may  does  not  signify  here  simply  goodness,  as  many  expositors
suppose.  Derived  from  njy,  to  be  low — in  this  sense,  certainly
of  outward  lowness,  the  verb  occurs  in  Ps.  cx^'i.  10 ;  Isa.  xxv.  5,
— it  denotes,  first,  humility,  tlien  the  meekness  and  gentleness
which  spring  from  humility.  The  idea  of  lowliness  predominates
in  Prov.  xv.  33,  xxii.  12  ;  the  idea  of  meekness,  which,  how-
ever, is  always  to  be  considered  as  proceeding  from  humility  or
lo\^■llness,  in  Zeph.  ii.  3;  Ps.  xlv.  4.  Here  the  idea  of  lowliness
is  the  predominant  one.  This  is  proved  by  the  contrast  with
greatness,  and  the  parallel  passage  2  Sam.  vii.  18,  "  Who  am  I,
Jehovah,  and  what  is  my  house,  that  Thou  hast  brought  me
hitiierto?"  What  our  Lord  says  of  Himself,  "  Come  to  Mc,
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,"  may  equally  be  said  of
Jehovah.  He  also  condescends  to  the  lowly,  to  men  at  large,
and  to  those  who  are  poorest  among  them;  comp.  Ps.  viii.,
where,  after  the  description  of  God's  infinite  majesty,  follows,
"  What  is  man,  that  Thou  thinkest  of  him,  and  the  son  of  man,
that  Thou  visitest  him?"  and  Isa.  Ixvi.  1,  2,  where  the  Lord,
who  has  heaven  for  His  throne,  and  earth  for  His  footstool,  is
spoken  of  as  looking  down  on  the  poor  and  contrite  in  spirit.
