Comment: God Almighty, unlike human beings, knows the heart and rewards every man justly. He described the heart as being “desperately wicked” as stated in the text for today. We should remember that in rejecting Eliab whom Samuel had thought should have been anointed king in the stead of Saul, God said, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16: 6,7.

Some people appear outwardly to be righteous while in fact they are hypocrites. So were the Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ days, who honoured God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him and so indulged in vain worship. (Matthew 15:7-9) And again he said, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”  (Luke 16:15) Like in Jesus’ days, there are many like the Scribes and Pharisees today. Their hearts are evil, but they pretend to love God and their neighbours. We should, like King David, pray God to give us His holy spirit so as to serve Him with clean hearts always. – Psalm 51:10, 11.