What does haughty eyes mean?

Merriam-Webster defines haughty as being “blatantly, disdainfully proud.” Haughty eyes are said to be sin in Proverbs 21:4, along with a proud heart. Haughty eyes are characterized by an arrogant attitude and a tendency to “look down” on others.

Haughty people place themselves above all others and, ultimately, above God. Everything revolves around them. It is not easy to care about what other people think, and it is hard to consider God’s will.

Pride and haughtiness are the roots of all sins. God is not tolerant of haughtiness. Scripture repeatedly reveals that God will bring down the proud and the haughty (2 Samuel 2:28, Psalm 18:27; Isaiah 2:11, 5:15; Ezekiel 16:50). We read twice in Proverbs that arrogance precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 18:12). The New Testament warns repeatedly against arrogance and is clear about the dangers associated with it. James and Peter both warn that God actively opposes pride (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5).

We are all susceptible to pride. We read in the Bible about people who, despite being good, were brought down by pride. The godly king Uzziah was struck with leprosy because, in arrogance, he tried to take the place of the priest and burn incense before the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:16). Similarly, Hezekiah’s pride in his possessions eventually brought the discipline of God on him (2 Chronicles 32:25). Peter’s boastful declaration that he would never leave Jesus (Matthew 26:33-35) was proved false when he rejected Him (Matthew 26:69-75).

The tendency to pride can be overcome by meditation on key passages. 1 Corinthians 4:7 tells us that all we have is a gift, for which we should be thankful. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:6 encourage humility, stating that God grants grace to the humble. Isaiah 66:2 goes so far as to say that humility in the heart of a person actually draws God’s attention.

Humility in the heart allows us to see things from a different perspective. An intractable person is one with a proud heart. God will not accept such a person.