James
King James Version (KJV)
James 4:10
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
King James Version (KJV)
James 4:10 Context
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
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Other Translations for James 4:10
Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you vp.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.
- American Standard Version (1901)
Make yourselves low in the eyes of the Lord and you will be lifted up by him.
- Basic English Bible
Humble yourselves before [the] Lord, and he shall exalt you.
- Darby Bible
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
- Webster's Bible
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
- Weymouth Bible
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
- World English Bible
Be ye mekid in the siyt of the Lord, and he schal enhaunse you.
- Wycliffe Bible
be made low before the Lord, and He shall exalt you.
- Youngs Literal Bible
Bible Commentary for James 4:10
Wesley's Notes for James 4:10
4:8 Then draw nigh to God in prayer, and he will draw nigh unto you, will hear you; which that nothing may hinder, cleanse your hands - Cease from doing evil. And purify your hearts - From all spiritual adultery. Be no more double minded, vainly endeavouring to serve both God and mammon.
4:9 Be afflicted - For your past unfaithfulness to God.
4:11 Speak not evil one of another - This is a grand hinderance of peace. O who is sufficiently aware of it! He that speaketh evil of another does in effect speak evil of the law, which so strongly prohibits it. Thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge - Of it; thou settest thyself above, and as it were condemnest, it.
4:12 There is one lawgiver that is able - To execute the sentence he denounces. But who art thou - A poor, weak, dying worm.
People's Bible Notes for James 4:10
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves. See Mt 23:12.
Discussion for James 4:10
James 4:10 Inspirational Image
What is the significance of humble ourselves in the sight of the lord. Is it position or place?
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. The word humble in James 4:10 is a command, but it's in the Passive Voice. It is literally be humbled in the sight of the Lord. That's what it would literally read.
Every time there is a command for to be humbled in the scriptures, it's always in the Passive Voice which means submit to God's humbling process. He humbles us.
You see, if I humble myself and bring myself before God, that's pride. It would be like "Here I am Lord, your humble servant. I have come humbly before you!" And the Lord is probably going "Let's try that again because I can't accept that."
So when God brings us low, we are supposed to submit to it. And then the promise is that He shall lift you up.
If you start at James 4:7, and keep in mind that these are Jewish believers who are in difficult and hard situations. They are afflicted. They are mourning. They are weeping. And they are attempting to change their circumstances into laughter and joy in order to encourage themselves.
The command is let yourself be afflicted, let yourself mourn, let yourself weep, let your joy turn into heaviness, and your laughter into mourning.
In other words, take the low road. We all want to feel good. We all want to feel encouraged. We all want to think positive. But James is saying take the low road.
If you're in affliction, and choose affliction and mourning, weeping and heaviness, and mourning so that you can experience the grace of God rather than attempting to in your own human resources make yourself a happier person and make yourself feel better about yourself, that's the road to be on.
He's not saying that you should not feel good about yourself. He's just saying choose the difficult road. Don't keep trying to get out of it. God is humbling you for a reason. He's bringing you low so that you come to Him.
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