Proverbs 3:34

Pro 3:34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

Ver. 34. Surely he scorneth the scorners.] Those proud haughty scorners {Pro 21:24 1Pe 5:5} who jeer at this doctrine, and at those who believe it. Surely God scorneth these scorners, for he loves to retaliate; he that sitteth in heaven laughs a good {a} at them; {Psa 2:4} he makes them also, in his just judgment, a derision to others, {b} and punisheth them with the common hatred of all: contempt being a thing that man’s nature is most impatient of, and in carnal reason, tallying of injuries is but justice.

But he giveth grace to the lowly.] Though oppressed by scorners, yet shall they be no losers, for "God will give grace, and he will give glory" - grace and glory! what things be these? - "and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." {Psa 84:11} Humility is both a grace and a vessel to receive grace. And as he that goeth into a pond or river to take up water puts the mouth of his vessel downward, and so takes it up; in like sort, he that looks for any good from God must put his mouth in the dust, and cry out, Lord, I am not worthy, &c. Non sum dignus, at sum indigens, "I am poor and needy, make haste unto me, O God." {Psa 70:5}

{a} [Sic.]

{b} Facit ut aliis sint ludibrio, ubi in calamitatem inciderint. - Rab. Levi.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro_3:34

Surely He scorneth the scorners.

Why God scorns the scorner

I. The scorner as God sees him. God is described as spurning the scorner, but at the same time His love points out the right way to those who are anxious to overcome evil. The scorner whispers cant of all religious forms and expressions.

II. The influence of the scorner. A man who makes religion the butt of his ridicule is very apt to win a certain admiration from the young and the weak-minded. Nothing is easier than for a man to set up as a cynic. Let him pick out the weak points in every one but himself, let him see in every subject the suggestion of a bad extreme, and his equipment is complete. God scorns the scorner because he degrades Divine work. There is nothing in the world so pure but some of these scorners see a blemish in it. They see only the baser side of everything; the bad something in every page of Holy Writ. A cynical Christian is a contradiction in terms. The man who would frustrate his own side deserves to be branded a failure. The Church never had so much need of men who will press forward in the Christian race as to-day. Find your highest type of mankind in whoever tries to make the world better and to stand openly for God. (Abp. A. Mackay-Smith.)

The scorn of scorn

But how can one feel a scorn of scorn without himself coming into the same condemnation? And when we venture to say of God that He scorneth the scorners, do we not seem to charge upon the Judge the identical fault for which He Himself is passing sentence upon the offender? The answer to these questions lies here. Feelings, like actions, derive their moral character to a great extent from circumstances. What is sin under ordinary circumstances is, in the special case of the executioner, innocence. It seems to be a necessary feature of the law of retribution that like should be punished by like; so that this scorning of the scorner comes under the same head as the slaying of the slayer. And yet it is not every one who may slay the slayer, neither is it every one who may scorn the scorner, but He blamelessly may who is the Judge of all the earth. Surely He scorneth the scorners, and in perfect holiness He does it.

I. Out of what sort of soil springs up this weed of scorn? And through what negligence of ours is it suffered to get its growth, choking the good seed, and spoiling the whole fruitage of the soul? One of the most frequent, certainly the most vulgar, of all the varieties of scorn, is that which associates itself with the possession of money. Our soul, exclaims one of the psalmists sadly, as if speaking out of the depths of a bitter experience, is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy. Those words date from a far past. It is some three thousand years since they were spoken, but probably they had as little of the air of novelty about them then as they have now. It is an old truth. But there is a sort of power antecedent even to the money power, and perhaps for that reason I ought to have spoken of it first. I mean bodily superiority. Among savage races, where the struggle for survival is plainly seen to be everything, this tyranny of the stronger arm is, of course, more noticeable than in the midst of people called civilised. But the pride of life, yes, of downright animal life, is by no means a stranger even to enlightened society; as a hundred indications from the popular worship of the prize-fighter upwards, even as far as the councils of nations, amply testify. Along with strength of limb we reckon the advantage which those who are engaged in competition gain from a firm foothold, good standing-ground. Hence it happens that official station, high place, the holding of civil or military authority, has been known to engender scornfulness. And as with strength and power, so with beauty. Unsanctified beauty is proverbially scornful. In ancient times, the ill-made dwarf seems to have been given his place in kings palaces for the very sake of heightening, by force of contrasts, the shapeliness of those among whom he crept and jested. The fact that graciousness of manner is always thought to add so great a charm to personal beauty testifies of itself to our not naturally expecting to find the two things combined. Imperiousness is commonly submitted to as one of the supposed prerogatives, or inherent rights of beauty. Nevertheless, it is written in a certain place, that the Lord hateth a proud look. A consciousness of superior knowledge, or knowledge supposed to be superior, often carries with it the assumption of scorn. Thank God, the succession of lowly-minded scholars has never wholly failed since knowledge began to be. And yet the affectation of omniscience on the part of speakers and writers is far more frequent than could be wished. Learning patronises sanctity. Yet again, there is such a thing as spiritual scorn. Contempt for those held to be theologically or ecclesiastically below the mark, a certain pitiless disdain for the class whom St. Paul so tenderly speaks of, the weak in the faith, has too often found utterance and illustration in the history of the people of God. So, then, these are the motive springs, the sources and the suggestions of scorn.

II. Some of the best accredited remedies for scorn. Do not understand me to intend methods of warding off from ourselves the scorn of others. The thing we really need to be told is how to seal up the fountain of scorn in our own hearts.

1. One of these remedies is to consider often and seriously the littleness, the real, the intrinsic smallness of the possession, gift, privilege, whichever it may be, upon which we are pluming ourselves, and from which we draw the justification of our scornful thoughts. Your wealth is tempting you to entertain a certain disdain for those less rich than yourself, is it? Consider what your riches really are. One of the English mystics speaks of his having found it an effectual mode of disabusing himself of the illusions of wealth to imagine all his property turned into some one form of merchandise, and then asking himself, How am I the better or the happier for being the legal owner of a hundred thousand pieces of such or such a mineral, or half a million boxes or two million bales of such or such a fabric? The device is perhaps a clumsy one, for in real life wealth seldom or never locks itself up in the monotonous and unattractive way supposed; at least, that is not the form in which we see it. Still the suggestion has something of value in it, for it does fasten the attention upon the coarse, material side of all accumulated riches, and does remind us how insignificant the thing called a fortune really is as compared with the earth and the fulness thereof. The mighty One who made and owns the world scorneth the scorners, and assuredly on this score of great possessions He has a right to do so. So much for the littleness of wealth at its greatest, but when we go on to take into account the transiency of it as well as the littleness, we see at once what an utterly groundless justification riches furnish for the exercise of scorn. Once separated from your property, and finding yourself all alone with your scorn, how very, very poorly off you will be! how very, very lonely! But if the case be thus with riches, is it any the better with bodily strength and personal beauty, the pride of power and the pride of intellect, and the pride of Churchly privilege? No, they are transient all. If riches have wings, so have they.

2. But there is a nobler, loftier thought than this, and one even more efficacious as a protection against the growth in us of the scornful mood, and that is the thought that all of these various possessions are given us in trust. If we can only rise to that conception of our life which acknowledges it to be, with all its powers and talents and privileges and opportunities, nothing less than a weighty trust committed to us by Almighty God, the Maker of our bodies and the Father of our spirits, if we can but do this, we shall be guarded alike from frivolity, from despondency, and from scorn. We cannot be frivolous, for no matter how swift the trust, we see the solemnity of it; we cannot be despondent, for the responsibility laid on us is, by its very nature, prophetic of more than heart can wish or tongue utter; we cannot be scornful, for there is nothing in a lent possession that tends to foster the vanity of ownership.

3. But the best of all the antidotes to scorn is the contemplation, honest, earnest, and sustained, of the example of our Saviour Christ. If superiority of any kind whatsoever could confer the right to be contemptuous, surely that right was His. But what saith He of Himself, this King of kings? I am meek, He says, and lowly in heart. Yes, that is it; there lies the hiding of His power. There is no dash or touch or tinge of scorn to mar the perfect sweetness of His nature. Gracious He is, and clement, reassuring our timidity by the loving kindness of His smile, and through the pitifulness of His great mercy loosing those who are tied and bound by sin. If our religion means anything at all, means it not this, that a Christians duty is the imitating of Christ? And are we imitators of Him, if knowingly we go on letting the scornful temper rule our hearts in place of pity? There is a hard, unloving mood of mind into which people sometimes allow themselves to fall as a sort of revenge upon their own ill success. Embittered by losses or failure, disappointed, hurt, they seem to find a certain ghastly consolation in noticing the like drawbacks in lives other than their own. But this is not to imitate Christ. He lost everything. Then they all forsook Him and fled. And yet some of the gentlest, tenderest, most pitiful of His sayings are to be found among the words spoken from the Cross. In the family prayers of the late Dean Alford, himself an eminent exemplar of kindliness and forbearance, there is a beautiful petition, which, if granted, would bring gladness into many a home to which now it is a stranger: From forgetting or not caring for one anothers infirmities, so the supplication runs, good Lord, deliver us. The forgetting is the evil that comes from want of thought; the not caring, the evil that comes from want of heart; and how sore is our need of deliverance from both of them! (W. R. Huntington, D. D.)

He giveth grace unto the lowly.

Of humility

Pride and humility are two opposite habits or dispositions of the mind. There are two extremes, and between these the virtue of humility is placed. The two extremes are in the excess, which is pride, and in the defect, baseness of mind. Pride ariseth from an over-valuation of a mans self, or a want of a due sense of his dependency upon Almighty God.

1. It is a foolish thing for a man to be proud of the endowments of his mind.

2. Of bodily endowments.

3. Of things adventitious and foreign.

The other extreme is baseness or sordidness of mind, which, though it carries the shadow of humility, is quite another thing. True humility is a lowly frame and habit of spirit arising from the due sense of the glorious excellency of the Almighty God and of our own frailties and infirmities. It is in itself the effect of a mind truly and soundly principled. It is evidenced by--

1. A most awful and sincere reverence of the great and glorious God.

2. A most high and constant gratitude and thankfulness of heart and soul to Him.

3. The employment of all that God has given us to His glory and service.

4. A constant vigilance and attention of mind upon all our thoughts, words, and actions.

5. A sober opinion concerning ourselves, and all we do and say.

6. A diligent, and impartial, and frequent consideration, and examination, and animadversion of, and upon, our defects and failings.

7. Charitable opinions of the persons of others, as far as possibly may be.

I. The fruits and advantages and benefits of true humility in relation to almighty God. Two great advantages--

1. He receives grace, favour, or honour from God.

2. He receives direction, guidance, and counsel from God.

II. The advantages of true humility in relation to the humble man himself.

1. Humility keeps the soul in great evenness and tranquillity.

2. Gives contentment in any condition or station.

3. Gives patience under all adversity.

4. Gives great moderation and sobriety and vigilancy in the fullest enjoyment of temporal felicity.

5. Humility is an excellent remedy against the passion of fear.

III. The advantages of humility in relation to others. These are of two kinds--

1. The advantage the humble man doth to others.

2. The advantage which the humble man receives from others upon the account of his humility. Christ is the example of humility--

(1) Because the instance and example of His humility was the most signal and wonderful of all His admirable virtues.

(2) Because without humility to prepare and mellow the hearts of men it could not be morally possible for them to receive the faith of Christ.

(3) Because without humility all the rest of those excellent virtues that were taught in the doctrine, and exhibited in the example of Christ, had been but unacceptable. Humility and lowliness of mind is the substratum and ground-work, the necessary ingredients into all acceptable duties toward God and man. (Sir M. Hale.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34, 35. Surely he scorneth the scorners — Stuart connects these two verses together, and renders thus: “When he mocketh the scorners and giveth grace to the humble, the wise shall inherit glory, but as to fools, shame shall sweep them away.” Conant translates Pro_3:34, “Though he mock at those who mock, yet he gives favour to the lowly.” Miller, “If scoffers are in question, he himself will scoff, but if the humble, he will bestow favour.” Comp. Pro_1:26; Psa_18:26 : Jas_4:6; 1Pe_5:5. Promotion of fools — Variously rendered, “Shall receive shame;” “shall take up;” “bear shame;” “shame shall elevate or ennoble fools,” (sarcastic;) “shame is the nobility conferred upon fools;” “the elevation of fools shall turn to their confusion.” Conant translates, “But fools he [God] exalts to shame.” If it did not seem like presumption we might add one more attempt: —

Wise men shall inherit honour,

But promoting fools is a disgrace.

The intimation seems to be, that the disgrace, ignominy, or shame is in the promotion of them. The Geneva Bible renders, “The wise shall inherit glorie, but fooles dishonour, thogh they be exalted.” Not bad. The sentiment of the verse is, To the wise properly belong exalted positions, but it is a disgrace to promote fools to office. Such disgrace the people of this Republic, as well as of other nations, sometimes suffer.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His relation to men is determined by their relation to Him.

As for the scorners, He scorneth them,

But to the lowly He giveth grace.

Most interpreters render the verse thus: "If the scorner He (even He, in return) scorneth, so He (on the other hand) giveth grace to the lowly." For the sequence of the words in the consequence, in which the precedence of the verb is usual, e.g., Lev 12:5, we are referred to Pro 23:18, cf. Pro 24:14; but why had the poet placed the two facts in the relation of condition and consequence? The one fact is not the consequence but the reverse of the other, and accordingly they are opposed to each other in coordinated passages, Psa 18:26. The Vav in such antitheses has generally the meaning of "and on the other hand," e.g., Job 8:20, while the lxx, Targ., Syriac, and Jerome altogether pass over the אם as if it did not exist. Ziegler translates: "Truly! the scorner He scorneth;" but an affirmative אם does not exist, the asseveration after the manner of an oath is negative. Bertheau's expedient would be more acceptable, by which he makes the whole of Pro 3:34 the protasis to Pro 3:35; but if this were intended, another subject would not enter into Pro 3:35. Thus 34a and 34b are two independent parallel passages; אם־ללּצים is the protasis: if as regards the scorners, i.e., if His conduct is directed to the scorners, so He scorneth. The ל denotes relation, and in this elliptical usage is like the ל of superscription, e.g., Jer 23:9. הוּא is the emphatic αὐτός: He on the contrary, and in a decisive way (Ewald, 314ab). Instead of יליץ fo there might have been used יליצם (for הליץ, where it occurs as a governing word, has the accusative, Pro 19:28; Psa 119:51), but we do not miss the object: if it relates to scorners (thus also Lwenstein translates), so it is He in return who scorneth. The lxx renders it: κύριος ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν; cf. Jam 4:6; Pe1 5:5. הוּא is used as a name of God (Deutsch. Morgenl. Zeitschr. xvi. 400), on which account it is rendered like יהוה by κύριος. A ὑπερήφανος (appearing above others, i.e., overbearing) is the לץ, according to the definition Pro 21:24. the expression of the talio is generalized in ἀντιτάσσεται (resists them). For עניים the Kerı̂ has ענוים: ענו (from ענה, the ground-form ענו, Arab. 'anaw) is the lowly (ταπεινός), or he who bends himself, i.e., the gentle and humble, the patient, and the passive עני, he who is bowed down, the suffering; but the limits of the conception are moveable, since in עני is presupposed the possession of fruit-virtues gained in the school of affliction.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

(Pro 3:34 quoted in the NT: Jas 4:6 and 1Pe 5:5-6 )

Two apostles have combined with the wise man, to set out this rule of the Divine government.†1 On no point is the mind of God more fully declared than against pride — the spirit of scorning. It displaces man, and would, if possible, displace God himself. Jealous therefore of his own glory, he sets himself in battle array, as against the usurper of his prerogative, the rebel against his dominion.†2 Witness the Babel-builders (Gen 11:1-9 ); Pharoah (Exo 14:13 ); Sennacherib (Isa 37:33-38 ); the proud opposers of his Gospel (Psa 2:1-4 ) — all the objects of his scorn. But most hateful to him is the sinner, that will not submit to his righteousness, that scorns the corner-stone of salvation. How fearfully does it then become "a rock of offense," of eternal ruin! (Rom 10:3, with Rom 9:32-33 . Mat 21:41-44 .) Surely without doubt, without way of escape from his frown, he scorneth the scorners.

A lowly spirit — a deep conviction of utter nothingness and guilt — is a most adorning grace. Nor is it an occasional or temporary feeling, the result of some unexpected hateful disclosure, but an habit, "clothing" the man (1Pe 5:5 ) "from the sole of the foot to the head." It combines the highest elevation of joy with the deepest abasement of spirit. And those who sink the lowest, stand nearest to the most exalted advancement. For "he that scorneth the scorners, giveth grace to the lowly" — "more grace" (Jas 4:6 ), till his work is perfected in them. ’He pours it out plentifully upon humble hearts. His sweet dews and showers of grace slide off the mountains of pride, and fall on the low valleys of humble hearts, and make them pleasant and fertile.’†3 The centurion (Mat 8:5-10 ); the Canaanite (Mat 15:21-28 ); the penitent (Luk 7:44-50 ); the publican (Luk 18:13-14 ); such as these are the objects of his favor. (Isa 66:2 .) Their hearts are his dwelling-place. (Isa 57:15 .) Their inheritance is his kingdom. (Mat 5:3 .) The soul, swelling with its proud fancies, has no room for his humbling grace. Blessed exchange of the little idol of self-esteem for Him; who alone has the right! when even his own graces are only desired, as instruments to set out his glory.

Footnotes

†1 Jas 4:6 . 1Pe 5:5 — The exact quotation of the LXX, save the substitution of Theos for Kurious. ’The apostle’s quotation of this passage, though somewhat different in the words, is the same in the sense with the original. For scorners in Scripture are proud, insolent, wicked men. And to resist such persons, by rendering their schemes abortive, and by humbling them, is emphatically called a scorning of them.’ — Macknight on Jas 4:6 .

†2 antitassetai, LXX. ().

†3 Leighton on 1Pe 5:5 . Compare also on Pro 3:8 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He will show by his plagues, that their scorns shall turn to their own destruction, as Prov. 1:26.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

The retribution of sinners, as in Psa 18:26.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 34. Surely he scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly.] The Septuagint has Κυριος ὑπερηφανοις αντιτασσεται, ταπεινοις δε διδωσι χαριν. The Lord resisteth the proud; but giveth grace to the humble. These words are quoted by St. Peter, 1Pe 5:5, and by St. James, Jas 4:6, just as they stand in the Septuagint, with the change of ὁ Θεος, God, for Κυριος, the Lord.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(34) Surely he scorneth the scorners.—Rather, If, or, Although he scorns the scorners, yet to the lowly he giveth grace. Another form of the teaching of Pro_1:24-33. If man rejects God’s offers of mercy, they will in time be withdrawn from him. And so, as man deals with God, will God at last deal with him. (Comp. Lev_26:23-24; Psa_18:25-26; Psa_81:11-12; Rom_1:24-26.) The verse is quoted in Jas_4:6 and 1Pe_5:5.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34. Surely … but] Or, Though … yet, R.V. margin. For the thought comp. Jas_4:6; 1Pe_5:5.

scorners] See Pro_1:22, note.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Surely he scorneth the scorners,.... That make a mock at sin, a jest of religion, that scoff at the doctrines of the Gospel and the professors of it; these the Lord looks upon, laughs at, and has them in derision. The Greek version and two apostles render it, "he resisteth the proud", Pe1 5:5. Such who are haughty and arrogant, that exalt themselves and despise others; as those of a pharisaical spirit are and do, are abhorred and despised by the Lord; he sets himself against them, is their enemy, "and scatters them in the imagination of their hearts", Luk 1:51. L'Empereur observes (l) that this version is quite agreeable to the Hebrew text and the sense of Jewish writers: R. Alshech says, that rendered "scorners", are such who will not look upon the divine Being, but go on boldly in sin, as if there was no God; and Kimchi explains the word by who exalt themselves, or are proud; and because proud men yield to none, but resist others, hence the verb is used, by the Septuagint, to resist; agreeably to which the Targum is,

"he shall drive away;''

and Alshech,

"he shall destroy;''

and Gersom,

"God shall make others mock them;''

which is, to resist them;

but he giveth grace unto the lowly; or humble souls; such who are made truly sensible of sin, and lie low in their own sight on account of it; who, sensible of the imperfection and insufficiency of their own righteousness, submit to the righteousness of Christ; ascribe their salvation, and all the blessings of it, to the free grace of God; own the deficiency of their duties, and disclaim all merit in them; think the worst of themselves, and the best of others; and humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, and are patient under every adverse dispensation of Providence; knowing what their deserts are, how undeserving of any favour, and how deserving of the divine displeasure. Now God first gives grace to these persons to make them thus humble and lowly which they are not naturally, and then he gives them more grace, according to his promise; and it is in proof of God's giving more grace to such persons that the Apostle James produces this passage, Pro 4:6. Grace is God's gift, first and last, what is had in first conversion, in after supplies, and for perseverance to the end: sanctifying, justifying, pardoning, and adopting grace, are the pure gifts of God, of his own favour and good will, without any merit, motive, or condition in the creature; and which he gives liberally and bountifully; for not favour with men is here meant, as some think, but the grace of God.

(l) Not. in Mos. Kimchi p. 34, 35.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Scorners. Literally, "he will delude the scorners." (Haydock) --- He will treat them as they would treat others, Psalm xvii. 27. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the Lord resisteth the proud," &c. So the apostles quote this passage, 1 Peter v. 5., and James iv. 6. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He scorneth, he will expose to scorn and contempt, the scorners; proud and insolent sinners, who make a mock at sin, Pro 14:9, and at God and religion also, and despise all counsels and means of amendment. Compare Psa 1:1; Pro 1:22.

He giveth grace, to wit, favour, both with himself and with men, as this word and phrase is used, Exo 3:21; 11:3; 12:36; Ecc 9:11; Luk 2:52

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Surely he scorneth the scorners; literally, if with regard to the scorners he scorneth (im lalletsim hu yalits); i.e. he repays scorn with scorn; or, as Rabbi Salomon, "He renders to them so that they fall in their own derision (reddit ipsis ut in sua derisione corruant)." He renders their schemes abortive. He resists them. The scorners (letsim) are those who treat with scoffing regard the precepts and truths of God; the arrogant, proud, insolent, here placed in contrast with "the lowly." Vulgate, derisores; LXX, uperhfanoi , "the overbearing." The l for (l"ha), prefixed to letsim, signifies "with regard to," as in Job_32:4, (cf. Psa_16:3, "With regard to the saints (likddshim) in them only I delight"). But he giveth grace unto the lowly; or, on the other hand, the hl prefixed to laanayim, "to the lowly," having that antithetical force here as in Job_8:20. The lowly (anayyim); Vulgate, mansueti; LXX, tapwinoi ; properly, "the afflicted," with added notion of submission and lowly demeanour, and hence the meek, gentle the gentle towards man, and the abased and lowly before God. St. James (Jam_4:6) quotes the LXX of this passage, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." With the exception of substituting Kuriov for Yeov , (cf. 1Pe_5:5) our Lord"s parable of the Pharisee and publican illustrates the teaching of this verse. (Luk_18:9-14)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If [one goes] to the scoffers If a person is attracted to them, he too will scoff with them.

but [if he goes] to the humble, he evokes grace If he joins the humble, eventually his deeds will evoke grace in people’s eyes.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.