What does Proverbs 3:5 mean?
This verse comes from a father's advice to his son in the book of Proverbs, a collection of wisdom largely gathered by King Solomon. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart" asks for whole-hearted confidence, not a partial trust held back for emergencies. In Hebrew thinking the heart meant the center of a person: mind, will, and feelings together. "Lean not unto thine own understanding" does not mean switching off our thinking. It means not resting our full weight on it, as if we could see every outcome. Human understanding is limited; God's is not. The verse invites us to rely on him most when life makes the least sense.
Proverbs 3:5 in the World English Bible
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
Context
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Proverbs 3:5 mean?
This verse comes from a father's advice to his son in the book of Proverbs, a collection of wisdom largely gathered by King Solomon. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart" asks for whole-hearted confidence, not a partial trust held back for emergencies. In Hebrew thinking the heart meant the center of a person: mind, will, and feelings together. "Lean not unto thine own understanding" does not mean switching off our thinking. It means not resting our full weight on it, as if we could see every outcome. Human understanding is limited; God's is not. The verse invites us to rely on him most when life makes the least sense.
What does Proverbs 3:5 say in the KJV?
Proverbs 3:5 (KJV) reads: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”