An examination of the uses of pride and humility in the book of Psalms

1. Proverbs 18:12 Pride goes before destruction and humility
before honor
The rich, the poor,
the lowly, the haughty,
the humble and the proud

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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’

6. Humility in Book 1
The 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.

7. 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 9:18
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the
hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

8. 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 10:2
In 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 prey
Psalm 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.

9. 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.

10. Humility in Book 1
The song of the Blessed man
The wicked:
Psalm 10:4
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts
are, “There is no God.”
Psalm 10:8
He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the
innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
The response:
Psalm 10:10
The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
Psalm 10:14
But 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.

11. Pride in Book 1
Pride will be repaid:
Psalm 31:18
Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the
righteous in pride and contempt.
Psalm 31:23
Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the
faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride
.
In contrast:
Psalm 40:4
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does
not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

12. Humility in Book 1
The song of the Blessed man
God saved and leads the humble
Psalm 18:27
For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you
bring down.
Psalm 25:9
He 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 34:2
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear
and be glad.

13. Boasting in Book 1
The song of the Blessed man
Negatively:
Psalm 5:5
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy
for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
Psalm 12:3
May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great
boasts,
Psalm 38:16
For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me
when my foot slips!”

14. Boasting in Book 1
The song of the Blessed man
Positively:
Psalm 34:2
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the
humble hear and be glad.

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

16. 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 34:6
This 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 35:10
All 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 37:14
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and
needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

17. 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;

18. Humility in Book 2
A 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

19. Boastfulness in Book 2
Also 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 gas
Psalm 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 glory
Psalm 49:16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house
increases.
Judgement of the wicked
Making 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!”

20. Humility in Book 2
A thirst for God
God will humble the wicked
Psalm 55:19
God 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 fasting
Psalm 69:10
When 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.

21. Pride in Book 2
There are a few positive uses of pride
Psalm 47:4
He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
Selah
But not many and most are negative
Psalm 59:12
For 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 56:2
my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me
proudly.

22. Boasting in Book 2
Positively
Psalm 44:8
In 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!

23. 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 49:2
both low and high, rich and poor together!
I recognize that I am poor and needy
Psalm 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!

24. 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 62:10
Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on
robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on
them.

25. 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
justice
Psalm 72:2
May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with
justice!
Actively defending the poor and the children of the less fortunate
Psalm 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 poor
Psalm 72:12
For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no
helper.

26. 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
enemies
Psalm 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence
covers them as a garment.
False sense of security; they are at ease but shouldn't be
Psalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at
ease, they increase in riches.

27. Humility in Book 3
The dark book of the Psalms
God will judge the earth but save the humble
Psalm 76:9
when 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 wicked
Psalm 89:22
The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not
humble him.

28. 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 be
Psalm 73:12
Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease,
they increase in riches.

29. An encouragement to pray for protection for the poor by example of this
Psalm
Psalm 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 74:21
Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy
praise your name.
An encouragement to pray or by example of this Psalm
Psalm 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.

30. Pride in book 4
The proud will be judged
Psalm 94:2
Rise 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 Israel
Psalm 106 A humble prayer of Israel regarding
lack of faithfullness to God in history

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

32. Pride and Humility in Book 5
Coming 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.

33. Book 5
The bad example of the wicked
Psalm 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 109:22
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken
within me.

34. Book 5
The generosity of the blessed man. The charity of God
made more clear in the blessed man.
Psalm 112:9
He 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 113:7
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from
the ash heap,

35. In David's final run of eight Psalms
All kings will sing of God
All Flesh will bless you
And the poor will be satisfied
Psalm 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

36. Pride and Humility in Book 5
Coming home
God will not let the haughty prevail
So 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.

37. Pride and Humility in Book 5
Coming home
And a big finish!
And the Psalms finish with humility (not pride)
God lifts the humble and adorns them with
salvation
Psalm 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.

38. Conclusion: be blessed in the blessed
man
We, the glory reflectors, made to reflect and reflect on glory
designed 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 man
Psalm 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 places
Psalm 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 man
Psalm 63:5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth
will praise you with joyful lips,

39. Conclusion: be blessed in the blessed
man
Rich blessings with enduring righteousness for the blessed man
Psalm 112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his
righteousness endures forever.
Rich blessings will follow a delight in God’s word
Psalm 119:14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in
all riches.
Psalms mentions the poor directly about 23 times
Psalms mentions the rich, rick or riches about 8, threefold less
Two points stand out
Be 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.

40. 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.