The Things God Hates
A Sobering Look at Proverbs 6:16–19
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Introduction
At the same time, this text is not given so
that we may point fingers at others while ignoring ourselves. It is a mirror
for the soul. It calls us to examine our own attitudes, words, motives, and
relationships. And when it exposes us, it drives us not to despair, but to
repentance and to the mercy found in Jesus Christ.
The Passage
“There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.”
— Proverbs 6:16–19 (ESV)
Understanding
the Language
The phrase “six things… seven” is a Hebrew
literary form used for emphasis. It communicates completeness and weight. The
writer is not saying that these are the only sins God hates, but that this list
is a concentrated summary of the kinds of sins that especially reveal human
corruption.
The term “abomination” is especially strong.
It describes something detestable, loathsome, and morally repulsive before God.
This is not mild disapproval. These sins are offensive because they stand in
direct contradiction to God’s holiness, truth, justice, and love. What God
hates, His people must never learn to tolerate.
1. Haughty
Eyes (Pride)
Pride stands first in the list, and that is
not accidental. “Haughty eyes” describe the lifted look of arrogance—a spirit
that exalts itself above others and, ultimately, above God. Pride is the
refusal to bow, the insistence on self-importance, and the inward posture that
says, “I know better, I deserve more, I stand above.”
Pride is especially dangerous because it
often hides beneath respectable appearances. A person may seem disciplined,
capable, or even religious, yet still possess a proud heart. That pride may
show itself in contempt, stubbornness, an unwillingness to receive correction,
or a subtle pleasure in feeling superior to others. God hates pride because it
competes with His glory and resists His rule.
Humility, by contrast, is not weakness. It is
spiritual sanity. It is the recognition that we are creatures, not the Creator;
sinners, not the Savior. The more clearly we see God, the less room remains for
arrogance.
2. A Lying
Tongue (Deception)
God is a God of truth. He never lies, never
deceives, never distorts reality. For that reason, a lying tongue is deeply
offensive to Him. Lies corrupt trust, poison relationships, and turn speech—a
gift meant to reflect truth—into an instrument of darkness.
Lying takes many forms. It may be blatant
falsehood, subtle manipulation, half-truths, exaggeration, false impressions,
or silence used deceptively. People lie to protect themselves, to gain
advantage, to avoid consequences, or to shape how others perceive them. But
every lie stands against the character of the God of truth.
For the believer, truthfulness is not
optional. Honest speech is part of holy living. When our words are reliable, we
reflect the faithfulness of God; when our words are false, we contradict the
One we claim to serve.
3. Hands That
Shed Innocent Blood (Violence)
This phrase speaks of unjust violence and the
destruction of innocent life. It condemns the shedding of blood where no guilt
deserves such treatment. Human life is sacred because man is made in the image
of God. To treat innocent life lightly is to despise something God Himself has
stamped with dignity.
This sin includes more than the public horror
of murder. It reaches into the attitudes that nourish violence—hatred, cruelty,
revenge, and hard-hearted disregard for others. Jesus taught that sinful anger
and murderous hatred are deeply connected. The hand that strikes is often
preceded by a heart that has already learned to despise.
God values life. His people therefore must
resist cruelty, cherish justice, and refuse the spirit that delights in harm.
4. A Heart
That Devises Wicked Plans (Corruption Within)
Here the text moves inward. Before evil
appears in conduct, it often begins in intention. A heart that devises wicked
plans is not merely tempted; it is actively designing sin. It uses thought,
imagination, and strategy in the service of evil.
This is sobering because it reminds us that
God judges not only visible actions but hidden motives. Many sins never become
public only because there was no opportunity. Yet God sees the inward workshop
of the soul—every plan, scheme, fantasy, and secret calculation.
A righteous life therefore requires more than
external restraint. It requires inward cleansing. The heart must be governed by
the Word of God, or it will become a factory of corruption.
5. Feet That
Make Haste to Run to Evil (Eagerness for Sin)
This image portrays a person who is not
hesitant in wrongdoing but eager for it. There is speed in the verse—an
enthusiasm, a readiness, a willingness to rush toward evil. Such a person does
not fall reluctantly; he runs willingly.
That distinction matters. There is a
difference between a believer who stumbles and grieves over sin, and a person
who delights in pursuing it. When the heart loves evil, the feet soon follow.
Habits form, conscience dulls, and what once seemed serious begins to feel
normal.
God hates this eager pursuit of wickedness
because it reveals affection for what He forbids. Grace does not make us casual
about sin; it makes us increasingly watchful against it.
6. A False
Witness Who Breathes Out Lies (Destructive Speech)
This phrase expands the earlier reference to
a lying tongue and points especially to lies that injure others. A false
witness twists truth in a way that damages reputation, justice, and trust. The
image of “breathing out lies” suggests that deceit flows naturally from such a
person, as though dishonesty has become their native air.
False witness is especially grievous because
it can destroy lives with words alone. Families, churches, friendships, and
communities can be torn apart when truth is sacrificed. Slander, false
accusation, malicious gossip, and deliberate misrepresentation all carry this
destructive character.
God cares about truth not only because truth
is right, but because lies devour people. The righteous person therefore guards
his tongue carefully, knowing that speech can either protect life or ruin it.
7. One Who
Sows Discord Among Brothers (Division)
The final item is striking. Among the sins
listed, the one who sows discord among brothers is singled out with particular
force. This refers to a person who spreads conflict, stirs suspicion, fuels
offense, and fractures fellowship.
God loves peace, unity, and reconciliation
among His people. Therefore He hates the work of the divider. Discord may be
sown through gossip, manipulation, favoritism, whispering, insinuation,
exaggeration, or the deliberate reopening of old wounds. It is possible to
destroy unity without ever raising one’s voice.
This final sin is especially sobering because
it shows that relational destruction matters greatly to God. The church is not
a collection of isolated individuals but a body. To sow division among brethren
is to attack what God intends to join together.
The Deeper
Message of the Passage
Taken together, this list reveals a
progression. It begins with inward disposition—pride and evil intention—moves
to sinful speech and violent action, and ends in the destruction of community.
Sin does not remain isolated. It grows. It moves from the heart to the mouth,
from the mouth to the hands and feet, and from the individual to the fellowship
of others.
In other words, Proverbs 6:16–19 is not
simply a random list of offenses. It is a moral anatomy of human corruption. It
exposes how deeply sin reaches and how destructive it becomes when left
unchecked.
Application
for Today
This passage calls us first to
self-examination. Before we identify these sins in society, politics, or other
people, we should ask whether traces of them remain in us. Do we harbor pride?
Do we shade the truth? Do we entertain sinful plans? Do we run too quickly
toward what dishonors God? Do our words injure? Do we stir unnecessary
conflict?
It also calls us to active obedience. We must
not only reject what God hates; we must pursue what God loves. Against haughty
eyes, we cultivate humility. Against lying, we practice truthfulness. Against
violence, we honor life. Against wicked scheming, we seek purity of heart.
Against eagerness for evil, we pursue holiness. Against false witness, we use
words faithfully. Against discord, we become peacemakers.
Such obedience is not produced by mere
self-improvement. It flows from a heart changed by grace and continually shaped
by the Spirit of God through the Word.
The Gospel
Connection
This passage is severe, but it is not
hopeless. In truth, every one of these sins exposes the fallen condition of
humanity. We may not have committed them all in equal outward measure, but none
of us can claim complete innocence before a holy God. Scripture condemns us
before it heals us.
The good news is that Jesus Christ came not
for the righteous, but for sinners. He died for the proud, the deceitful, the
violent, the corrupt, and the divisive. At the cross, God’s hatred of sin and
God’s love for sinners meet in perfect justice and mercy. Those who repent and
trust in Christ are forgiven, cleansed, and made new.
The gospel does more than pardon the guilty.
It transforms the heart. Those who belong to Christ are being remade so that
they increasingly hate what God hates and love what God loves.
Conclusion
Proverbs 6:16–19 is a searching passage, but
it is a needed one. It reminds us that holiness is not sentimental, truth is
not optional, and peace is not trivial. God does not treat pride, deception,
violence, corruption, and division as small matters—and neither should we.
May this text lead us to deeper humility,
greater honesty, more careful speech, and a renewed commitment to peace. And
where it exposes sin in us, may it also drive us to the Savior, whose grace is
sufficient to forgive, cleanse, and transform.
© 2026 Steven Miller
Ministries
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