Today’s devotion comes from James 4:6-10.
“6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” James 4:6-10.
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“Though He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.” Proverbs 3:34.
Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.” Proverbs 3:34.
Before I did the search of verses which contained the words “humble or humility”, I thought there may be less than 20 of such verses and that humility was just a minor quality. But, there were 90 verses which contained either word. I have included only some of them, but hopefully enough to make for the format of a daily devotion (which must be brief in format) a solid and summary presentation of humility as one of the central themes through Scripture that will show how important God values humility.
There is value in summing things up. “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;” 1 Peter 3:8
You certainly are familiar with some of these verses. So to speak, you have seen the individual trees of the forest. But, I hope that you humbly and slowly take a walk through this forest and carefully observe the forest of humility as a whole.
Deuteronomy 8:3
“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”
“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”
2 Kings 22:19
“because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”
“because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 12:12
“And when he humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and also conditions were good in Judah.”
“And when he humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and also conditions were good in Judah.”
“When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak. But they will become his slaves so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” 2 Chronicles 12:7-8.
2 Chronicles 32:26
“However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.”
“However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.”
“10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 Therefore the Lord brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12 When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. … 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the Hozai.” 2 Chronicles 33:10-13 and 18-19.
2 Chronicles 34:27
“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”
“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.”
Psalm 10:17
“O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear”
“O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear”
Psalm 25:9
“He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.”
“He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.”
Psalm 34:2
“My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.”
“My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.”
Psalm 37:11
“But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”
“But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”
Psalm 69:32
“The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.”
“The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.”
Psalm 76:9
“When God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth.”
“When God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth.”
Proverbs 11:2
“When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”
“When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”
Proverbs 15:33
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”
Proverbs 16:19
“It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
“It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
Proverbs 18:12
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.”
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.”
Proverbs 22:4
“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”
“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”
Proverbs 29:23
“A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
“A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Isaiah 2:11
“The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.”
“The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.”
Isaiah 2:17
“The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,”
“The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,”
“For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
Zephaniah 2:3
“Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”
“Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”
Zephaniah 3:12
[A Remnant of Israel] “But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.”
[A Remnant of Israel] “But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.”
Matthew 18:4
“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 23:12
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 1:52
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.”
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.”
Luke 14:11
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:14
“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3.
Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”
Colossians 3:12
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”
James 1:9
“But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;”
“But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;”
James 1:21
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”
1 Peter 5:5
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
1 Peter 5:6
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,”
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,”
We will close with the blessing that comes to the humble in the first few Beatitudes.
“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit (humble), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:1-6.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 