'Heart' in the Bible

The high places were not taken away; but Asa’s heart was completely devoted to the Lord his entire life.

Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.

When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and then asked, “Is your heart one with mine?”“It is,” Jehonadab replied.Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.”So he gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot with him.

Nevertheless, the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard you—this is the Lord’s declaration—

Next, the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his mind and with all his heart, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book; all the people agreed to the covenant.

Before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his mind and with all his heart and with all his strength according to all the law of Moses, and no one like him arose after him.

David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.”

As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you.”

“My son,” David said to Solomon, “It was in my heart to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God,

Now determine in your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Get started building the Lord God’s sanctuary so that you may bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant and the holy articles of God to the temple that is to be built for the name of Yahweh.”

Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the Lord’s covenant and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build,

“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders’ willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord with a whole heart. King David also rejoiced greatly.

I know, my God, that You test the heart and that You are pleased with what is right. I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.

Give my son Solomon a whole heart to keep and to carry out all Your commands, Your decrees, and Your statutes, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.

God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king,

Now it was in the heart of my father Davidto build a temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

He said:Lord God of Israel,there is no God like Youin heaven or on earth,keeping His gracious covenantwith Your servants who walk before Youwith their whole heart.

may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place,and may You forgive and repay the manaccording to all his ways, since You know his heart,for You alone know the human heart,

and when they return to You with their whole mind and heartin the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,and when they pray in the direction of their landthat You gave their ancestors,and the city You have chosen,and toward the temple I have built for Your name,

So Solomon finished the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. Everything that had entered Solomon’s heart to do for the Lord’s temple and for his own palace succeeded.

And I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My name may be there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.

All the kings of the world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.

Rehoboam did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord.

Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their ancestors with all their mind and all their heart.

All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their mind. They had sought Him with all their heart, and He was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.

He commanded them, saying, “In the fear of the Lord, with integrity, and with a whole heart, you are to do the following:

Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah, and Jehu’s soldiers captured him (he was hiding in Samaria). So they brought Ahaziah to Jehu, and they killed him. The soldiers buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart.” So no one from the house of Ahaziah had the strength to rule the kingdom.

Afterward, Joash took it to heart to renovate the Lord’s temple.

It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel so that His burning anger may turn away from us.

Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of the Lord.

whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”

However, because his heart was proud, Hezekiah didn’t respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.

Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart—he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—so the Lord’s wrath didn’t come on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.

When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers were sent to him to inquire about the miraculous sign that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.

because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration.

Then the king stood at his post and made a covenant in the Lord’s presence to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book.

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God. He became obstinate and hardened his heart against returning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

so the king said to me, “Why are you sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but depression.”I was overwhelmed with fear

I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding.

You found his heart faithful in Your sight,and made a covenant with himto give the land of the Canaanites,Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,Jebusites, and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants.You have kept Your promise,for You are righteous.

“Yet You concealed these thoughts in Your heart;I know that this was Your hidden plan:

As for you, if you redirect your heartand lift up your hands to Him in prayer—

Why has your heart misled you,and why do your eyes flash

My days have slipped by;my plans have been ruined,even the things dear to my heart.

I will see Him myself;my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger.My heart longs within me.

Receive instruction from His mouth,and place His sayings in your heart.

God has made my heart faint;the Almighty has terrified me.

The dying man blessed me,and I made the widow’s heart rejoice.

If my step has turned from the way,my heart has followed my eyes,or impurity has stained my hands,

If my heart has been seduced by my neighbor’s wifeor I have lurked at his door,

so that my heart was secretly enticedand I threw them a kiss,

Have I covered my transgressions as others doby hiding my guilt in my heart,

My heart is like unvented wine;it is about to burst like new wineskins.

My words come from my upright heart,and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.

Those who have a godless heart harbor anger;even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.

My heart pounds at thisand leaps from my chest.

Therefore, men fear Him.He does not look favorably on any who are wise in heart.

Who put wisdom in the heartor gave the mind understanding?

His heart is as hard as a rock,as hard as a lower millstone!

Be angry and do not sin;on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.Selah

You have put more joy in my heartthan they have when their grain and new wine abound.

My shield is with God,who saves the upright in heart.

For the choir director: according to Muth-labben. A Davidic psalm.I will thank Yahweh with all my heart;I will declare all Your wonderful works.

For look, the wicked string the bow;they put the arrow on the bowstringto shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

But I have trusted in Your faithful love;my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.

For the choir director. Davidic.The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.”They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.There is no one who does good.

The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness,and acknowledges the truth in his heart—

Therefore my heart is gladand my spirit rejoices;my body also rests securely.

You have tested my heart;You have examined me at night.You have tried me and found nothing evil;I have determined that my mouth will not sin.

Foreigners lose heartand come trembling from their fortifications.

The precepts of the Lord are right,making the heart glad;the command of the Lord is radiant,making the eyes light up.

May the words of my mouthand the meditation of my heartbe acceptable to You,Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

May He give you what your heart desiresand fulfill your whole purpose.

I am poured out like water,and all my bones are disjointed;my heart is like wax,melting within me.

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,who has not set his mind on what is false,and who has not sworn deceitfully.

The distresses of my heart increase;bring me out of my sufferings.

Test me, Lord, and try me;examine my heart and mind.

Though an army deploys against me,my heart is not afraid;though a war breaks out against me,still I am confident.

My heart says this about You,“You are to seek My face.”Lord, I will seek Your face.

Wait for the Lord;be strong and courageous.Wait for the Lord.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.Therefore my heart rejoices,and I praise Him with my song.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,you righteous ones;shout for joy,all you upright in heart.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever,the plans of His heart from generation to generation.

For the choir director. A psalm of David, the Lord’s servant.An oracle within my heartconcerning the transgression of the wicked person:There is no dread of God before his eyes,

Spread Your faithful love over those who know You,and Your righteousness over the upright in heart.

The instruction of his God is in his heart;his steps do not falter.

I am faint and severely crushed;I groan because of the anguish of my heart.

My heart races, my strength leaves me,and even the light of my eyes has faded.

My heart grew hot within me;as I mused, a fire burned.I spoke with my tongue:

I did not hide Your righteousness in my heart;I spoke about Your faithfulness and salvation;I did not conceal Your constant love and truthfrom the great assembly.

When one of them comes to visit, he speaks deceitfully;he stores up evil in his heart;he goes out and talks.

I remember this as I pour out my heart:how I walked with many,leading the festive procession to the house of God,with joyful and thankful shouts.

wouldn’t God have found this out,since He knows the secrets of the heart?

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.My heart is moved by a noble themeas I recite my verses to the king;my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

God, create a clean heart for meand renew a steadfast spirit within me.