Proverbs 15:8-9 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

With whom God is pleased

With whom is God well pleased? A great question, that has had many answers. The statement of the text gives us—

I. GOD 'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE WICKED .

1 . Their whole life is grievous to him. "The way of the wicked is an abomination," etc. And this, not because they hold some erroneous opinions, nor because they make many serious mistakes, nor because they are betrayed into occasional transgressions; but because they determinately withhold themselves from his service; because they claim and exercise the right to dispose of their own life according to their own will; because they deliberately disregard the will of God. They are thus in a state of fixed rebellion against his rule, of settled disavowal of his claims upon them, of consequent neglect of his holy Law. Therefore their entire course or "way" is one of disobedience and disloyalty; it must be painful, grievous, even "abominable" in the sight of the Holy One.

2 . Their worship is wholly unacceptable to him. If we "regard iniquity is our heart, the Lord will not hear us" ( Psalms 50:16-22 ; Psalms 66:18 ; Isaiah 1:15 ). God "desireth truth in the inward parts;" he cannot and will not accept as of any value whatever the offering that comes from a heart in a state of determined disloyalty to himself and hatred of his law.

3 . Their worship is positively offensive. It is "an abomination" unto him. And it is so, because:

II. GOD 'S PLEASURE WITH THE RIGHTEOUS .

1 . Who they are.

2 . With what, in them, God is well pleased.