Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, on Jas 4:6

“But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

“But--"Nay, rather." he--God. giveth more grace--ever increasing grace; the farther ye depart from "envy" [BENGEL]. he saith--The same God who causes His spirit to dwell in believers (Jam 4:5), by the Spirit also speaks in Scripture. The quotation here is probably from Pro 3:34; as probably Pro 21:10 was generally referred to in Jam 4:5. In Hebrew it is "scorneth the scorners," namely, those who think "Scripture speaketh in vain." resisteth--literally, "setteth Himself in array against"; even as they, like Pharaoh, set themselves against Him. God repays sinners in their own coin. "Pride" is the mother of "envy" (Jam 4:5); it is peculiarly satanic, for by it Satan fell. the proud--The Greek means in derivation one who shows himself above his fellows, and so lifts himself against God. the humble--the unenvious, uncovetous, and unambitious as to the world. Contrast Jam 4:4.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.