the proud

June 30, 2016

The prayer to the Lord (Sir 51:10-51:12)

“I cried out.

‘Lord!

You are my Father!

Do not forsake me

In the days of trouble!

There is no help

Against the proud.

I will praise your name continually!

I will sing hymns of thanksgiving!’

My prayer was heard.

You saved me from destruction.

You rescued me in the time of trouble.

For this reason,

I thank you.

I praise you.

I will bless

The name of the Lord.”

This author prayed to the Lord like he was asking his father to help him. A father does not give up on his son in times of trouble. He had no help against the proud people. However, he was going to praise the name of God continually by singing hymns of thanksgiving. Fortunately, his prayers were heard as he was saved from destruction. He was rescued in his time of trouble. Therefore, he thanked and praised the Lord. He blessed the name of the Lord.

May 16, 2016

Sins of pride (Sir 21:4-21:7)

“Panic

Will waste away riches.

Insolence

Will also waste away riches.

Thus the house of the proud

Will be laid waste,

Will be uprooted.

The prayer of the poor

Goes from their lips

To God’s ears.

His judgment comes speedily.

Whoever hates reproof

Walks in the steps of sinners.

Whoever fears the Lord

Will repent in their heart.

The mighty in speech

Are widely known.

When they slip,

The sensible person knows it.”

Terror, violence, panic, and insolence waste riches. Thus the house of the proud will be destroyed. On the other hand, the prayers of the poor go directly from their lips to God’s ears. God’s judgment will come quickly. If you hate criticism, you are walking in the steps of sinners. If you fear the Lord, you will repent in your heart. The great speakers are known far and wide, but when they slip up, the sensible people know it right away.

May 2, 2016

The Lord’s actions against pride (Sir 10:13-10:18)

“Therefore the Lord brings upon them

Unheard of calamities.

He destroys them completely.

The Lord overthrows

The thrones of rulers.

He enthrones

The lowly in their place.

The Lord plucks up

The roots of the nations.

He plants the humble

In their place.

The Lord lays waste

The lands of the nations.

He destroys them

To the foundations of the earth.

He removes some of them.

He destroys them.

He erases the memory of them

From the earth.

Pride was not created

For human beings.

Violent anger was not

For those born of women.”

There will be consequences for pride because the Lord will act. The prideful ones will have many afflictions and unheard of calamities. The Lord will destroy them completely. He will overthrow the proud rulers and put humble ones in their place. He will root out nations and have humble ones replace them. He will lay waste to the lands of the proud, destroying them to their foundations. He will remove some and destroy others. Their memory will be erased from this earth. Humans were not created for pride or violent anger.

April 23, 2016

Pride (Sir 3:26-3:28)

“A stubborn mind will fare badly at the end.

Whoever loves danger will perish in it.

A stubborn mind will be burdened by troubles.

The sinner adds sin to sins.

When calamity befalls the proud,

There is no healing.

An evil plant has taken root in him.”

A stubborn prideful mind will not do well at the end. If you love danger, you will perish in danger. A stubborn prideful mind is always troubled. The sinner only adds to his sins. Bad things will happen to the proud. There is no healing the proud people, because they are like an evil plant that has bad roots.

February 5, 2016

The proud, the lazy, and the wicked (Prov 21:24-21:29)

“The proud and haughty persons

Are named ‘scoffers.’

They act with arrogant pride.

The craving of the lazy person is fatal.

His lazy hands refuse to labor.

All day long the wicked covet.

But the righteous give.

The righteous do not hold back.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination.

How much more is it

When brought with evil intent.

A false witness will perish.

But a good listener will testify successfully.

The wicked put on a bold face.

But the upright give thought to their ways.”

The proud and haughty people are scoffers, or ones who mock people. They act with an arrogant pride. The lazy ones, on the other hand, refuse to work so that it is fatal to them. The wicked want more things, but the righteous are generous and do not hold back. Any sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. It is even worse when they make a sacrifice with an evil intent. The person who gives false testimony will perish. The good listener will testify successfully. The wicked have a bold face, but the upright think before they act.

August 4, 2015

The power of Leviathan (Job 41:30-41:34)

“It’s under parts are like sharp potsherds.

It spreads itself like a threshing sledge on the mire.

It makes the deep boil like a pot.

It makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

It leaves a shining wake behind it.

One would think that the deep to be white-haired.

On earth it has no equal.

It is a creature without fear.

It surveys everything that is lofty.

It is king over all that are proud.”

The Leviathan is powerful. Yahweh reminded Job that the Leviathan was the king of the proud. Its underbelly had sharp ceramic pieces that come from the breaking of pots. It is like sledge as it is so big it makes the sea seem like a bottle of ointment. Somehow it has control of the waters since there is nothing equal to it on earth. It has no fear since it is in charge of all the proud folks as it leader king. So ends this long description of the Leviathan, as Yahweh explained it to Job.

August 3, 2015

The power of Yahweh over the proud and wicked (Job 40:10-40:14)

“Deck yourself with majesty and dignity!

Clothe yourself with glory and splendor!

Pour out the over flowing of your anger!

Look on all who are proud!

Abase them!

Look on all who are proud!

Bring him low!

Tread down the wicked where they stand!

Hide them all in the dust together!

Bind their faces in the world below!

Then will I also acknowledge to you.

Your own right hand can give you victory.”

This is a very favorable comment about Job. He was told to put on majesty and dignity. He was to cloth himself with glory and splendor. Yahweh told Job to look at the proud and the wicked people. Job was to humiliate the proud and bring them low. He was to tread on the wicked ones so that they return to dust. He wanted them sent to the underworld. Yahweh would acknowledge Job and give him a victory with his right hand.