And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest 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.
- BSB You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to 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 shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
- Isa 5:15And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
- Exod 3:7–8And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
- Jas 4:6–7But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- Isa 2:11–12The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
- Isa 2:17And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
- Exod 18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
- Ps 138:6Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
- Exod 9:14–17For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
- Ps 140:12I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
- Exod 10:3And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
- Isa 37:28–29But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
- 1 Pet 5:5–6Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- Isa 37:23Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
- Ps 12:5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
- Matt 5:3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Prov 21:4An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
- Isa 61:1–3The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
- Isa 63:9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
- Dan 4:37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Job 40:11–12Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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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