Bible Verses About The Heart Being Desperately Wicked

Dear friends, the Bible tells us that the human heart is desperately wicked. Left to itself, the heart is capable of tremendous evil.

We see proof of this in the wickedness that filled the earth before the flood. Genesis 6 says that every inclination of people’s hearts was only evil all the time. There was violence, corruption, and utter depravity because the human heart, unchecked, tends towards wickedness.

Even after the flood, this truth remained. God observed the inclination of human hearts and declared that “every plan and thought is inclined to evil from his youth.” Without God’s restraining grace, the trajectory of the human heart is always towards sin.

Examples like Cain, who murdered his brother, and the many evil kings of Israel and Judah confirm this. Their hearts devised violence, injustice, idolatry, and evil of all kinds. Jeremiah observed how deceitful the heart is, beyond cure.

Left to ourselves, none of us are immune from the temptations and wickedness the heart is capable of. We need the wisdom and mercy of God to guard and transform our hearts. As David prayed, we need God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within.

Dear friends, now let’s look at some Bible verses below that talk about the wickedness of the human heart.

The Deceitfulness of the Heart

Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Mark 7:21-22
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness”

Matthew 15:19
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies”

Proverbs 6:18
“An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief”

Proverbs 12:20
“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy”

Proverbs 28:26
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered”

The Need for a New Heart

Ezekiel 36:26
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh”

Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me”

2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”

Ezekiel 11:19
“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh”

John 3:3
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

Titus 3:5
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”

The Transformation of the Heart through Christ

Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”

Ephesians 4:23-24
“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”

Colossians 3:10
“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”

1 Peter 1:22
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently”

Psalm 119:11
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”

Romans 10:10
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”

The Reflection of the Heart in Actions

Luke 6:45
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh”

Matthew 7:17-20
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them”

Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”

Proverbs 27:19
“As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man”

James 1:26
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain”

Matthew 12:34-35
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things”

The Call to Guard the Heart

Proverbs 4:23
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”

Philippians 4:7
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

1 Peter 1:22
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently”

2 Timothy 2:22
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart”

Psalm 73:26
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever”

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”

The Exposure of the Heart Before God

Hebrews 4:12-13
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do”

Psalm 44:21
“Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart”

1 Samuel 16:7
“But the Lord said unto Samuel, 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”

Proverbs 21:2
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts”

Luke 16:15
“And he said unto them, 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”

1 Chronicles 28:9
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever”

The Prayer for a Pure Heart

Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me”

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”

Psalm 24:3-4
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully”

Psalm 73:1
“Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart”

1 Timothy 1:5
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned”

1 Peter 3:4
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price”