Psalms 66:19 · Bible study
Psalms 66:19 Commentary: Study: God Hears the Sincere Heart
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover how Psalm 66:19 shows God's hearing as proof of a heart free from cherished sin. Verse meaning, commentary, and application.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist testifies that God has certainly heard his prayer, proving his heart does not cling to sin.
- Key words: אָכֵן (’akhen, 'surely'), שָׁמַע (shama‘, 'heard'), הִקְשִׁיב (hikshiv, 'paid attention'), תְּפִלָּה (tefillah, 'prayer').
- Main debate: Whether the assurance is personal to the psalmist or representative of the nation; most agree it is an individual testimony.
- Theological theme: Integrity before God is essential for answered prayer; God hears the sincere, not the hypocritical.
- Best use: Teaching on prayer, assurance, and the connection between heart holiness and communion with God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer.
KJV King James Version 1769
But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But verily God hath heard; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
But God hath heard, He hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But God hath heard; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Mas ciertamente me oyó Dios; antendió á la voz de mi súplica.
Mas certamente Deus me ouviu; ele prestou atenção à voz de minha oração.
Mais Dieu m’ a exaucé,
aber Gott hat mich erhört und gemerkt auf mein Flehen.
Maar zeker, God heeft gehoord; Hij heeft gemerkt op de stem mijns gebeds.
Ma certo Iddio m’ha ascoltato; egli ha atteso alla voce della mia preghiera.
Aleć zaiste wysłuchał Bóg, a był pilen głosu modlitwy mojej.
但 神 實在 聽見了；他側耳聽了 我禱告 的聲音。
But truly God's ear has been open; he has give attention to the voice of my prayer.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 66:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators unanimously agree that Psalm 66:19 stands as the positive counterpart to verse 18. The psalmist's claim, that God has certainly heard his prayer, serves as direct evidence that he did not cherish sin in his heart. Barnes argues that God's hearing 'is at the same time proof to my mind that I do not love sin.' Gill states it was 'a plain case that he had not regarded iniquity in his heart.' The Cambridge Bible explains the logic: hypocrisy disqualifies a suppliant, but the answer to prayer justifies the psalmist as having 'a conscience void of offence.' Keil and Delitzsch note that the result of God's hearing refutes any idea of hypocritical prayer. Across traditions, the verse is understood as a testimony of integrity: God does not listen to those who cling to sin, so the fact that he has listened confirms a sincere heart.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist is certain that God has heard his prayer, and this certainty is tied to the fact that he does not cherish sin in his heart.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'cherished sin' (v. 18) | Christians agree it refers to holding onto sin or regarding it in one's heart, not to sinless perfection. | Some traditions emphasize habitual sin (Calvinist), others emphasize willful, unconfessed sin (Arminian), but all agree it is a state of heart opposed to sincerity. |
| Whether the psalmist speaks individually or as a representative of Israel | The passage moves from plural (vv. 1, 12) to singular (vv. 13, 20), so verse 19 is clearly the voice of one person. | A few commentators (e.g., Ewald) see corporate personification, but most (Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch, Lange) maintain it is a genuine individual testimony. |
| Does God hear prayers of sinners? | All traditions agree that God listens to the repentant and does not hear those who willfully cling to sin (Isaiah 59:2). | Catholic and Orthodox tradition see the necessity of sacramental confession; Protestant traditions stress direct repentance and faith. Both affirm that humility opens God’s ear. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 66 is a thanksgiving song, likely composed after a national deliverance, perhaps from an Assyrian crisis (Hezekiah’s era) or the Babylonian exile. The first half (verses 1, 12) calls the whole earth to praise God for his awesome deeds and for bringing Israel through fire and flood. Then, from verse 13 onward, the focus narrows to an individual voice. The psalmist speaks personally, announcing costly burnt offerings (verse 15) and inviting 'all you who fear God' (verse 16) to hear his testimony.
The logic in verses 18, 19 reflects a deep Old Testament conviction: God does not hear those who regard iniquity (Isaiah 1:15; 59:2, 3). The Hebrew verb qashav (Hiphil) intensifies the idea of attentive listening, God did not merely glance; he inclined his ear with care. The word ’akhen carries strong assertive force ('surely, indeed'), emphasizing the contrast between the hypothetical of verse 18 and the reality of verse 19. The phrase 'voice of my prayer' (Psalm 6:9; 116:1, 2) pictures the psalmist’s audible, desperate cry. This public declaration served both to glorify God and to reassure the community that sincerity, not perfection, opens God’s ear.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 66:19. The Hebrew text is stable, and the minor variations in English translations (e.g., 'listened' vs. 'attended to') reflect the same underlying verbs without altering meaning.
Reception History
Augustine of Hippo commented on this verse: 'When you see that your prayer has not been turned away from you, be secure, for his mercy has not been turned away from you.' The early church read Psalm 66 as a resurrection psalm (Septuagint title) and applied verse 19 to Christ’s own prayers being heard. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin used it to teach assurance: answered prayer confirms a sincere faith. In later devotional literature, the verse has encouraged believers to examine their hearts before coming to God, confident that he hears the cry of the upright.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The condition of prayer (v. 18): God does not listen to those who cherish sin in their heart.
- The confidence of the psalmist (v. 19): Yet God has listened, evidence of a heart not clinging to sin.
- The consequence for worship (v. 20): Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer.
Five-point outline
- But most certainly, the emphatic contrast to the condition.
- God has listened, the fact of answered prayer.
- He has heard, the specific attention given to the cry.
- The voice of my prayer, the psalmist’s desperate, personal plea.
- Blessed be God, the response of gratitude.
Illustration hooks
- A child who breaks something but hides it feels unable to ask for forgiveness freely. Once they confess, the relationship is restored. Similarly, unconfessed sin blocks the confidence of prayer.
- A person praying for a difficult relationship sees gradual reconciliation. That answered prayer becomes evidence that their own heart was not harboring bitterness.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God hear me when I am struggling with a known sin?
- How can I know if my prayer is genuine and not hypocritical?
- What if I am unsure whether I am cherishing sin in my heart?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows the intimate connection between integrity and answered prayer. The psalmist does not claim sinless perfection, but a heart that does not cling to sin. His confidence in God’s hearing becomes a foundation for praise.
Discussion questions
- What does verse 19 say about God’s response to the psalmist?
- How does verse 18 help explain the confidence in verse 19?
- Why is it important that the psalmist says 'the voice of my prayer' rather than simply 'my prayer'?
- How do other Scriptures (e.g., Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 1:15; Hebrews 5:7) inform your understanding of this verse?
- What does this verse teach about the relationship between our heart condition and our prayer life?
- In what areas of your life might you need to let go of a cherished sin in order to pray with confidence?
- How can this verse encourage someone who feels their prayers are unheard?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 6:9 | Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer. |
| Psalms 34:6 | This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. |
| Psalms 116:1 | I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. |
| Psalms 116:2 | Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. |
| Lamentations 3:55 | I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon. |
| Lamentations 3:56 | You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.” |
| Hebrews 5:7 | He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, |
| I John 3:20 | because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Verily God hath heard me - A sure proof that my prayer was upright, and my heart honest, before him.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that answered prayer itself becomes evidence that the person does not secretly cherish sin. Since God does not hear those who harbor iniquity, the fact that He heard is proof the heart was sincere and desired to forsake sin.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the psalmist's confidence he was heard is not self-righteousness but the simplicity of a clear conscience. Sincerity is the necessary condition for prayer, and
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that God did more than hear the prayer — He "considered" it, meaning He gave it thoughtful attention and care. The distinction is between passive hearing and active, deliberate regard from the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that God's answer to the psalmist's prayer proves he was not harboring sin or playing the hypocrite. The very fact that God listened and responded shows the psalmist stood in God's favor, directly refuting the false charges his enemies had made against him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the psalmist invites only those who truly fear God to hear his testimony, distinguishing true worshippers from hypocrites. The psalmist vindicates his own sincerity by pointing out that God does not hear hypocrites, yet God has heard him.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights the psalmist's confident assurance that God heard his prayer because his heart held no hidden evil. They stress that a hypocritical prayer from an insincere heart goes unheard, while here the psalmist's praise was already ready on his tongue before the answer came. The closing thought presents prayer and mercy as call and echo: God's listening ear proves His favour remains.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange defends the unity of this psalm against those who split it into two separate songs. He points to the repeated exhortation forms and the way the Psalmist speaks personally yet as a member of the congregation, not as a personification of the nation. For him the whole psalm flows from one sustained experience of deliverance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to David's personal commitment to go beyond merely calling others to praise. While others might hold back, David resolves to worship God with costly, public sacrifices, offering the best he has rather than what costs him nothing.