Commentaries:
Verse 2 shows that the proud person takes advantage of those who are weaker. In practical terms, it means that in pursuing personal desires, the proud person has no regard for the needs and comforts of others. He "runs over" people. He has no esteem for their interests and happiness, thinking them unworthy even to consider. Such an attitude will never bring people together.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Pride, Humility and the Day of Atonement
In the Bible, "poor" does not necessarily mean without money or poverty-stricken. It is more likely to mean someone who is weak or lacks power. Sometimes the two go together: A poverty-stricken person is also weak. Other people—and most of us would be in this category—who are not starving or poverty-stricken are also weak, since we have little or no influence anywhere. This is often the case politically; we have no power to change policy in the community, much less in the nation. Many feel taken advantage of by people in positions of power, whether in government or business, and in many cases, it is real.
Here, we first see that the proud, the wicked, persecute the poor. Persecute means "hotly pursues after." It suggest that they take advantage of them or must always get the best of them. The proud are very competitive. This will show itself in business dealings, in law courts. They will be indifferent to the weak or the poor person's need, and they are quite adept with crafty and malicious plans. These people manipulate others to their own ends. They use them.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Faith (Part 6)
Related Topics:
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Psalms 59:12
Titus 1:15-16
Library resources that contain this verse:
E-mail this page
