The Seeker's Network

The Sinner's Pride

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.


The first thing that we learn about the wicked person is the fact that he is very proud. And, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look,.. (Proverbs 6:16-17a) Pride is not only the first thing that God hates but is also the first and most difficult sin for each of us to deal with.

Pride is self-aggrandizement and feeds on power, which in turn leads to the persecution of those who are weaker. C.H. Spurgeon wrote, "That famous persecutor, Domitian, like others of the Roman emperors, assumed divine honours, and heated the furnace seven times hotter against Christians because they refused to worship his image. In like manner, when the popes of Rome became decorated with the blasphemous titles of Masters of the World, and, Universal Fathers, they let loose their blood hounds upon the faithful. Pride is the egg of persecution."

Saul persecuted David when his pride was hurt by the people singing that Saul had slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. John the Baptist was beheaded because he injured the pride of Herod's wife, Herodias, when he said that it was not lawful for Herod to marry her. Christ was crucified, because of the jealous religious leaders of His day.

Pride craves power and absolute power is said to corrupt absolutely. Therefore, the wicked in their pride persecute the poor and they have the uncanny ability to devise scheme after scheme to take advantage of them. I can remember as a young man being tempted by a variety of get rich quick schemes, ponzi schemes, and a variety of gambling schemes. The wicked are very skilled in offering attractive looking very high interest loans against collateral like car titles, future paychecks or tax returns.

When the Jews returned from their Babylonian captivity, Nehemiah wrote, "And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words." (Nehemiah 5:1-6) Nothing was beyond the the conscience of the greedy money lenders, not even taking the sons and daughters of their fellow Jews into slavery as a means for collecting on their loans.

The psalmist, thus, states that the wicked will fall into their own traps. God's justice may seem to be far away or even completely absent, but it is just as certain to come as the sun is to rise in the morning. We are blessed with the constant reminders in the scriptures of God's faithfulness to execute justice on the wicked. When it seems like He is hiding from us, we have this assurance.

Before The Throne:

If you have persecuted the poor by taking advantage of their desperate needs, confess it to God right now. Pray that He will make you aware of things that you do that might harm someone less fortunate than you. Give God praise and thanks for the blessings that He has given you and ask Him how you can use your blessings to help the poor. Pray for the less fortunate and for ways to share the gospel with them.

For Further Study:

(v.2) ** The wicked, Psa 31:18; 36:11; 59:12; 119:5, 69, 85, 122; 140:5; Exod 9:17; 18:11; Isa 10:12-13; 14:13, 16; 43:2; ** let. Psa 7:16; 9:15-16; Prov 5:22;