Who Is High and Lifted Up?
A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. Psalm 101:4-5 ESV
Arrogant – Does your praise and worship music include the words “high and lifted up”? If so, then you are singing the gaboah. The words for “majesty” and “dignity” are derived from the root gabah. But the words are not restricted to the Lord. Kings, trees, mountains, gates and even the gallows are described as high and lifted up. But when it comes to the heart, the associations with gabah are not always so positive. Lifting up the heart is often a description of pride, and in this case, arrogance. And bad things happen to prideful hearts.
That’s the etymological theory. Now the application. David notices that it can all begin with a look! We would probably call it “an air of superiority.” Most of us know exactly what this means even if we can’t quite articulate all the nuances. Why do we know? Because we are skilled practitioners. We have all at one time or another considered ourselves superior. We all know just how to communicate our lofty assessment with the eyes. We all know how to put someone down with just a glance. And the eyes are merely windows to the heart. No man can portray a haughty look unless he first has an arrogant heart.
So David reduces this honorable ethical principle to its most common condition. What do you do with your eyes? How do you look upon others? What do you see? Do you see God’s other people, lost and afraid, confused and in need? Or do you see the resistant perpetrators of Torah-less living? Do you see broken lives in desperation? Or do you see hard-hearted stubbornness? Do you see yourself ten years ago? Or do you see enemies of the truth, willfully ignoring what you now know is the right way? What do you do with your eyes? Weep or scold?
Perhaps the one we must not endure is in the mirror.
Is it any wonder that Yeshua amplified this thought with His teaching about logs and splinters?
Today, before you look upon the rest of the hovelled masses, look more carefully at that person in the mirror. Is there someone there whom you must not endure any longer? Is there a face that does not radiate compassion? Would you follow the one you see with joy?
Topical Index: arrogant, gevah, gaboah, high, eyes, Psalm 101:5
“If looks could kill.”
Our eyes usually speak far louder than our words.
Windows to our souls, indeed.
Who are we kidding? Our eyes say it all.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good,
your whole body will be full of light.” Mat 6:22
I’m first in line. Let’s get our eyes checked!
Ouch! I do this, I do forget where I was just a few years ago..I need to remember how hard I fought to ensure myself of my traditional beleifs in replacement theology.
“Perhaps the one we must not endure is in the mirror.”
AMEN but Ouch. Thank you, Skip. It’s so easy to explain away the reasons why I do what I do (sin) but, for others, excuses are not acceptable to me, especially for those who claim to serve “Jesus” (these days, that name doesn’t seem easy to identify with any longer. The Messiah’s Name is Yeshua. He was/is Jewish.)
O yes, I see myself ten years ago in so many others that it frightens me…. Thank God He is mercyful! We need so much to pray for all these people who look so much like us….
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
~ These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: ~
(Number one on the list?) – Whatever happened to the angel Lucifer? (Isaiah 14.12)
~ A proud look.. [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood..
– A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
– A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.
~ Everyone (Jew or Gentile, male or female?) who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he (or she) will not go unpunished ~
(Proverbs 16.5)
For those who would wish further insight, here are 100 verses from our Bible concerning “pride.”
http://www.openbible.info/topics/pride
Is there a “cure?” Yes. ~ Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He shall lift you up ~ (James 4.10)
~ if my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land ~ (2 Chronicles 7.14)
Skip, thank you for these timely words.
What a thought provoking post. I catch myself getting irritated with others and I wear my emotions on my face quite well so I know anyone looking at me gets the drift of my thoughts. I hate this in myself but I always have this fight to beat the arrogance down. Mostly I can win the battle but once in awhile….
I find myself ashamed before Y-H in these times.
Mostly for me it has been a battle to keep my mouth shut and not run on like I am the only one with all the answers. My arrogance shows in my words and God has made my painfully aware of this. Your post brings yet another nuance to my arrogance.
Thank you. It is good to examine the one in the mirror often. I think that being humble begins with a choice to see others first (before self). Serving others is a great way to begin and after awhile, you find this becomes habit (the norm so to speak) and the arrogance begins to diminish.
I certainly have a ways to go but at least I am on my way!
This is all spot on. Thank you Skip for leading the way (lol) in humility. Proverbs 18 whole chapter is the best nutshell teaching on this subject for me. I have had to do a lot of reflection on what opens the door for pride in my life, and I believe it is when I am walking in the way of shame in some area. We were created to be honourable, and shame is an abomination to us. It never fails but that I find when I am resisting the mighty hand of G-d, I end up in shame. Pride is what I do to cover it. Pride lets me know I am already out of line. Honour is reserved for those who are blameless. If I am blameless, then I have no shame, and I don’t need to reach for the fig leaf of pride to hide behind. Proverbs is quite clear when it teaches that honour will never happen to the proud. It has been a big shock to see that pride and shame are the two faces of the same coin. The coin of heaven, on the other hand, is faced with humility and honour: the exact polar opposites of pride and shame, which I think are their shabby substitutes from hell.
A very good point and expressed so clearly. Maybe you should be writing Today’s Word.
I empathize. The more I learn, the more I think – “Duh?! Why don’t people get this?”. I give excuses about my own lack of diligence in following Torah, but for the most part I think other people have no excuse. It is pure haughtiness on my part.
No wonder God does not reveal His truth more widely – we are so quick to beat each other up with it.
The good side of being brought up by an arrogant and haughty uncle when I was a kid, has given me a sound awareness of what harm pride can do, that I must never do.
I have also witnessed the harm pride and arrogance have done to many believers, especially leaders, those who are ordained and lifted high by men, whose words are to be followed without the Hebraic liberty of choice, understanding nor perspective.
So thankful for sites like this that encourage and inspire humility!