Psalm 131: Simple Trust

A song of ascents. Of David.

[Preliminary Comments: In this twelfth very short psalm of ascents [and they mostly seem to be getting shorter], attributed now to David, with language we very much associate with David’s heart, the psalm comes in simple humility to be stilled and quiet in the Lord’s presence. It is like a brief pause in the progress upward in order to declare our smallness before Almighty God.]

v.1 The psalmist abases himself before God.

v.1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.

v.2 He comes to a place of stillness before the Lord, in  childlike trust

v.2 But I have calmed and quietened myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

v.3 The call to his people is to simply place all expectation down before the Lord

v.3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and for evermore.

[Additional Comments: Sometimes in simplicity the truth shines through. Here, in this progress up to the Lord’s presence, the pilgrim pauses to acknowledge in humility their simple trust in the Lord, putting all else aside. He focuses on nothing but the Lord.

After perhaps going back and meditating on individual verses, now read it meaningfully out loud straight through

1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quietened myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and for evermore.

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: