Pride and Humility in the Psalms

Proverbs 18:12 Pride goes before destruction and humility before honor

The rich, the poor, the lowly, the haughty,

the humble and the proud

Summary Word frequency in Psalms

Psalms has much to say about pride and humility, the rich and the poor. The comments about the humble poor far outweighing the comments about the righteous rich. (or rich or riches in general)What you boast shows where your heart is.

Overview• King David will describe himself often as a poor man

helped by God, portending the Messiah who was rich but became poor that we might become rich

• An interesting paired examples include Ps 40 and 41 together where in 40 one lifts up his heal against the poor man but God helps the poor man, in Ps 41.

• Another paired example being Ps 109 and 110 where the poor man is persecuted by a Judas figure in 109 but seated at God’s right hand in 110 and made like Melchikadek

Overview• • The rich and riches often lead to

destructive pride, but there are better riches in Messiah in Psalm 112 for the believers to richly serve

• The boastful is usually negative with the exception of making your boast in the Lord

Overview

• There are things ‘the humble see and are glad.’ There are superior pleasures in the word and in worship of God to new wine, gold, spending time on other. Better is 1 day in his house than 1000 elsewhere.

• It is the humble who get salvation, who are led by God and who learn the secrets of God

• Even the humble persecuted boast in the Lord in Psalm 44 as they are led in persecution ‘for your name sake’ making salvation ‘here and not yet’

Humility in Book 1The song of the Blessed man

The blessed but poor man will start and end Book 1 being in Psalms 1 and 2 and the closing Psalms 40 and 41

The blessed man bookends the first book of the Psalms and in the final 2 psalms the blessed man is also a blessed poor man – not self sufficient, but who’s sufficiency is in God.

The book of Psalms, hope for the poor

With the first mention of the poor, they put their hope in God

The twin songs, Psalms 9 and 10, open. Songs about the triumph over the Goliath of evil in the world

The hope of the poor. There will be deliverance of the poor from the Goliath of evil

Psalm 9:18For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope

of the poor shall not perish forever.

Goliath fell, but do did Jonathan. So did an unnamed baby, Amnon and Absalom.

A lament. The triumph over evil is here and not yet but will surely come.

Hot pursuit by the wicked. Arrogant, that he might disrespect the poor and not be taken into account. The wicked pursue themselves.

Psalm 10:2In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught

in the schemes that they have devised.

Ambush laid for the poor like a lion for preyPsalm 10:9

he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

Psalm 9 perhaps written after a goliath like triumph.Psalm 10 perhaps written after a tragedy like the

death of Absalom. Victory and sadness combined.

Titled 'Death of a son'Combining a victory song and a lament over evil

which itself looks forward to a triumph over evil, a future hope.

And the ultimate triumph over evil in the death of the Son.

Humility in Book 1The song of the Blessed man

The wicked:Psalm 10:4In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”Psalm 10:8He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;

The response:

Psalm 10:10The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.Psalm 10:14But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.

Pride in Book 1Pride will be repaid:

Psalm 31:18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. Psalm 31:23Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride

.In contrast:

Psalm 40:4Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

Humility in Book 1The song of the Blessed man

God saved and leads the humblePsalm 18:27For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. Psalm 25:9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

The humble will observe things with eyes that rejoice in what God is doing Psalm 34:2My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.

Boasting in Book 1The song of the Blessed man

Negatively: Psalm 5:5The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. Psalm 10:3For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. Psalm 12:3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,

Psalm 38:16For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!”

Boasting in Book 1The song of the Blessed man

Positively:Psalm 34:2My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.

The faithful has vanished, but God himself will arise.God moved to arise for the poor, moved by their suffering,

holding out a promise of securityPsalm 12:5

“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for

which he longs.”

The fool who says in their heart there is no God, rebuked for mistreatment of the poor

Psalm 14:6You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his

refuge.

God is near to the brokenhearted and a poor man crying to God, yet telling others that even in this 'taste and see that the Lord is good'

Psalm 34:6This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

All my bones in agreement and saying together that you are the helper of the poor. I know this in the deepest parts of me.

Psalm 35:10All my bones shall say, “O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is

too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

Wicked armed to the teeth to bring down the poor, to kill the righteous, yet the meek shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose way is upright;

Jesus became poor for us, a help for us and a deliverer for us.Psalm 40:17

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Blessed is the man who considers the poor and I am in need of grace and poor

Psalm 41:1[ O Lord, Be Gracious to Me ] [ To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. ] Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the

Lord delivers him;

Humility in Book 2A thirst for God

In Psalm 51 there is a humble prayer by penitent David

This is actually part of a set of 5 psalms.• Two Psalms precede about the judgment of the nations• In Psalm 51 there is a public and humble prayer of David• Two Psalms follow about the judgment of the wicked

David’s prayer in Psalm 51 where ‘in sin my mother conceived me’ (in his fallen human nature contrasts with Messiah’s prayer in Psalm 22 where God was His God from the womb

Boastfulness in Book 2Also surrounding the humble penitent prayer of David are negative examples of boastings in these same 5 judgment Psalms (Ps 49 – 52) Judgment of the nations:

Riches, a God substitute, a false hope for some:However generous the measure, a measure of goodness at hand only for a sometimes.

Some advice for all: All die. Money can’t redeem from the grave.Listen up old, young, rich, poor, all peoples. You all face the same crisis. Psalm 49:2 both low and high, rich and poor together!

Don’t place your trust wrongly on something you know will eventually run out of gasPsalm 49:6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

Do not hold the wealthy in awe, reflect on better gloryPsalm 49:16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

Judgement of the wickedMaking riches not God a refuge is insecurity and anti self. Psalm 52:7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Humility in Book 2A thirst for God

God will humble the wickedPsalm 55:19God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.

A person might humble themselves before God with fastingPsalm 69:10When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.

Psalm 69:32 ( like Psalm 34 they will be glad)When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

Pride in Book 2There are a few positive uses of pridePsalm 47:4He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

But not many and most are negativePsalm 59:12For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter, Psalm 56:2my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.

Boasting in Book 2

PositivelyPsalm 44:8In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

A people boasting in God and being thankful even in the midst of persecuation…. Something to think about… Selah!

Both rich as poor need to hear God’s words. All with face death, yet there is hope in God and only in God.

Psalm 49:2both low and high, rich and poor together!

I recognize that I am poor and needyPsalm 70:5

But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!

Riches in book 2

Riches may come or go; don’t hand let riches, however gained, be your heart's compass, chief affection. Don't hand riches the steering wheel.

Psalm 62:10Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on

robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

And a word from Solomon: the richest of the rich:

Part of Solomon’s greatness of rule, and the greatness of the greater than Solomon’s rule is that they deal with the poor with righteousness and

justicePsalm 72:2

May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!

Actively defending the poor and the children of the less fortunatePsalm 72:4

May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

Hearing the complaint and acting on the complaint of the poorPsalm 72:12

For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.

Pride in Book 3

Moving on from the riches of Solomon to a false sense of security:

Asaph laments the hard times of Jerusalem at the hand of enemiesPsalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.

False sense of security; they are at ease but shouldn't bePsalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

Humility in Book 3The dark book of the Psalms

God will judge the earth but save the humblePsalm 76:9when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah

In Psalm 88 the Messiah is humble even after death Yet the messiah will not be humbled by the wickedPsalm 89:22The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him.

Book 3

And having finished with a Psalm 72, a Psalm of Solomon, written by the richest of the rich we

move to book 3

False sense of security; they are at ease but shouldn't bePsalm 73:12

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

An encouragement to pray for protection for the poor by example of this PsalmPsalm 74:19

Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever.

An encouragement to pray for protecting the dignity and hope of the poor by example of this Psalm

Psalm 74:21Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise

your name.

An encouragement to pray or by example of this PsalmPsalm 86:1

[ Great Is Your Steadfast Love ] [ A Prayer of David. ] Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Pride in book 4

The proud will be judgedPsalm 94:2Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!

Contrasting Psalms show Psalm 105 A history of God’s faithfulness to IsraelPsalm 106 A humble prayer of Israel regarding lack of faithfullness to God in history

Boastfulness in book 4

Don’t boast in the wrong thingsPsalm 75:4I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; Psalm 94:4They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. Psalm 97:7All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!

Pride and Humility in Book 5Coming home

Featuring promiently in the Psalms of Ascents

Psalm 123:4 Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud. (123 and 131 chiastically balance eachother in the Psalm of Ascent)Psalm 127 is like the ‘mountain peak’ of the Psalms of ascent “unless the Lord builds the house’ ( the temple, the home, the city..)Psalm 131:1 Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

Book 5

The bad example of the wickedPsalm 109:16

For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to

death.

The identification with the poor and realization God is at the right hand of the poor

Psalm 109:22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within

me.

Book 5

The generosity of the blessed man. The charity of God made more clear in the blessed man.

Psalm 112:9He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his

righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

The lifting up of the poor man. The beginning of the exodus celebration Psalms.

Psalm 113:7He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the

ash heap,

In David's final run of eight PsalmsAll kings will sing of GodAll Flesh will bless you

And the poor will be satisfiedPsalm 132:15

I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

The last mention of the poor puts their hope in God

Pride and Humility in Book 5Coming home

God will not let the haughty prevailSo David sings in his final run of Psalms

Psalm 138:6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Pride and Humility in Book 5Coming home

And a big finish!

And the Psalms finish with humility (not pride)God lifts the humble and adorns them with salvationPsalm 147:6 The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. Psalm 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Conclusion: be blessed in the blessed man

We, the glory reflectors, made to reflect and reflect on glorydesigned to hold things in awe, but place the awe rightly; he shall be your awe-inspirer. " But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be

your dread. " Isaiah 8:13

Place your hope on the God and be richly blessed in the blessed man, Jesus.Goodness and mercy will follow every day of your life and beyond.

Rich blessings will be on the blessed manPsalm 21: For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his

head.

Rich honors will go to the blessed man, even from surprisingly unlikely placesPsalm 45:12 The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the

people.

Rich satisfaction will be for the soul of the blessed manPsalm 63:5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise

you with joyful lips,

Conclusion: be blessed in the blessed man

Rich blessings with enduring righteousness for the blessed manPsalm 112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness

endures forever.

Rich blessings will follow a delight in God’s wordPsalm 119:14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.

Psalms mentions the poor directly about 23 timesPsalms mentions the rich, rick or riches about 8, threefold less

Two points stand outBe warned of the insufficiency of worldly riches as an object of hope

Be encouraged toward a better hope. Be richly blessed in the blessed man, Jesus.

Fin’

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.