Proverbs 12: 8 (NKJV) Commended or Despised?

We have choices in the way we live our lives. We can live in ways that will bring commendations our way, or we can live in ways that make others despise us.

Proverbs 12: 8

8 A man will be commended according to his wisdom,

But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

Here are the definitions of the main words in today’s Bible verse as found in the Online Dictionary:

commended: To express approval of; praise.

according: 1. To grant, especially as being due or appropriate 2. To bestow upon

perverse: 1. Directed away from what is right or good; perverted. 2. Obstinately persisting in an error or fault; wrongly self-willed or stubborn. 3. Marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict. 4. Cranky; peevish.

heart: 1. Emotional constitution, basic disposition, or character 2. The most important or essential part

despised: 1. To regard with contempt or scorn 2. To dislike intensely; loathed 3. To regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern

As we have seen in past studies, we gain wisdom as we study God’s ways and live according to His precepts. He also promises to give us wisdom if we ask for it. When we do these things, we become more and more like Him, taking on many of His attributes. The wiser we get, the more we realize that God is the one that helps us to become more and more like Him and we can’t take the credit for it.

Today’s verse tells us that we will receive approval or have praise granted to, or bestowed upon, us in accordance with the amount of wisdom that our lives show, but those whose most important or essential disposition or character is perverted, contradictory, wrongly self-willed, stubborn, cranky or peevish will be regarded by others as contemptible. They will end up being disliked, loathed, or regarded as unworthy of interest or concern by others.

We have the choice to turn to God and study His ways to become wise and receive approval, or to continue to live in self-willed stubborn ways, and end up becoming contemptible.

Proverbs 11: 20 A Perverse Heart vs. the Blameless

“Abomination” is a very strong word, and today’s verse tells us about people who, the Lord says, are “abominations” to Him.

Proverbs 11: 20 (NKJV)
20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their ways are His delight.

As usual, we will start out by looking at the definitions of the main words in our verse:

As we have seen before, the word “perverse” means: 1. Directed away from what is right or good; perverted. 2. Obstinately persisting in an error or fault; wrongly self-willed or stubborn. 3. Marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict. 4. Cranky; peevish.

“Abomination” means: 1. a person who is loathsome or disgusting 2. hate coupled with disgust 3. an action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence;

“Blameless” is defines as: Free of blame or guilt; innocent. It is synonymous with: innocent, clean, upright, honest, virtuous, untarnished, and above suspicion.

The definition of the word, “delight” is: 1. Great pleasure; joy. 2. Something that gives great pleasure or enjoyment.

With these definitions in mind, we can see that a person who purposely tries to turn people away from what is right or good, obstinately persists in error and is wrongly self-willed, stubborn, contradictory, cranky, and/or peevish, God finds loathsome or disgusting.


The second part of this verse tells us that those that are innocent, clean, upright, honest, virtuous, untarnished, and above suspicion, give God great pleasure and joy.

I know that, at times, I can be some of those bad things, like being stubborn, cranky, and peevish, etc., and I need to remember the way God looks at those traits. Instead, I need to strive to let His Holy Spirit cleanse me from those things and instill in me the things that He will delight in.

Proverbs 3: 29 & 32

In these verses we have three “DO NOT’s.” They cover actions toward your neighbor, toward strangers, and toward your enemies. Remember that these verses follow directly after the verses that spoke of the “Golden Rule” principle. They enlarge on what those verses were discussing. First let’s look at today’s scriptures.

Proverbs 3: 29 & 32

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,

For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

30 Do not strive with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor,

And choose none of his ways;

32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,

But His secret counsel is with the upright.

In verse 29, we are admonished to “NOT devise evil against your neighbor…” (devise - 1. To form, plan, or arrange in the mind; design or contrive: 2. Archaic To suppose; imagine.)

This scripture tells us that “he dwells by you for safety’s sake.” During Bible times, your neighbors were often family members, or you had chosen the place that you wanted to live. In today’s world you are often sort of “plopped down” where it happens to be convenient for your work, or some other reason (like it’s the only thing you can afford, etc.)

Still, if you are trying to put God first in all that you do, and He is leading you, then you are exactly where God wants you to be, and your job is to shine the light of Christ’s love out onto your neighbors, and not “imagine” or “plan” to do anything evil against them… no matter what they are like or have done! Christ teaches, in Matthew 5:21-26, that we are to love and not hate… that hate, or planning evil… makes us as bad as a murderer in His sight.

The next verse exhorts us not to “strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.” The definition of Strive is: 1. To exert much effort or energy; endeavor. 2. To struggle or fight forcefully; contend. In other scriptures, God tells us that we should be “peacemakers” and not argue over small things. We shouldn’t be struggling or fighting forcefully with people that haven’t even harmed us. This is not the way that we should be using the “effort or energy” that we are given. There WERE times when Christ got angry… when people twisted the things of God, and made them evil or a mockery of what they were supposed to be, and this is not what this verse is talking about.

The last two verses speak of oppressors and “perverse persons.” We are not to “envy” them OR chose any of their ways. Oppress means: 1. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority 2. To weigh heavily on: or 3. Obsolete To overwhelm or crush. and perverse means: 1. Directed away from what is right or good; perverted. 2. Obstinately persisting in an error or fault; wrongly self-willed or stubborn. 3. a. Marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict. b. Arising from such a disposition. 4. Cranky; peevish.

“Oppressors,” from this definition, indicate a person that has authority over someone else. IF we are living in God’s kingdom, and we are given authority over others (our children, employees, coworkers, etc.), than we must use that authority to help them to grow in their own lives and in their lives with God and Christ. Sometimes, we do this with discipline, while other times we should use love, forgiveness and modeling a Christ-like life. We should NEVER be “oppressors,” and try to manipulate others by force or threats.

“Perverse persons,” by these definitions, are people who are the opposite of Godly people. They pervert goodness and righteousness; their lives are ruled by selfishness. They persist in their sins and are stubborn about turning from them. We have all known people with “a disposition to oppose and contradict,” in every way possible. These are not happy people, and even if they have a position of authority, and usually wealth, we should never “envy” them as God looks on them as “abominations.”

Verse 32 ends by telling us that GOD’S secret counsel is NOT with these type of people, but with those that are following Him and living an “upright” life. HIS counsel is what will truly bring perfect peace, joy and love into our lives in His timing.