“Blessed are the Poor in Spirit”

In Matthew 5:3 Jesus Christ pronounced the “poor in spirit” blessed.  Many other verses, such as Psalm 40:17, reflect this same idea: “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.”  Isaiah 66:2 tells us what God thinks of those who are poor in spirit, while at the same time giving us a clue as to what that means: “To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”  Since being “poor in spirit” is necessary to be blessed, it is important that we know exactly what the Bible intends by this phrase.  The Puritan Jeremiah Burroughes’ description of the poor in spirit is a good starting point: “The poor in spirit live upon continual dependence (on God).  They have nothing in themselves but that which is given to them.  They do not know how to use what they have without help.  They are dependent upon new supplies of God’s grace every moment.  They are destitute of all spiritual good, they have woeful spiritual miseries upon them.  O what a poor creature that is in such a condition!  Now for a man to see this, and to be made aware of it, here is a man that is poor in spirit.”