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Good Sense Versus a Perverse Mind

Proverbs 12:8 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁸A man is praised according to his good sense,
but one of perverse mind is despised.

A man is praised according to his good sense: The man of God is praised or commended (הָלַל halal), meaning that he has God’s approval according to his good sense (שֶׂכֶל sekel or שֵׂכֶל sekel), which means that he is one who has understanding, is able to comprehend and understand, who is wise, possessing intelligence and prudence, enabling him to make good decisions.

but one of perverse mind is despised: The wicked one has a perverse (עָוָה avah) or twisted, warped, crooked, or depraved mind (לֵב leb), meaning that they have a mind that is not moral, right, proper or good based on God’s moral standards. Therefore, they are despised (בּוּז buz), meaning that God and humans have no respect for them, accompanied by intense feelings of dislike.

A person of God who has discernment does not allow himself to utter any words out of his mouth hastily. He gives thought to what he will say, so he has peaceful relations with others because of his good sense, which enables him to choose his words carefully. When a man of good sense is faced with those who are foolish, or some are challenging his beliefs with speculative questioning, he is able to ‘restrain his words because he has knowledge, and he has a cool spirit.’ (Proverbs 17:27) This man is praised by others and is pleasing in the eyes of God. How different the man of understanding is from the despised man with a perverse, twisted, warped, crooked, or depraved mind.