Proverbs 15:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

NIV: The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

NASB: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

CSB: The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

NLT: The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.

KJV: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

NKJV: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Jesus said, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him" (John 4:23). "Going through the motions" is not the same as worshipping in truth. God does not accept that which is merely an outward show—when the heart and spirit are not full of love and reverence for Him. On the other hand, the prayers of those who sincerely honor the Lord (Proverbs 15:9) please Him, and He hears them.

Hypocritical displays are not merely rejected by the Lord, they are also offensive to God. When wicked people (Proverbs 4:13–14) pretend to honor God, their efforts are described by the Hebrew word tōw'ēbah, which means something "disgusting." This is the same term used to describe their entire lifestyle as an "abomination" in the next verse (Proverbs 15:9). Hollow gestures from those who refuse the Lord's truth don't make amends, they make Him angry.

First Samuel 15:22 asks, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." Isaiah 1:11 records the Lord's rebuke to the people of Judah, because they were hypocritically offerings sacrifices. He declares in this verse that the multitude of sacrifices are worthless, and He says, "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats."

Proverbs 15:6–12 contrasts the righteous and the wicked; in the context of the book of Proverbs, these two groups are also defined as those who are "wise" and those who are "foolish." Many of these comparisons are from God's perspective. Even good deeds and rituals performed by those who disobey God are offensive to Him. And yet, He accepts the prayers of those who sincerely seek His will. The Lord loves those who love Him, but He consigns the wicked to eternal punishment (Proverbs 10:29).

Solomon begins this chapter of Proverbs by addressing subjects such as anger and self-control and how those reactions produce different responses from others. That extends to how carefully a person guards their words, and their responses to questions. Wise people seek wisdom and humbly accept it. Foolish people are careless, lazy, or arrogant. Solomon also notes the importance of perspective, and once again commends those who sincerely seek godly wisdom.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.