You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
Parallel translations
- WEB You will save the afflicted people, But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.
- KJV And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
- NKJV You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.
- NASB “And You save an afflicted people; But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You humiliate.
- NLT You rescue the humble, but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God saves the afflicted but humbles the haughty. He lifts up the lowly and brings down the proud.
Overview
David states a recurring biblical theme: the LORD rescues the humble and oppressed while opposing the arrogant. This is the very heart of God's saving character. It anticipates the gospel reversal Mary sang of, in which God exalts the humble and scatters the proud through his Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Ps 72:12–13For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
- Isa 5:15So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.
- Exod 3:7–8The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Jas 4:6–7But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Isa 2:11–12The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
- Isa 2:17So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
- Exod 18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
- Ps 138:6Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
- Exod 9:14–17Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
- Ps 140:12I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.
- Exod 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- Isa 37:28–29But I know your sitting down, your going out and coming in, and your raging against Me.
- 1 Pet 5:5–6Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Isa 37:23Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
- Ps 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Matt 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Prov 21:4Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the guides of the wicked—are sin.
- Isa 61:1–3The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- Isa 63:9In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
- Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
- Job 40:11–12Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 22:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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