Mensa Otabil - The Prayer of the Upright (10/18/2025)
We’ve been looking at Proverbs chapter 15 this week and examining the comparison between the righteous and the wicked, especially how they use words and how they act. Today we’re looking at verse number eight, which says, «The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.» Here, the passage contrasts the worship, devotion, and religious observances of the righteous person with those of the wicked, and how God views what they do.
Many times we think that it’s okay to go to church, just go through the motions, pray, lift up our hands, sing, give an offering, and that it is fine-we think we’ve covered our bases with God. But God doesn’t look at things the way we do; He sees them differently. This passage tells us how God sees what the righteous do and what the wicked do.
It starts with the wicked and states that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. What does this mean? The sacrifice of the wicked is broad; it encompasses everything we do in devotion to God. It could be simply attending church, being part of a prayer group, participating in a music group, giving out of your money, doing acts of charity, being kind, and being generous. All of these are the sacrifices that we make, and the passage states that when a wicked person does these things, God sees it as an abomination.
That’s serious. When something is an abomination, it means God detests it; He hates it. And why does God hate it? Because He expects the wicked person to repent, to turn away from their sin, and not continue sinning while hoping to put a veneer on top of their sin and deceive God into thinking that He doesn’t see it or isn’t aware. That is why it is an abomination- because it disrespects God for a person to disobey Him and still come to Him while playing games.
When we have sinned, God doesn’t say we should run away; He says, «When you have sinned, repent. Turn away from the sin, turn your heart to God, and then let your sacrifices follow.» But don’t walk in sin and think that being part of the church and going through the rituals makes you right before God. In fact, you are making your case worse when you’re living in sin and trying to please God with outward observances.
That’s not how God sees the righteous. He says that «the prayer of the righteous is His delight.» The sinner’s prayer and sacrifice are abominations to God. He looks at what a righteous person is doing, and it is His delight. He delights in it, enjoys it, and takes pleasure in it. So when the righteous person goes to church and does all the things they must do, God delights in it. Conversely, when the wicked person attends church and performs all the rituals, it is an abomination.
The difference is not that one person is better than the other; one is honest with God, and the other is not. One respects God, and the other does not respect Him. So if you’ve done wrong, just go to God quietly and say, «Lord, I’m sorry. Forgive me,» and turn your heart from it, doing the right thing, and your sacrifice will become a delight to the Lord.
God blesses those whose sacrifices He receives with His presence, His peace, and His provision. Let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, let my thoughts, words, and actions be true to Your will and Your ways. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.