Proverbs 16:9 (KJV)

Passage

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Proverbs 16:10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

Proverbs 16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "heart", "deviseth", "lord", "directeth", and "steps". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "heart" and "deviseth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Better is a little with righteousness than..." into verse 10's "A divine sentence is in the lips...", so "heart" and "deviseth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "heart" and "deviseth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.