"The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their walk are His delight"
perverse
This is the Hebrew word iqquesh, which means twisted, distorted, crooked, perverse. The idea is that which is beyond the normal and against something’s function. In the moral arena it is the use of something or someone which is beyond the normal or a bizarre twist of or on the item – usually to the detriment of someone else for the individual’s selfish gain or desire.
Some action or thing becomes perverse when it is used for a different function than it was intended or when it is a selfish pursuit of a gain through the twisting of a person, place, object, or function. This is why homosexuality has been consistently labeled perverse in the Scripture because it is the use of your own body and another’s for that which it was clearly not intended.
This became a way of expressing aspects of wickedness that were not just beyond God's boundaries but those which twist or change the function of a person, place, or object.
abomination
This is the Hebrew word toeba, which means abhor, detest, loathe. Notice that Solomon is giving a value judgment on the certain behaviors that are selfish pursuits of desire.
blameless
This is the Hebrew word tamim, which means complete, blameless, perfect. The idea here is one who makes "perfect" decisions. Notice that our culture has a hard time representing righteous behavior except by what it is not. It means to live in such a way as to not be blamable about anything. Some have taken that to mean that you don't do anything wrong but that only deals with the negative side of this. The idea is that you do a lot of things right. You make decisions that are not selfish but instead wise. You take actions that meet other people's needs and not just your own. You bring delight to God and those around you with your maturity, inclusion, and plans. This is the opposite of people who are perverse in their selfishness. They push the envelope of how to please themselves until it involves direct harm to others.
delight
This is the Hebrew word rason, which means pleasure, delight, favor. The idea is that God is pleased and delighted with the actions of those who display positive righteousness. Those who are wise and loving are not just unblamable; they actually bring Him joy.
It is the same when parents watch their children loving their siblings or choosing the mature or wise thing over the selfish action. It is amazing how much joy we receive from watching our children make the right decisions even though their decision does not affect us. I am filled to overflowing when I watch my daughter love her sister. I can remember when I was building a playhouse for her and she came to me and said, "Dad, I think that my sister is going to get more use out of it than I will. Why don't you build it for her?" Her statement just filled me with joy. To watch her make a sacrifice for the good of her sister blessed me at a level that is hard to describe. It is this that takes place in the heart of God when we make the right decision rather than the selfish decisions that we are so prone to.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz