Psalms 101:5 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour— Those who are advanced to places of eminent dignity, trust, and profit, are the objects of hatred and envy; frequently traduced and slandered; and the worst kinds of suspicions are insinuated concerning them into the minds of those princes who employ them, in order to supplant and ruin them. It is the part of a good and prudent prince, utterly to discountenance such false and treacherous informers; and none but the worst have favoured and protected them. We learn from Tacitus, that under Tiberius they were encouraged; while Titus scourged them, sold many of them for slaves, and banished others. See Tac. Annal. lib. 4: cap. 30. Suet. Tit. cap. 8: The original words of the next clause, literally rendered, run thus, High in eyes, and broad in heart. Haughtiness and pride discover themselves in the elevation or tossing of the nose (Psalms 10:4.) and by the disdainful turning of the eye; scorning as it were to look down upon the object, as unworthy of regard; which is also expressed Proverbs 21:4. By the height of the eyes is shewn the character of him who, because of his superior riches and power, scorns to take notice of one whom he thinks beneath him. To this answers the wide or broad in heart; one whose heart dilates and swells itself with pride, on account of the largeness of his fortune, or the eminence of his station. It should be remarked however, that as the heart may be dilated with other things besides pride, so the phrase is used in a good sense, to denote the enlargement of the heart or mind with pleasure; Isaiah 60:5 or with wisdom; 1 Kings 4:29 and with other things of the like nature. Chandler.