For the wicked boasts in the desires of his heart, and the greedy curses and despises the Lord.
The wicked not only commits sin, but also boasts in it. The desires of his heart become an object of pride. Greed is presented as self-blessing: a person measures success by what he has acquired and declares himself good, regardless of God’s judgment. This course is, in the end, contempt for the Lord, because the person rejects His values and authority. The verse warns that the most dangerous state of sin is when a person is no longer ashamed, but calls his evil desire good. The believer must examine not only his deeds, but also what he boasts in. Does our joy flow from God’s will, or from the fulfillment of our own greedy desires? True blessing is not something a person gives to himself. It comes from the Lord and never contradicts righteousness, mercy, and holiness.