Verse 2. The Lord pondereth the hearts. ] Every man feels strongly attached to his own opinions, modes of acting, &c.; and though he will not easily give up any thing to the judgment of a neighbour, whom he will naturally consider at least as fallible as himself, yet he should consider that the unerring eye of God is upon him; and he should endeavour to see that what he does is acceptable in the eye of his Maker and Judge.
Ver. 2. Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes , etc.] This is repeated, from ( Proverbs 16:2,25); for the confirmation of it; and that it might be observed and taken notice of, and men be brought under a conviction of it; which is not easily done, it being what affects all men: every man is conceited of himself and his own way, and is not easily persuaded off of it; his sinful ways are agreeable to him promising him pleasure, profit, or honour; and his self-righteous ways suit with the vain opinion he has of himself, whereby he promises himself eternal life and happiness. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it to this sense, “every man seems righteous to himself;” but the Lord pondereth the hearts : weighs them in the balance of righteousness and truth; considers them, having a perfectknowledge of them, and all the springs of action in them; and knows that every way of man is not right, though they may seem so to him.
