Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
What does James 4:10 mean?
Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside James 4:9-10 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord - Compare Matthew 23:12 . See the notes at James 4:6 . That is, be willing to take your appropriate place in the dust on account of your transgressions. This is to be "in the sight of the Lord," or before him. Our sins have been committed against him; and their principal aggravation, whoever may have been wronged by them, and great as is their criminality in other respects, arises from that consideration. Psalm 51:4 , "against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.
Key words
- Humble
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- yourselves
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- sight
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Context in James 4
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James 4 belongs to the late movement of the book, especially the section often described as patience, prayer, and restoration. James is a wisdom-shaped epistle about testing, speech, wealth, impartiality, works, prayer, and practical holiness. Read this chapter with the wider themes of works, wisdom, and speech in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on lowliness, modesty, the contrast between pride and humility, and the way God exalts those who humble themselves.
Warnings against pride, arrogance, and haughty spirits, and the Bible's consistent teaching that pride leads to destruction.
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.