The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
The prayer of the upright is the delight of the Lord. Such prayer is the sincere opening of the heart to God, without exaltation of self and with a sense of weakness and unworthiness, and He reads the heart and its motives and hears those who pray in this way. The upright praying soul loves God, studies His word earnestly and continually, prays earnestly, turns to Him as a stronghold in hope as a prisoner of hope, separates from the world and its society, brings Christ into every association, and partakes of Christ until His goodness and His way and His will become its own and subdue its will. In contrast with the upright whose prayer is His delight, the unstable, double-minded person receives nothing from the Lord.
Mere formal prayer of words and lip-service without earnest, heartfelt devotion is not accepted by God but is an abomination to Him, while true prayer is earnest and heartfelt and takes hold in and affects the life. Prayer from those who profess to know God while cherishing sin and disobeying Christ, continuing in malice and deceit and envy and jealousy and self-love, is an abomination to Him, for profession without obedient works dishonors that profession and religious words cannot make up for a disobedient heart. Ritual sacrifice offered without faith and without humility and sorrow for sin has lost its meaning and is an abomination, while God delights in sincere devotion shown by a broken and contrite heart.
Worship offered by the wicked is not accepted by God, who does not need the help of those who oppose Him or worship other gods to establish His worship, and His servants seek His help through prayer rather than relying on such assistance.
The prayer of the upright is the delight of the Lord. Such prayer is the sincere opening of the heart to God, without exaltation of self and with a sense of weakness and unworthiness, and He reads the heart and its motives and hears those who pray in this way. The upright praying soul loves God, studies His word earnestly and continually, prays earnestly, turns to Him as a stronghold in hope as a prisoner of hope, separates from the world and its society, brings Christ into every association, and partakes of Christ until His goodness and His way and His will become its own and subdue its will. In contrast with the upright whose prayer is His delight, the unstable, double-minded person receives nothing from the Lord.
Mere formal prayer of words and lip-service without earnest, heartfelt devotion is not accepted by God but is an abomination to Him, while true prayer is earnest and heartfelt and takes hold in and affects the life. Prayer from those who profess to know God while cherishing sin and disobeying Christ, continuing in malice and deceit and envy and jealousy and self-love, is an abomination to Him, for profession without obedient works dishonors that profession and religious words cannot make up for a disobedient heart. Ritual sacrifice offered without faith and without humility and sorrow for sin has lost its meaning and is an abomination, while God delights in sincere devotion shown by a broken and contrite heart.
Worship offered by the wicked is not accepted by God, who does not need the help of those who oppose Him or worship other gods to establish His worship, and His servants seek His help through prayer rather than relying on such assistance.