's exposition
If I had cherished iniquity
Albert Barnes explains cherished iniquity in the heart as iniquity loved and kept. Charles Spurgeon pictures the heart gazing on it without aversion. Here the Lord listened and heard the sound of the prayer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"If I have beheld iniquity in my heart, may not the Lord hearken" [Psalm 66:18]. Consider now, brethren, how easily, how daily men blushing for fear of men do censure iniquities; He has done ill, He has done basely, a villain the fellow is: this perchance for man's sake he says. See whether you behold no iniquity in your heart, whether perchance that which you censure in another, you are meditating to do, and therefore against him dost exclaim, not because he has done it, but because he has been found out. Return to yourself, within be to yourself a judge. Behold in your hid chamber, in the very inmost recess of the heart, where thou and He that sees are alone, there let iniquity be displeasing to you, in order that you may be pleasing to God. Do not regard it, that is, do not love it, but rather despise it, that is, contemn it, and turn away from it. Whatever pleasing thing it has promised to allure you to sin; whatever grievous thing it has threatened, to drive you on to evil doing; all is nought, all passes away: it is worthy to be despised, in order that it may be trampled upon; not to be eyed lest it be accepted.. ..
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
In heart - If my heart had been false to God, although I might have forborne outward acts. If I had been guilty of that, by heart was set upon sin, or I desired only that which I resolved in my heart to spend upon my lusts.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,....
If we have learned in every thing to give thanks for ancient and modern mercies, public and personal mercies, we shall know how to sing this psalm with grace and understanding. All Mankind Exhorted to Praise God. 1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
Those that continue in love and league with sin have no interest either in the promise or in the Mediator, and therefore cannot expect to speed in prayer.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
With these he unites his public thanks, inviting those who fear God (Ps 60:4; 61:5, His true worshippers) to hear. He vindicates his sincerity, inasmuch as God would not hear hypocrites, but had heard him.
If I regard iniquity in my heart. If, having seen it to be there, I continue to gaze upon it without aversion; if I cherish it, have a side glance of love toward it, excuse it, and palliate it; The Lord will not hear me. How can he? Can I desire him to connive at my sin, and accept me while I wilfully cling to any evil way? Nothing hinders prayer like iniquity harboured in the breast; as with Cain, so with us, sin lieth at the door, and blocks the passage. If thou listen to the devil, God will not listen to thee. If you refuse to hear God's commands, he will surely refuse to hear thy prayers. An imperfect petition God will hear for Christ's sake, but not one which is wilfully miswritten by a traitor's hand. For God to accept our devotions, while we are delighting in sin, would be to make himself the God of hypocrites, which is a fitter name for Satan than for the Holy One of Israel.
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If I regard iniquity in my heart - literally, “If I have seen iniquity in my heart.” That is, If I have indulged in a purpose of iniquity; if I have had a wicked end in view; if I have not been willing to forsake all sin; if I have cherished a purpose of pollution or wrong. The meaning is not literally, If I have “seen” any iniquity in my heart - for no one can look into his own heart, and not see that it is defiled by sin; but, If I have cherished it in my soul; if I have gloated over past sins; if I am purposing to commit sin again; if I am not willing to abandon all sin, and to be holy. The Lord will not hear me - That is, He will not regard and answer my prayer. The idea is, that in order that prayer may be heard, there must be a purpose to forsake all forms of sin. This is a great and most important principle in regard to prayer. The same principle is affirmed or implied in Psa 18:41; Psa 34:15; Pro 1:28; Pro 15:29; Pro 28:9; Isa 15:1-9; Jer 11:11; Jer 14:12; Zec 7:13; Joh 9:31. It is also especially stated in Isa 58:3-7. The principle is applicable (a) to secret purposes of sin; to sinful desires, corrupt passions. […]
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אָ֭וֶן | ʾaven | wickedness | H205 → | 77 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| רָאִ֣יתִי | raiti | I had considered | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בְלִבִּ֑י | velibi | in heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לֹ֖א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִשְׁמַ֣ע׀ | yishma' | he will listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֲדֹנָֽי׃ | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
אָ֭וֶןwickedness
ʾavenH205 →77 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
רָאִ֣יתִיI had considered
raitiH7200 →1300 times
בְלִבִּ֑יin heart my
velibiH3820 →595 times
לֹ֖אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִשְׁמַ֣ע׀he will listen
yishma'H8085 →1159 times
אֲדֹנָֽי׃[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 9:31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 28:9
Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Proverbs 1:28–29
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
- Proverbs 15:29
Through
Proverbs 28:9Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 4:3–4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
- Proverbs 15:8
Through
Proverbs 15:29The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
it leads to
- John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- John 9:31
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 66; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.