To be poor in spirit has nothing to do with spiritual poverty, much less with a lack of self-esteem and self-love. The poor in spirit are those who are neither haughty nor proud, but humble of heart. They know they have nothing good in themselves, and, acknowledging that they are sinners, they live broken before God, seeking His grace.
It is to the poor in spirit, to those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty, that the Lord was pleased to give heaven, divine excellence, the hidden treasures, and the closely guarded secrets, for only they have the wisdom to manage them, because they depend on the grace of God. Therefore, being poor, they are rich; being long-suffering, they are blessed; and living broken, they are made alive.
Psalms 34:18
“Jehovah is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are contrite in spirit”.
Proverbs 29:23
“A man’s pride will bring him low, But honor will uphold the humble in spirit”.
Ecclesiastes 7:8
“Better is the end of a matter than its beginning; better is the long-suffering in spirit than the haughty in spirit”.
Isaiah 57:15
“For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him who is broken and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the broken”.
Isaiah 66:2
“My hand made all these things, and so all these things came to be, says Jehovah; but I will look to him who is poor and humble in spirit, and who trembles at My word”.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.
