- Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
- Jeremiah 17:9-10
" The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.
- Deuteronomy 5:29
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
- Matthew 15:18-19
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
- James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Deuteronomy 6:5-7
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 'And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
- Deuteronomy 10:12
“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
- Mark 7:21
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Genesis 6:5-6
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
- Deuteronomy 8:2
And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
- Deuteronomy 8:5
You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.
- Deuteronomy 11:13
‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,
- 1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
- 1 Samuel 21:12
Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
- 1 Kings 8:38-39
whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men),
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
- Psalm 24:4
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
- Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
- Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
- Proverbs 4:21
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
- Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
" Eat and drink!" he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
- Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
Better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that is the end of all men;
And the living will take it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
- Jeremiah 31:33
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment.
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
But as it is written:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, 'I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this." And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
“But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”
Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.
And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.
So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. So the LORD said to Moses: "Pharaoh's heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.
Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.
But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said.
But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.
Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.
But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.
And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
'Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.
“So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the LORD continually. And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
"And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;
Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD.
All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair.
The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.
"And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.
Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.
'You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
I also will do this to you:I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
'And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies;the sound of a shaken leaf shall cause them to flee; they shall flee as though fleeing from a sword, and they shall fall when no one pursues.
and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—
And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,
"Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them?
For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’
“But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.
Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
“Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.
But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
If you should say in your heart, "These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them",
when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
“Do not think in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land’; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.
His signs and His acts which He did in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to all his land;
Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.
you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.
“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,
Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you. You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.
Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.
And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’—
lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past.
And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
“The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’
Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the LORD, and it be sin to you.
“This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.
“Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything,
And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul.
In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.
Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.
so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,
And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,
and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law.
And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.
“Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel.”
My heart is with the rulers of Israel
Who offered themselves willingly with the people.
Bless the LORD!
And the princes of Issacharwere with Deborah;
As Issachar, so was Barak
Sent into the valley under his command;
Among the divisions of Reuben
There were great resolves of heart. Why did you sit among the sheepfolds,
To hear the pipings for the flocks?
The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart.
And his mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, 'He is our brother.'
So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.”
Then she said to him, 'How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.'
that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, 'Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.' So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.
So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
So the priest’s heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.
Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back, having his servant and a couple of donkeys with him. So she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he was glad to meet him.
Then it came to pass on the fourth day that they arose early in the morning, and he stood to depart; but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.” So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please be content to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”
Then he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, but the young woman’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they delayed until afternoon; and both of them ate. And when the man stood to depart—he and his concubine and his servant—his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is now drawing toward evening; please spend the night. See, the day is coming to an end; lodge here, that your heart may be merry. Tomorrow go your way early, so that you may get home.”
As they were enjoying themselves, suddenly certain men of the city, perverted men, surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came to your house, that we may know him carnally!”
Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”
And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
Then Elkanah her husband said to her, 'Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?'
Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
And Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.”
But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out.
And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.
Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?
Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?”
So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."
So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”
Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe.
Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabalis his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”
Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.
And David said in his heart, 'Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.'
When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled.
Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.
For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.
And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”
Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Now a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."
And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.
But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”
Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”
So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”
Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.
The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.
And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"
behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.
and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name:
that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.
Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”
On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the LORD had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.
And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,
Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.
Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David.
So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."
So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.
and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes;
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.
But the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s heart was loyal to the LORD all his days.
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
Then he said to him, 'Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
Now Jehu drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot.
Now when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab, coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is toward your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.
And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.
And Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD—each man’s census money, each man’s assessment money—and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”
“Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,' says the LORD.
Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.
Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.”
of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks;
All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.
And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You.
And David said to Solomon: “My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the LORD my God;
Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God. Therefore arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy articles of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD.”
Then King David rose to his feet and said, 'Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it.
Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the LORD; and King David also rejoiced greatly.
I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision."
Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—
Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart.
and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men),
yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness’; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name:
On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel. Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house.
For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.
And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the LORD God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.
And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.
Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them.
Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.
But the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days.
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.'
And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah.
Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.”
And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart:
Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.
Then he searched for Ahaziah; and they caught him (he was hiding in Samaria), and brought him to Jehu. When they had killed him, they buried him, “because,” they said, “he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So the house of Ahaziah had no one to assume power over the kingdom.
Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD.
And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.
Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?”
But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
“Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.
Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.
But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests.
Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD.
who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the LORD; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.
Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying,
But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD.
Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,
Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid,
Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.
So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, "Each of you is exacting usury from his brother." So I called a great assembly against them.
Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”
Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and found written in it:
You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give the land of the Canaanites,
The Hittites, the Amorites,
The Perizzites, the Jebusites,
And the Girgashites—
To give it to his descendants.
You have performed Your words,
For You are righteous.
and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.
So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.
So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”
So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?”
So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did regularly.
Then the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?'
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
“What is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.
‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
“If you would prepare your heart,
And stretch out your hands toward Him;
But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
“Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Why does your heart carry you away,
And what do your eyes wink at,
They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;
Their womb prepares deceit.”
His archers surround me.
He pierces my heart and does not pity;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
For You have hidden their heart from understanding;
Therefore You will not exalt them.
My days are past,
My purposes are broken off,
Even the thoughts of my heart.
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
Yet his food in his stomach turns sour;
It becomes cobra venom within him.
“ Because he knows no quietness in his heart,
He will not save anything he desires.
It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors come upon him;
Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
Receive, please, instruction from His mouth,
And lay up His words in your heart.
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
For God made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go;
My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.
The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
“And now my soul is poured out because of my plight;
The days of affliction take hold of me.
Have I not wept for him who was in trouble?
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest;
Days of affliction confront me.
If my step has turned from the way,
Or my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
“If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
If his heart has not blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
If I have covered my transgressions as Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.
My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
“ Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.
If He should set His heart on it,
If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
“Men of understanding say to me,
Wise men who listen to me:
“ Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
“At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
Therefore men fear Him;
He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”
Who has put wisdom in the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
His heart is as hard as stone,
Even as hard as the lower millstone.
Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
My defense is of God,
Who saves the upright in heart.
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
He has said in his heart, 'I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.'
He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
"You will not require an account."
LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
For look! The wicked bend their bow,
They make ready their arrow on the string,
That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
The LORD tests the righteous,
But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.
They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
"There is no God."
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
You have tried me and have found nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
They have closed up their fat hearts;
With their mouths they speak proudly.
The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
You have given him his heart’s desire,
And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.
Let your heart live forever!
The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart.
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Do not take me away with the wicked
And with the workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors,
But evil is in their hearts.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.
You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
All my bones shall say,
“LORD, who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
But as for me, when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own heart.
Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.
I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.
And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies;
His heart gathers iniquity to itself;
When he goes out, he tells it.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
Our heart has not turned back,
Nor have our steps departed from Your way;
Would not God search this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following.
My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.'
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Let death seize them;
Let them go down alive into hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.
God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
They delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly. Selah
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery;
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
Reproach has broken my heart,
And I am full of heaviness;
I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;
And for comforters, but I found none.
I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,
And my soul, which You have redeemed.
Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
Their eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
They said in their hearts,
“Let us destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
The stouthearted were plundered;
They have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
I call to remembrance my song in the night;
I meditate within my heart,
And my spirit makes diligent search.
And may not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not set its heart aright,
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
And they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.
When He slew them, then they sought Him;
And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
For their heart was not steadfast with Him,
Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.
Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
You have set our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
Your testimonies are very sure;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O LORD, forever.
But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.
For my days are consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.
Bless the LORD, all His works,
In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to make his face shine,
And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
May sinners be consumed from the earth,
And the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.
Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the broken in heart.
For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.
Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes.
The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
LORD, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
Who plan evil things in their hearts;
They continually gather together for war.
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him. Praise the LORD!
Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
He also taught me, and said to me:
' Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
And say:
' How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction!
Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
O you simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
“ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
“ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
The wise in heart will receive commands,
But a prating fool will fall.
Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom.
He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,
But a man of understanding holds his peace.
Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD,
But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind,
And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.
He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,
But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.
Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And the end of mirth may be grief.
The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied from above.
A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.
Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.
Hell and Destructionare before the LORD;
So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment,
But a man of understanding walks uprightly.
The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones healthy.
The preparations of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the spirits.
Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.
A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests the hearts.
Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?
A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes surety for his friend.
He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil.
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.
The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
And they go down into the inmost body.
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.
The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.
Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.
There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the hearts.
A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the plowing of the wicked are sin.
He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.
My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
Yes, my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.
Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
And they go down into the inmost body.
Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
That I may answer him who reproaches me.
As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;
Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.
I communed with my heart, saying, "Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge." And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And this was my reward from all my labor.
So I said in my heart,
“ As it happens to the fool,
It also happens to me,
And why was I then more wise?”
Then I said in my heart,
“ This also is vanity.”
Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.
For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
I said in my heart,
"God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work." I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals."
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.
For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
Surely oppression destroys a wise man's reason,
And a bribe debases the heart.
Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Also do not take to heart everything people say,
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
For many times, also, your own heart has known
That even you have cursed others.
I applied my heart to know,
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.
And I find more bitter than death
The woman whose heart is snares and nets,
Whose hands are fetters.
He who pleases God shall escape from her,
But the sinner shall be trapped by her.
He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment,
All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,
For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.
Even when a fool walks along the way,
He lacks wisdom,
And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity.
Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes.
By night on my bed I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but I did not find him.
"I will rise now," I said,
" And go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I will seek the one I love."
I sought him, but I did not find him.
The watchmen who go about the city found me;
I said,
" Have you seen the one I love?"
Scarcely had I passed by them,
When I found the one I love.
I held him and would not let him go,
Until I had brought him to the house of my mother,
And into the chamber of her who conceived me.
Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
And see King Solomon with the crown
With which his mother crowned him
On the day of his wedding,
The day of the gladness of his heart.
You have ravished my heart,
My sister, my spouse;
You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes,
With one link of your necklace.
I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk. I sleep, but my heart is awake;
It is the voice of my beloved!
He knocks, saying,
" Open for me, my sister, my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My locks with the drops of the night."
My beloved put his hand
By the latch of the door,
And my heart yearned for him.
I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart leaped up when he spoke.
I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl.
His body is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.
Why should you be stricken again?
You will revolt more and more.
The whole head is sick,
And the whole heart faints.
"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?"
Says the LORD.
" I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
' Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed.'
The LORD has removed men far away,
And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
And it was told to the house of David, saying, “Syria’s forces are deployed in Ephraim.” So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.
and say to him: ‘Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.
So it shall be, from the abundance of milk they give,
That he will eat curds;
For curds and honey everyone will eat who is left in the land.
All the people will know—
Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria—
Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”
He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron,
And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.
Therefore all hands will be limp,
Every man’s heart will melt,
For you have said in your heart:
'I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out,
Their voice shall be heard as far as Jahaz;
Therefore the armed soldiers of Moab will cry out;
His life will be burdensome to him.
“ My heart will cry out for Moab;
His fugitives shall flee to Zoar,
Like a three-year-old heifer.
For by the Ascent of Luhith
They will go up with weeping;
For in the way of Horonaim
They will raise up a cry of destruction,
Therefore my heart shall resound like a harp for Moab,
And my inner being for Kir Heres.
The burden against Egypt.
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.
The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst;
I will destroy their counsel,
And they will consult the idols and the charmers,
The mediums and the sorcerers.
And the Egyptians I will give
Into the hand of a cruel master,
And a fierce king will rule over them,”
Says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
And its foundations will be broken.
All who make wages will be troubled of soul.
In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.
In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land,
My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me;
The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me.
The new wine fails, the vine languishes,
All the merry-hearted sigh.
When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people,
It shall be like the shaking of an olive tree,
Like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done.
Yes, in the way of Your judgments,
O LORD, we have waited for You;
The desire of our soul is for Your name
And for the remembrance of You.
With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Yet I will distress Ariel;
There shall be heaviness and sorrow,
And it shall be to Me as Ariel.
Therefore the Lord said:
" Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel,
Which is broken in pieces;
He shall not spare.
So there shall not be found among its fragments
A shard to take fire from the hearth,
Or to take water from the cistern.”
You shall have a song
As in the night when a holy festival is kept,
And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute,
To come into the mountain of the LORD,
To the Mighty One of Israel.
Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge,
And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Your heart will meditate on terror:
“ Where is the scribe?
Where is he who weighs?
Where is he who counts the towers?”
Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“ Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
“ What shall I say?
He has both spoken to me,
And He Himself has done it.
I shall walk carefully all my years
In the bitterness of my soul.
“ Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the LORD’s hand
Double for all her sins.”
He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.
“ Let them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the former things, what they were,
That we may consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
It has set him on fire all around,
Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to heart.
They do not know nor understand;
For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,
And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
And no one considers in his heart,
Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
“ I have burned half of it in the fire,
Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;
I have roasted meat and eaten it;
And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?
Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”
He feeds on ashes;
A deceived heart has turned him aside;
And he cannot deliver his soul,
Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
“ Remember this, and show yourselves men;
Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
“ Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted,
Who are far from righteousness:
And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever,’
So that you did not take these things to heart,
Nor remember the latter end of them.
“ Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures,
Who dwell securely,
Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow,
Nor shall I know the loss of children’;
“ For you have trusted in your wickedness;
You have said, ‘No one sees me’;
Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you;
And you have said in your heart,
‘ I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
Then you will say in your heart,
' Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have lost my children and am desolate,
A captive, and wandering to and fro?
And who has brought these up?
There I was, left alone;
But these, where were they?"
' Who among you fears the LORD?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who walks in darkness
And has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the LORD
And rely upon his God.
“ Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.
For the LORD has called you
Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”
Says your God.
The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
Merciful men are taken away,
While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil.
You are wearied in the length of your way;
Yetyou did not say, 'There is no hope.'
You have found the life of your hand;
Therefore you were not grieved.
"And of whom have you been afraid, or feared,
That you have lied
And not remembered Me,
Nor taken it to your heart?
Is it not because I have held My peace from of old
That you do not fear Me?
For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
"I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For the iniquity of his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
I hid and was angry,
And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the LORD?
In transgressing and lying against the LORD,
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
"As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
'The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.'
But those who have gathered it shall eat it,
And praise the LORD;
Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.”
For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
And the year of My redeemed has come.
Look down from heaven,
And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious.
Where are Your zeal and Your strength,
The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me?
Are they restrained?
O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways,
And hardened our heart from Your fear?
Return for Your servants’ sake,
The tribes of Your inheritance.
Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart,
But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And wail for grief of spirit.
“ For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the LORD shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the LORD.
And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. "Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the LORD, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.
For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
“ Break up your fallow ground,
And do not sow among thorns.
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My fury come forth like fire,
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.”
“ And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the LORD,
“ That the heart of the king shall perish,
And the heart of the princes;
The priests shall be astonished,
And the prophets shall wonder.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD!
Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem,
Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’
Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness,
That you may be saved.
How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
' Your ways and your doings
Have procured these things for you.
This is your wickedness,
Because it is bitter,
Because it reaches to your heart.' O my soul, my soul!
I am pained in my very heart!
My heart makes a noise in me;
I cannot hold my peace,
Because you have heard, O my soul,
The sound of the trumpet,
The alarm of war.
O LORD, are not Your eyes on the truth?
You have stricken them,
But they have not grieved;
You have consumed them,
But they have refused to receive correction.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to return.
'Hear this now, O foolish people,
Without understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;
They have revolted and departed.
They do not say in their heart,
"Let us now fear the LORD our God,
Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season.
He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.
I would comfort myself in sorrow;
My heart is faint in me.
For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.
I am mourning;
Astonishment has taken hold of me.
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
“ Behold, I will refine them and try them;
For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
Their tongue is an arrow shot out;
It speaks deceit;
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
But in his heart he lies in wait.
but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them,”
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised— Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’”
But, O LORD of hosts,
You who judge righteously,
Testing the mind and the heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You I have revealed my cause.
You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.
But You, O LORD, know me;
You have seen me,
And You have tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
They have made it desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because no one takes it to heart.
And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.
This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.
And if you say in your heart,
“ Why have these things come upon me?”
For the greatness of your iniquity
Your skirts have been uncovered,
Your heels made bare.
Because the ground is parched,
For there was no rain in the land,
The plowmen were ashamed;
They covered their heads.
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence."
And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.
“ She languishes who has borne seven;
She has breathed her last;
Her sun has gone down
While it was yet day;
She has been ashamed and confounded.
And the remnant of them I will deliver to the sword
Before their enemies,” says the LORD.
Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O LORD God of hosts.
Therefore thus says the LORD:
“ If you return,
Then I will bring you back;
You shall stand before Me;
If you take out the precious from the vile,
You shall be as My mouth.
Let them return to you,
But you must not return to them.
And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron;
With the point of a diamond it is engraved
On the tablet of their heart,
And on the horns of your altars,
Thus says the LORD:
“ Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength,
Whose heart departs from the LORD.
And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”
(they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind),
Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.'
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
But, O LORD of hosts,
You who test the righteous,
And see the mind and heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them;
For I have pleaded my cause before You.
“ Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness,
For shedding innocent blood,
And practicing oppression and violence.”
My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the LORD,
And because of His holy words.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“ Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the LORD.
They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘ The LORD has said, “You shall have peace”’;
And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say,
‘ No evil shall come upon you.’”
The anger of the LORD will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Their nobles shall be from among them,
And their governor shall come from their midst;
Then I will cause him to draw near,
And he shall approach Me;
For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?' says the LORD.
The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it,
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.
In the latter days you will consider it.
Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a pleasant child?
For though I spoke against him,
I earnestly remember him still;
Therefore My heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him, says the LORD.
" Set up signposts,
Make landmarks;
Set your heart toward the highway,
The way in which you went.
Turn back, O virgin of Israel,
Turn back to these your cities.
And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’
then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’
Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’
“The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and did it not come into His mind?
Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD deceitfully,
And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.
“ We have heard the pride of Moab
(He is exceedingly proud),
Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride,
And of the haughtiness of his heart.”
Therefore I will wail for Moab,
And I will cry out for all Moab;
I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
Therefore My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab,
And like flutes My heart shall wail
For the men of Kir Heres.
Therefore the riches they have acquired have perished.
Kerioth is taken,
And the strongholds are surprised;
The mighty men’s hearts in Moab on that day shall be
Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
Your fierceness has deceived you,
The pride of your heart,
O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Who hold the height of the hill!
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle,
I will bring you down from there,” says the LORD.
Behold, He shall come up and fly like the eagle,
And spread His wings over Bozrah;
The heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day shall be
Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
Thus says the LORD:
“ Behold, I will raise up against Babylon,
Against those who dwell in Leb Kamai,
A destroying wind.
And lest your heart faint,
And you fear for the rumor that will be heard in the land
(A rumor will come one year,
And after that, in another year
A rumor will come,
And violence in the land,
Ruler against ruler),
You who have escaped the sword,
Get away! Do not stand still!
Remember the LORD afar off,
And let Jerusalem come to your mind.
“ See, O LORD, that I am in distress;
My soul is troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.
Outside the sword bereaves,
At home it is like death.
“ Let all their wickedness come before You,
And do to them as You have done to me
For all my transgressions;
For my sighs are many,
And my heart is faint.”
My eyes fail with tears,
My heart is troubled;
My bile is poured on the ground
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,
Because the children and the infants
Faint in the streets of the city.
Their heart cried out to the Lord,
“ O wall of the daughter of Zion,
Let tears run down like a river day and night;
Give yourself no relief;
Give your eyes no rest.
“ Arise, cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children,
Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.”
He has caused the arrows of His quiver
To pierce my loins.
This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
For He does not afflict willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
Give them a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
Even the jackals present their breasts
To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel,
Like ostriches in the wilderness.
The joy of our heart has ceased;
Our dance has turned into mourning.
Because of this our heart is faint;
Because of these things our eyes grow dim;
For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’
But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.
Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations.
Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’”
“Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them,
“Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.”’
For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself.
“How degenerate is your heart!” says the Lord GOD, “seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot.
Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes. And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord GOD.”
I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,
That the heart may melt and many may stumble.
Ah! It is made bright;
It is grasped for slaughter:
Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken, and will do it.
‘And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters:
‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel,
'Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old hatred,'
Your borders are in the midst of the seas.
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
“ The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise.
You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas.
Your oarsmen brought you into many waters,
But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas.
“ Your riches, wares, and merchandise,
Your mariners and pilots,
Your caulkers and merchandisers,
All your men of war who are in you,
And the entire company which is in your midst,
Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin.
They will shave themselves completely bald because of you,
Gird themselves with sackcloth,
And weep for you
With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
In their wailing for you
They will take up a lamentation,
And lament for you:
‘ What city is like Tyre,
Destroyed in the midst of the sea?
"Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, "Thus says the Lord GOD:
'Because your heart is lifted up,
And you say, "I am a god,
I sit in the seat of gods,
In the midst of the seas,'
Yet you are a man, and not a god,
Though you set your heart as the heart of a god
By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches,
And your heart is lifted up because of your riches)," 'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,
They shall throw you down into the Pit,
And you shall die the death of the slain
In the midst of the seas.
"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you.
“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and its heart was lifted up in its height,
‘I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.
So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.”’
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:
And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.”
And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places.
Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.
The altar hearth is four cubits high, with four horns extending upward from the hearth. The altar hearth is twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square at its four corners;
And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD and all its laws. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from the sanctuary.
When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to defile it—My house—and when you offered My food, the fat and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD: “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.
There was a row of building stones all around in them, all around the four of them; and cooking hearths were made under the rows of stones all around.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times pass over him.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. 'But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
“This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
“ Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.
Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail.
'He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him.
Both these kings' hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.
For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.
Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
“ Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak comfort to her.
They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their heart on their iniquity.
"Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
" They do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the LORD.
They do not consider in their hearts
That I remember all their wickedness;
Now their own deeds have surrounded them;
They are before My face.
They prepare their heart like an oven,
While they lie in wait;
Their baker sleeps all night;
In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
“ Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense—
They call to Egypt,
They go to Assyria.
They did not cry out to Me with their heart
When they wailed upon their beds.
“ They assemble together for grain and new wine,
They rebel against Me;
Their heart is divided;
Now they are held guilty.
He will break down their altars;
He will ruin their sacred pillars.
' How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart churns within Me;
My sympathy is stirred.
When they had pasture, they were filled;
They were filled and their heart was exalted;
Therefore they forgot Me.
I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs;
I will tear open their rib cage,
And there I will devour them like a lion.
The wild beast shall tear them.
“ I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him.
Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.
" Now, therefore," says the LORD,
" Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
The LORD also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem;
The heavens and earth will shake;
But the LORD will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel.
The most courageous men of might
Shall flee naked in that day,"
Says the LORD.
Who drink wine from bowls,
And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
The pride of your heart has deceived you,
You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
Youwho say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?"
For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water.
It is decreed:
She shall be led away captive,
She shall be brought up;
And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves,
Beating their breasts.
She is empty, desolate, and waste!
The heart melts, and the knees shake;
Much pain is in every side,
And all their faces are drained of color.
When I heard, my body trembled;
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered my bones;
And I trembled in myself,
That I might rest in the day of trouble.
When he comes up to the people,
He will invade them with his troops.
"And it shall come to pass at that time
That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
And punish the men
Who are settled in complacency,
Who say in their heart,
'The LORD will not do good,
Nor will He do evil.'
This is the rejoicing city
That dwelt securely,
That said in her heart,
"I am it, and there is none besides me."
How has she become a desolation,
A place for beasts to lie down!
Everyone who passes by her
Shall hiss and shake his fist.
“ For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language,
That they all may call on the name of the LORD,
To serve Him with one accord.
Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD—
‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider it:
For I,’ says the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother.'
Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,’
Says the LORD.”
Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,
And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine.
Yes, their children shall see it and be glad;
Their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.
And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.’ In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.
If you will not hear,
And if you will not take it to heart,
To give glory to My name,”
Says the LORD of hosts,
“ I will send a curse upon you,
And I will curse your blessings.
Yes, I have cursed them already,
Because you do not take it to heart.
And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.'
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them."
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
" These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
Andhonor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
But if that evil servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming,"
Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,
But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?
And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
So they went out and preached that people should repent.
And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, 'Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.'
For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
He answered and said to them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
' This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"
'I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
And Mary said:
'My soul magnifies the Lord,
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,
So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
But if that servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming," and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
nor will they say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
And He said to them, 'Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.
But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
"I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
' He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.'
And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'
But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
And they prayed and said, 'You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.
"Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.
whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
'You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'
When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found Davidthe son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.'
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
Then Paul answered, 'What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'
And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days.
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”’
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"(that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Just as it is written:
'God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.'
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.
For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.
Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well.
Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.
For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him.
But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
All the saints greet you.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'
But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
(for the fruit of the Spiritis in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.
just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?
so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
again He designates a certain day, saying in David, 'Today,' after such a long time, as it has been said:
' Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.'
It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.'
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, "I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow."
The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
Related Scriptures
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
- Ezra 1:1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
- Psalm 34:2
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
- Psalm 51:6
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
- Mark 7:20
And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
- Mark 7:22-23
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
- Romans 7:25
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
- Exodus 15:8
And with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
- Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.