"More evidence (as if any were needed) that the human heart in its unredeemed state is desperately evil."
Indeed.
If one wants to see unlimited evil, give a man, any man, unlimited power.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Adam Clarke's Commentary
The heart is deceitful - (unsupported Greek fonts), "the heart is supplanting - tortuous - full of windings - insidious;" lying ever at the catch; striving to avail itself of every favorable circumstance to gratify its propensities to pride, ambition, evil desire, and corruption of all kinds.
And desperately wicked - (unsupported Greek fonts), and is wretched, or feeble; distressed beyond all things, in consequence of the wickedness that is in it. I am quite of Mr. Parkhurst's opinion, that this word is here badly translated as àðù anash is never used in Scripture to denote wickedness of any kind. My old MS. Bible translates thus: - Schrewid is the herte of a man: and unserchable: who schal knowen it?
Who can know it? - It even hides itself from itself; so that its owner does not know it. A corrupt heart is the worst enemy the fallen creature can have; it is full of evil devices, - of deceit, of folly, and abomination, and its owner knows not what is in him till it boils over, and is often past remedy before the evil is perceived. Therefore trust not in man whose purposes are continually changing, and who is actuated only by motives of self-interest.
Thank you for the cite from Jeremiah.
I knew what I wanted to say was to be found in God's word but wasn't sure where.
(Note to self: Get back into God's word today!)