Proverbs 29:23 Commentary and Bible Study

A man’s pride aims at self-exaltation and is not satisfied with anything less. Pride cannot bear to remain unfulfilled, unnoticed, unknown. It thrives on praise so that it constantly compares itself with others and wants to excel, to be the topmost branch of the tree, to overshadow others, to become the focus of human attention. This is what he aims at, but it is not what he achieves. He has not taken account of the Lord, and forgotten that God alone deserves glory. Anyone who sets himself up as the proper object of human praise makes himself a rival of the Lord, but man must see the whole picture and not just his own little created world. He does not care if his glory eclipses the glory of the Lord, and therefore God will make him his enemy and bring him low. The proud man has failed to acknowledge that there is a God in heaven who rightfully claims the praise and worship of every creature. The Lord searches the hearts of men and looks to see if men walk proudly or humbly. Do they give thanks to him for all that they receive, or do they act as if they created themselves, and take credit for what they have received as if it was no gift? How will God bring men low? He will use their pride itself, so that it becomes very clear that pride is being judged, that the disasters they meet with were the due reward for pride. When Haman tried to destroy Mordecai and the Jews, God allowed his pride to flourish long enough for it to be clear that his sudden and ignominious downfall was the result of wicked self-exaltation. God delights to reverse the schemes of those who fail to take account of his glory. They are brought low which is the opposite of what they sought.But those who are poor in spirit, who do not reckon themselves to be among the great ones of the earth, and who are content to occupy a lowly station, will like Joseph be exalted. Occasionally they will be exalted even in this life, but certainly in the life to come, to the place of highest glory, a glory which will not be taken away from them and which consciously owes everything to God and gives all credit to him. How will they arrive at such great exaltation? They will take hold of it in a most unlikely way by strenuously holding on to a low spirit, a low evaluation of self, a faithful attitude that looks to God to exalt them at a time of his choosing and according to his perfect wisdom. In such spirits pride has been put to death and been replaced by reliance on the Lord.