“Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly .”
My Notes
What Does Proverbs 3:34 Mean?
This verse is quoted in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, making it one of the most frequently cited Old Testament proverbs in the New Testament. The principle is simple and absolute: God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. The word "scorneth" means to mock, to treat with derision—God's response to scorners is to scorn them. He meets their attitude with the same attitude.
The word "lowly" (anav) describes people who are humble, afflicted, or meek—not in the sense of weakness but in the sense of being unpretentious, teachable, and aware of their dependence on God. Grace flows downhill—it reaches the people who are low enough to receive it.
The contrast creates a clear choice: pride positions you against God, humility positions you with God. There's no neutral ground. Your posture toward God—proud or humble—determines which response you receive: scorning or grace. And since grace is the thing every human being desperately needs, the practical wisdom is clear: be humble.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where is pride currently positioning you against God? Be specific—pride doesn't always look arrogant. Sometimes it looks self-sufficient.
- 2.What does genuine humility look like in your life—not false modesty, but real awareness of your dependence on God?
- 3.James, Peter, and Solomon all emphasized this truth. Why is the pride/humility distinction so central to the spiritual life?
- 4.Where do you most need grace right now? And is your posture humble enough to receive it?
Devotional
God scorns the scorners. And gives grace to the humble. The proud get opposition. The humble get grace. That's the trade, and it's non-negotiable.
This verse appears three times in the New Testament because the principle is that important. James quotes it. Peter quotes it. The early church needed to hear it repeatedly, and so do you: your posture determines what you receive from God. Pride—thinking you're self-sufficient, that you've earned what you have, that you don't need God or anyone else—positions you directly against the one being you cannot afford to oppose. Humility—knowing your limitations, acknowledging your dependence, being teachable—opens the floodgates of grace.
The word "scorneth" is deliberately mirroring. Scorners scorn God. God scorns scorners. It's the same word aimed back at the sender. Whatever attitude you bring to God, He can reflect right back. Bring humility, receive grace. Bring pride, receive opposition. The universe is a mirror for your posture toward its Creator.
Grace is the thing you need most. More than money, health, success, or relationships—you need grace. And grace has a delivery address: the humble. It doesn't arrive at the mansion of self-sufficiency. It arrives at the cottage of acknowledged need. If you want more grace in your life, the path isn't doing more. It's lowering yourself. The lower you go, the more grace reaches you.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Surely he scorneth the scorners,.... That make a mock at sin, a jest of religion, that scoff at the doctrines of the…
A marked change in style. The continuous exhortation is replaced by a series of maxims. From them to whom it is due -…
True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety,…
Surely … but Or, Though … yet, R.V. margin. For the thought comp. Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5.
scorners See Pro 1:22, note.
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture