Psalms 138:6

Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly.

God’s greatness and condescension

I. What is here asserted respecting God. He is “high,” i.e. glorious, majestic, infinite in every excellent and glorious attribute.

II. The cheering declaration which accompanies this assertion. “Yet hath He respect unto the lowly.”

1. A character described.

(1) Possessed of a humble and contrite heart.

(2) Earnestly hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

(3) Coming to Christ for the blessings of salvation.

(4) Every Christian grace is connected with this lowliness.

(5) The Scriptures represent those who were most eminent for piety as wearing this grace: Job, Daniel, Paul.

2. The great God is here represented as manifesting peculiar favour to the lowly.

(1) Forgiving mercy.

(2) Introduction into His family.

(3) Grace.

(4) Glory. (John Pike.)

Humility

I. As it affects the judgments which we form of ourselves. Humility, as distinguished from meanness, and opposed to arrogance of mind, consists in forming a just and moderate opinion of our own endowments and merits. It disposes us to examine our character with impartiality--it suffers not self-love to magnify our good qualities--it contrasts our imperfections with our virtues--it compares our own excellencies and defects with those which are discernible in the characters of others, and permits us not to rise, in our own esteem, above the rank which we really possess among our brethren around us.

II. As it affects our conduct towards our brethren. To the low it condescends without degrading the character--to the high it pays its homage without assentation or servility. Founded on a moderate conception of our own ability, it disposes us to listen with respect to the opinions of others; arising from a just sense of our own imperfection, it teaches us to make allowance for their errors and defects. In its external manner it is placid and unassuming. It expresses itself by the mildness of its look and the gentleness of its language. It claims not--it expects not any extraordinary attention; its own importance is forgotten amidst its courtesy to others.

III. As it prepares us for discharging, in the most becoming manner, our duties to God. In the presence of that God whoso majesty fills the heavens and the earth the humble prostrate themselves on their native dust. Their own limited knowledge is annihilated in their esteem when they consider the height and the depth of the judgments of God; and their own imperfect goodness is lost to their view when they contemplate that diffusive bounty by which the universe is blest. Feeling and acknowledging the feebleness of their minds, they receive with gratitude the revelation of heaven. In their religious services there is no ostentation. Their employment is with God alone. It is to acknowledge His favours, of which they confess themselves unworthy; to bewail their transgressions, which they recollect with heartfelt sorrow; to adore the mercy which continues to regard them; to repeat the vows which they regret to have broken, or to bless the grace which has enabled them to perform it. (W. Moodie, D. D.)