Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
Every person's way seems right in his own eyes, yet it may be deeply defective and even sinful against God, while the Lord ponders and weighs the heart. That weighing means He knows and tests inward feelings, intentions, and faithfulness, and outward religious forms, sacrifices, or self-justification do not prove that the will is surrendered to Him. Proclaiming truth and working earnestly do not by themselves make a person right before God, for truth must sanctify the heart and character. Self-love and self-confidence must be broken, or a person weighed by the Lord may be found wanting.
The verse forbids trusting one's own judgment as the standard and calls for close self-examination rather than assuming one's conduct is flawless. Because people hold their own conduct to be correct, they will not listen and will not accept correction. Many will refuse God's appointed messenger because they refused Christ Himself, yet God appoints the carrying of His reproofs and warnings to them whether they listen or refuse.
A king exalted by power and honor is in special danger of trusting his own judgment while regarding his choices as right, so he must continually trust in God and receive wisdom from Him. Confidence in one's own judgment does not make a person fit to lead in an institution governed by God; such a person must first learn to obey God's discipline. A person's claim that his ways are right is contradicted when others observe his conduct and cannot trust him, as when his conduct shows poor judgment and little care with money. Regarding one's own ways as right appears as stubborn self-sufficiency and as using truth to exalt oneself and quarrel with others rather than to guide them meekly.
Every person's way seems right in his own eyes, yet it may be deeply defective and even sinful against God, while the Lord ponders and weighs the heart. That weighing means He knows and tests inward feelings, intentions, and faithfulness, and outward religious forms, sacrifices, or self-justification do not prove that the will is surrendered to Him. Proclaiming truth and working earnestly do not by themselves make a person right before God, for truth must sanctify the heart and character. Self-love and self-confidence must be broken, or a person weighed by the Lord may be found wanting.
The verse forbids trusting one's own judgment as the standard and calls for close self-examination rather than assuming one's conduct is flawless. Because people hold their own conduct to be correct, they will not listen and will not accept correction. Many will refuse God's appointed messenger because they refused Christ Himself, yet God appoints the carrying of His reproofs and warnings to them whether they listen or refuse.
A king exalted by power and honor is in special danger of trusting his own judgment while regarding his choices as right, so he must continually trust in God and receive wisdom from Him. Confidence in one's own judgment does not make a person fit to lead in an institution governed by God; such a person must first learn to obey God's discipline. A person's claim that his ways are right is contradicted when others observe his conduct and cannot trust him, as when his conduct shows poor judgment and little care with money. Regarding one's own ways as right appears as stubborn self-sufficiency and as using truth to exalt oneself and quarrel with others rather than to guide them meekly.