A song of ascents. Of David.
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.
But I have calmed and quietened myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.Israel, put your hope in the Lord
(Ps. 131:1-3 NIV)
both now and for evermore.
Psalm 120 – 134 is a series of fifteen psalms, all described as ‘A Song of Ascents.’ They are Psalms that were sung by the people of God as they traversed the uphill journey to Jerusalem. They were required to make this journey three times each year, to celebrate with feasts. They came for Passover, for the Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost), and for the Feast of Tabernacles.
In Psalm 131 the Psalmist shares what is upon his heart with the Lord for the benefit of God’s people. This is an individual Psalm of confidence. The Psalmist has confidence because his confidence is in the Lord and in what the Lord has done for him.
The Psalmist had completely submitted himself to the Lord and has found this a wonderful experience. His heart is not proud, otherwise he would not have submitted to the Lord. Submission implies a humble attitude. Haughty eyes are the opposite to humility. Haughty eyes are preoccupied with looking into great matters. It is the occupation of a proud person who looks to compete with others and never knows contentment. The haughty person plans and schemes in his heart about how he can get the better over others. He seeks to promote himself. The godly person does not pursue that path but he finds his satisfaction in the Lord.
The Psalmist has stilled his soul in the presence of the Lord, and with childlike simplicity and trust he has enjoyed being in fellowship with the Lord. He has been satisfied like a well-fed child. I don’t think the word translated ‘weaned’ has the same meaning that we would normally give to a weaned child but rather that the baby has been fed by his mother and he is full and content.
Because the Psalmist has experienced such confidence and satisfaction in the Lord he able to commend the Lord to the people of God. He calls upon them to place their hope in the Lord for now and for ever.
Prayer
Lord there is so much in life that competes for our attention and promises to leave us satisfied but they leave us unfulfilled and hungry and thirsty for that which gives lasting satisfaction. Lord thank You that You have allowed us to feed at the fountain of salvation. We thank You that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the water of salvation and promised that this would become in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Lord help us to still our souls and find our satisfaction in Christ because we ask this in His name. Amen.