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 11: 3 Integrity vs Perversity

Today’s verse contrasts the differences between the life of those that are people of integrity and those that distort or “pervert” God’s truth.
Proverbs 11: 3 (NKJV)

3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,

But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

To refresh us on the meaning of “integrity” and of “perversity,” lets re-read the definitions of these two words.

Integrity: .1. honesty; steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. 2. the quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness. 3. the state of being unimpaired; soundness.

Perversity: 1. deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to guidance or discipline 2. deliberately deviating from what is good;


“The integrity of the upright” speaks of people who HAVE a strict moral or ethical code. Because they are followers of God (which is what the Bible means when it speaks of the “upright”) they have decided to follow His teachings and ways. This brings about ‘soundness” and “completeness” in every part of their lives and in their spirits. This “code” will guide them in paths that are blessed by God.

“The perversity of the unfaithful” tells us of people who choose “deliberately and stubbornly” to do things that are against God and His rules and ways. They resist proper guidance from Him and His discipline as well. As we have seen from past studies, God disciplines those that He calls his children, but those that refuse to submit to His discipline, and deliberately deviate from them (what is good), will end up following paths that lead to the slippery slope of destruction.