1Samuel 2:2-3 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

Hannah prays a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God for giving her a son, Samuel. She may have prayed this prayer publicly as both to God and for others to be warned against pride and arrogancy. Maybe she wanted Peninnah, her husband’s other wife, to learn from this. Peninnah had provoked her for years for being childless.

God knows when we have been proud and arrogant and weighs His actions. God has infinite knowledge. His actions proceed from that knowledge so that His actions are always righteous and holy. To weigh means to examine and consider. Here we see that God examines what comes out of our mouth – our talk. God can see our heart, but we make it easy for God and others to see what is in our heart from our speech. If we have been proud and arrogant, God considers the best rebuke and chastisement we need. 

It is in our nature to be proud and selfishly arrogant, but besides chastisement, God has provided help for us so that we can speak and act right. God doesn’t set us up for failure, but for success. He has given us a new nature under the rule of the Holy Spirit. He has given us the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Consider how just one fruit of the Spirit, Love, can help you to not be proud.

We can say with the Apostle Paul, Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Ron Cox – Director of HOPE Ministry