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Psalm 131 English Standard Version (ESV)
I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Reflection
- David pictured faith as a young child, nestling against its mother, and contrasted this attitude with an arrogance which challenged God’s word.
- Pride is essentially a belief that one does not need God but is self-sufficient. He looks down on other people and overestimates his own abilities as well as his own importance. The humble person, however, has a realistic understanding of his or her capabilities and limitations.
- The ability to rest and be quiet, rather than struggling for what we want, is a sign of maturity as well as humility.
- David called on the nation to follow his example and rest in confidence that the Lord would provide what His people needed. This dependent trust is a need God’s people never outgrow.
- This psalm reminds us what it means to have faith as a child. We can trust God because he is who he is. We must trust him because we are who we are.