Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, being "poor in spirit" is the opposite of pride, ambition, or vanity. It means realizing that we are sinners who can contribute nothing toward our salvation, and who are in total need of God's grace and mercy as the only hope of eternal life.

This attitude or orientation then results in a complete willingness to be directed by God in terms of our station in life, and the burdens that we are called on to bear, as well as the tasks that we are called on to perform, throughout our entire lives, up to and including the end of those lives.

July 04 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College & Dallas Seminary graduate, Pentair

Hi Patrick! Good question, brother!

To be poor in spirit means to be spiritually humble and aware of one’s emptiness and need before God, not simply to be financially poor or materially deprived. It describes the “pious poor” -- those who recognize their total dependence on God and trust in Him rather than in worldly resources. See NET Bible note.

The first aspect is emptiness and poverty. Those who are poor in spirit see their emptiness and poverty, recognizing they lack spiritual strength on their own. Psalm 14:6 shows that the poor in spirit find their refuge in God, and Psalm 34:6 declares that the poor cry out and God hears them, saving them from all their troubles.

The second aspect is grace received. To the poor in spirit, treasures of grace are given by God because they cannot produce spiritual worth themselves. Psalm 112:1 promises blessing to those who fear God and delight in His commands, and Psalm 51:17 states that the sacrifices God accepts are a broken spirit and a broken and humble heart.

The third aspect is that material poverty alone is not what brings the reward. God does not promise blessings for poverty, hunger, sorrow, or suffering in themselves, but transforms these experiences into spiritual blessings when they come to spiritual people. Isaiah 57:15 says God dwells with the contrite and lowly of spirit to revive them, and Isaiah 66:2 declares that God looks with favor on the humble who tremble at His word.

I am drawing from 3 hymns, the first of which, "Blest Are The Humble Souls That See," is by Isaac Watts. The opening line of that hymn directly shaped my answer:

"Blest are the humble souls that see / Their emptiness and poverty; / Treasures of grace to them are giv'n, / And crowns of joy laid up in Heav'n."

This hymn paraphrases Matthew 5:3 and explicitly connects being "poor in spirit" with seeing one's emptiness and poverty (aspect 1) and receiving treasures of grace (aspect 2). The rest of the hymn continues with the other beatitudes (broken heart, meekness, thirsting for grace, mercy, purity, peace, suffering for Jesus), which support the broader understanding that these are spiritual conditions, not merely material ones.

The second hymn, "Blest Are The Poor" by Susan H. Peterson, also echoes this with its modern paraphrase:

"Blest are the poor, whose spirits know their need; / God's heav'nly kingdom will be theirs indeed."

This reinforces the key point that being poor in spirit means knowing one's need spiritually.

The third hymn, "Lord Of Life, All Praise Excelling" by Clement C. Moore, speaks of God dwelling with "the poor of humble mind," which supports the theme of humility but was not directly quoted in my answer.

7 hours ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report