TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
Complete Jewish Bible
For though ADONAI is high, he cares for the lowly; while the proud he perceives from afar.
Berean Standard Bible
Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
American Standard Version
For though Jehovah is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar.
World English Bible Messianic
For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but the proud, he knows from afar.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For the Lord is high: yet he beholdeth the lowly, but the proude he knoweth afarre off.
Young's Literal Translation
For high is Jehovah, and the lowly He seeth, And the haughty from afar He knoweth.
In the KJVVerse 16,238 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 138 verses 6–8
6 ¶ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
David here comforts himself with three things: -
I. The favour God bears to his humble people (Psa 138:6): Though the Lord be high, and neither needs any of his creatures nor can be benefited by them, yet has he respect unto the lowly, smiles upon them as well pleased with them, overlooks heaven and earth to cast a gracious look upon them (Isa 57:15; Isa 66:1), and, sooner or later, he will put honour upon them, while he knows the proud afar off, knows them, but disowns them and rejects them, how proudly soever they pretend to his favour. Dr. Hammond makes this to be the sum of that gospel which the kings of the earth shall hear and welcome - that penitent sinners shall be accepted of God, but the impenitent cast out; witness the instance of the Pharisee and the publican, Lu. 18.
II. The care God takes of his afflicted oppressed people, Psa 138:7. David, though a great and good man, expects to walk in the midst of trouble, but encourages himself with hope, 1. That God would comfort him: "When my spirit is ready to sink and fail, thou shalt revive me, and make me easy and cheerful under my troubles." Divine consolations have enough in them to revive us even when we walk in the midst of troubles and are ready to die away for fear. 2. That he would protect him, and plead his cause: "Thou shalt stretch forth thy hand, though not against my enemies to destroy them, yet against the wrath of my enemies, to restrain that and set bounds to it." 3. That he would in due time work deliverance for him: Thy right hand shall save me. As he has one hand to stretch out against his enemies, so he has another to save his own people. Christ is the right hand of the Lord, that shall save all those who serve him.
III. The assurance we have that whatever good work God has begun in and for his people he will perform it (Psa 138:8): The Lord will perfect that which concerns me, 1. That which is most needful for me; and he knows best what is so. We are careful and cumbered about many things that do not concern us, but he knows what are the things that really are of consequence to us (Mat 6:32) and he will order them for the best. 2. That which we are most concerned about. Every good man is most concerned about his duty to God and his happiness in God, that the former may be faithfully done and the latter effectually secured; and if indeed these are the things that our hearts are most upon, and concerning which we are most solicitous, there is a good work begun in us, and he that has begun it will perfect it, we may be confident he will, Phi 1:6. Observe, (1.) What ground the psalmist builds this confidence upon: Thy mercy, O Lord! endures for ever. This he had made very much the matter of his praise (Psa 13:6), and therefore he could here with the more assurance make it the matter of his hope. For, if we give God the glory of his mercy, we may take to ourselves the comfort of it. Our hopes that we shall persevere must be founded, not upon our own strength, for that will fail us, but upon the mercy of God, for that will not fail. It is well pleaded, "Lord, thy mercy endures for ever; let me be for ever a monument of it." (2.) What use he makes of this confidence; it does not supersede, but quicken prayer; he turns his expectation into a petition: "Forsake not, do not let go, the work of thy own hands. Lord, I am the work of thy own hands, my soul is so, do not forsake me; my concerns are so, do not lay by thy care of them." Whatever good there is in us it is the work of God's own hands; he works in us both to will and to do; it will fail if he forsake it; but his glory, as Jehovah, a perfecting God, is so much concerned in the progress of it to the end that we may in faith pray, "Lord, do not forsake it." Whom he loves he loves to the end; and, as for God, his work is perfect.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–8. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 15:25.1
We have heard, and it is clear; we had gone outside, we have been sent within. “O would that I had found,” you said, “some high and lonely mountain! For, I believe, because God is on high, he hears me from a high place.” Because you are on a mountain, do you think that you are near God and that you are heard quickly, as if shouting from nearby? He dwells on high, but “he looks on the lowly.” “The Lord is near.” To whom? Perhaps to the high? “To those who are contrite of heart.” It is a wondrous thing: he both lives on high and draws near to the lowly. “He looks on the lowly, but the high he knows from afar.” He sees the proud from afar; the higher they seem to themselves, so much of the less does he approach them.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
SERMON 70A.2
Perhaps because [the psalm] said, “The Lord is sublime and observes lowly things,” you say to yourself, “Then he does not observe me.” What could be more unfortunate than you, if he does not observe you but ignores you? Observing indicates compassion; ignoring indicates contempt. But no doubt, because the Lord observes lowly things, you imagine you escape his notice, because you are not humble or lowly, you are high and mighty, you are proud. That is not the way to be missed by the eyes of God. I mean, just see what it says there: “The Lord is sublime.” Sublime indeed. How are you going to get to him? Will you look for a ladder? Look for the wood of humility, and you have already gotten to him. “The Lord is sublime, he observes lowly things, but high and mighty things” (do not imagine you escape notice, you that are so proud) “but high and mighty things he knows from afar.” He knows them, all right, but from afar. “Salvation is far from sinners.”
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 138
See how he willed that kings should sing on their way, humbly bearing the Lord, not lifting themselves up against the Lord. For if they lift themselves up, what follows? "For the Lord is high, and has respect unto the lowly" [Psalm 138:6]. Do kings then desire that He have respect unto them? Let them be humble. What then? If they lift themselves up to pride, can they escape His eyes? Lest perchance, because you have heard, "He has respect unto the lowly," thou choose to be proud, and say in your soul, God has respect unto the lowly, He has not respect unto me, I will do what I will. O foolish one! Would you say this, if you knew what you ought to love? Behold, even if God wills not to see you, do you not fear this very thing, that He wills not to see you?...The lofty then, it seems, He has not respect unto, for it is the lowly He respects. "The lofty"— what? "He considers from afar." What then gains the proud? To be seen from afar, not to escape being seen. And think not that you must needs be safe on that account, for that He sees less clearly, who sees you from afar. For thou indeed see not clearly, what you see from afar; God, although He see you from afar, sees you perfectly, yet is He not with you. This you gain, not that you are less perfectly seen, but that you are not with Him by whom you are seen. But what does the lowly gain? "The Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite heart." Let the proud then lift himself up as much as he will, certainly God dwells on high, God is in heaven: do you wish that He come near to you? Humble yourself. For the higher will He be above you, the more you lift yourself up.
Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
SERMON 210:2
Today we are keeping the solemn festival of the ascension. If, therefore, we celebrate the Lord’s ascension in a manner that is right, holy, faithful, devout and pious, we must ascend with him and lift up our hearts. Now as we ascend, let us not be lifted up with pride or presume on our merits as if they were our own. For we ought indeed to lift up our hearts, but to the Lord alone. A heart lifted up but not to the Lord is called pride; a heart lifted up to the Lord is called a refuge. See, brethren, the great miracle. God is on high. You exalt yourself, and he flees from you; you humble yourself, and he descends to you. Why is this? Because “the Lord is exalted, yet the lowly he sees, and the proud he knows from afar.” He recognizes what is lowly from close at hand in order that he may raise it up; what is high, that is, what is proud, he knows from afar in order that he may bring it down. Christ truly arose from the dead in order to give us hope, because the person who dies rises again. He gave us assurance, so that we might not despair in dying and think our whole life ended in death. We were troubled about our very soul, but by rising from the dead he also gave us confidence in the resurrection of the body.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 138:6 profoundly articulates a core truth about God's character: His transcendent majesty and supreme authority do not lead to aloofness but rather dictate His intimate and discerning engagement with humanity. Despite His exalted position, the LORD demonstrates a tender, personal regard for those who are humble and lowly in spirit, while maintaining a deliberate, watchful distance from the arrogant and proud, thereby underscoring a fundamental principle of divine justice and grace.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 138:6 is rich in literary devices that amplify its profound theological message. The most prominent is Antithesis or Contrast, immediately evident in the parallel structure: God's intimate interaction with the "lowly" is set in direct opposition to His distant interaction with the "proud." This stark juxtaposition highlights the differing outcomes of these two heart postures before God. The phrase "Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly" employs Paradox, presenting a seemingly contradictory idea—the infinitely exalted God condescending to the humble—which reveals a deeper, counter-intuitive truth about His character. Furthermore, the verse uses Anthropomorphism in attributing "respect" and "knowing afar off" to God, describing His divine actions in human terms to make His disposition relatable. "Knoweth afar off" is a powerful Idiom or Metaphor for relational distance and disapproval, as God's omniscience means He knows all things intimately; thus, this phrase signifies a deliberate lack of favorable communion rather than a lack of information. The entire verse functions as a concise Proverbial Statement, offering a timeless truth about divine justice and the spiritual consequences of humility versus pride.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 138:6 articulates a cornerstone biblical truth: God's character is defined by both transcendence and immanence, yet His favor is profoundly influenced by the posture of the human heart. His "highness" speaks to His absolute sovereignty, holiness, and unapproachable glory, while His "respect" for the lowly demonstrates His compassionate condescension, a willingness to draw near to the contrite. This divine preference for humility and opposition to pride is not merely a moral guideline but a fundamental aspect of His being, shaping His interactions with humanity. It reveals a God who values dependence, brokenness, and a spirit of teachability over self-sufficiency and arrogance, establishing a clear path for experiencing His grace and intimate presence. This principle is woven throughout the fabric of Scripture, serving as both a comfort and a warning.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 138:6 serves as a profound mirror for self-examination, urging us to consider the posture of our hearts before God. It offers immense comfort to those who feel insignificant, overlooked, or burdened by their weaknesses, assuring them that the Almighty God, who governs the cosmos, sees them, cares for them, and draws near to them with favor. This truth should inspire a deep sense of security, belonging, and courage for the humble. Conversely, it stands as a stark warning against the insidious nature of pride—whether intellectual, spiritual, social, or material—which erects a formidable barrier between the individual and God's intimate favor. To experience God's nearness, His boundless grace, and His active, benevolent involvement in our lives, we are called to cultivate a spirit of profound humility. This means recognizing our utter dependence on Him, confessing our sins, acknowledging our limitations, and seeking His wisdom and guidance rather than relying on our own understanding, achievements, or self-sufficiency. True spiritual growth and divine intimacy blossom in the soil of a humble and contrite heart.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that "the LORD be high"?
Answer: This phrase emphasizes God's transcendence and supreme majesty. It means that the LORD is exalted above all creation, possessing infinite power, knowledge, and sovereignty. He is the ultimate authority, dwelling in a realm of glory far beyond human comprehension. This "highness" underscores His unchallengeable position as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, setting Him apart from all earthly rulers and created beings. It highlights His divine otherness, His holiness, and His absolute preeminence.
How can God be "high" yet "have respect unto the lowly"? Isn't that a contradiction?
Answer: This is not a contradiction but a profound paradox that reveals the unique and multifaceted nature of God. While God is indeed infinitely "high" in His majesty and sovereignty, His character is also defined by immeasurable love, compassion, and humility. His "respect" for the lowly means He actively turns His gaze towards them, showing them favor, care, and intimate knowledge. This demonstrates His willingness to condescend, to humble Himself, and to draw near to those who are humble in spirit, meek, or afflicted. It's a testament to His grace, showing that His greatness is not aloof but intimately concerned with the heart posture of His creatures, as seen in passages like Isaiah 66:2, where God declares His regard for "him who is humble and contrite in spirit."
What does "the proud he knoweth afar off" imply about God's relationship with the proud?
Answer: This phrase does not mean God lacks knowledge of the proud, as He is omniscient and knows all things intimately (e.g., Psalms 139:2, "You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off"). Instead, "knoweth afar off" implies a relational distance and a lack of intimate, favorable fellowship. It signifies that God observes the proud from a position of separation, without approval or close communion. It suggests a discerning, perhaps even judgmental, knowledge of their ways, but not a knowledge that draws them into His favor or presence. This contrasts sharply with His intimate "respect" for the lowly, indicating His active opposition to arrogance and self-sufficiency, a theme echoed in Proverbs 3:34, which states, "He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 138:6 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "LORD who is high" yet "has respect unto the lowly" perfectly describes the incarnation of God in Christ. Though He was "in the form of God" and "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped," Jesus "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7). He consistently identified with the lowly, the poor in spirit, the meek, and the afflicted, declaring them "blessed" in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-5). Furthermore, Jesus Himself perfectly embodied humility, becoming obedient even "to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8). In His earthly ministry, He consistently resisted the proud and self-righteous, exposing their hypocrisy (e.g., Matthew 23), while extending grace and intimacy to the humble and repentant (e.g., the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14). Through His ultimate act of humility on the cross, He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, making a way for all who humble themselves to draw near to the high God and receive His respect and favor. His resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God demonstrate that true exaltation comes through profound humility, fulfilling the promise that " whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).