The following three verses (Jeremiah 17:9–11) contain proverbial sayings which were known to the people of Judah. The assumption made in these notes is that it is still the Lord who is speaking as he places these proverbs on the lips of the people. These verses are linked with Jeremiah 17:1–8 as they continue to give insight into the spiritual state of the nation. The proverbs explain why Judah has been so foolish in going the way of the cursed man
instead of trusting in the Lord and receiving his blessings.
The first proverb makes a simple but profound statement about the human heart. It is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
This explains Judah’s foolish behaviour in refusing to trust in the Lord, but rather trusting in man (Jeremiah 17:5–6). A deceitful heart is a heart that is constantly trying to remove the Lord from his rightful place as king and replace him with something or someone else.1 This proverb also looks back to Jeremiah 17:1–4 and explains what happens when sin is engraved on the tablet of their heart.
Their hearts are deceitful and desperately sick.
2 Who can understand the human heart? Certainly not humans themselves. Humans will not find the answer to their own self-deception.
8 Il est comme un arbre planté près des eaux, Et qui étend ses racines vers le courant; Il n'aperçoit point la chaleur quand elle vient, Et son feuillage reste vert; Dans l'année de la sécheresse, il n'a point de crainte, Et il ne cesse de porter du fruit.