A SONG OF DEGREES OF DAVID.
1 LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever.
INTRODUCTION
Psalm 131 is one of the shortest psalms in the Bible – just three verses – but it provides much spiritual food for thought by reminding us that we ought to cultivate humility, contentment and trust. In just a few words the psalmist teaches what it means to have ‘a quiet soul’ (v.2 ESV) in a noisy and anxious world.
SUPERSCRIPTION
According to the superscription this psalm is a ‘Song of Degrees, Of David.’ The Songs of Degrees – or Ascents – is a group of fifteen psalms (120-134) that are so called because they were sung by exiles returning (‘going up’) from Babylonian captivity (Ezra 7:6, 7, 9) and by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem (ascending the hill of Zion, 121:1; 122:1-4) to attend Jewish religious festivals (Exod 23:10, 17; 34:23). Of the Songs of Ascents numbers 122, 124 and 133 are also ascribed to David (composed or collected by David).
SETTING
Due to its brevity the psalm gives no indication as to when and why it was written. Some scholars suggest that the first two verses may have been written by a woman.
Others argue that the Songs of Degrees are linked to the experiences of Nehemiah. Goulder, for example, devotes a large chunk of his book ‘Psalms of the Return’ to an explication of this theory. He links Psalm 131 to the passage (Neh 13:23-29) which records Nehemiah’s angry and violent response to ‘the presence of ‘a fair number of ‘strange’ wives, and children talking gibberish’ (1998, p.86) after which ‘the rage subsides into normality’ (1998, p.88). This seems far-fetched.
On the other hand Clarke (1949, p.326) reckons that: ‘it is probably King Hezekiah who takes up this beautiful psalm of David’s as eminently suitable to set forth his own soul exercise at the time of his serious illness.’
DIVISION
INDIVIDUAL (1-2)
v.1 – The psalmist declares his humility.
v.2 – The psalmist declares his trust in the Lord.
NATIONAL (3)
v.3 – The psalmist exhorts Israel to hope in the Lord.
EXPOSITION
(1) ATTITUDES
The psalmist begins by addressing YHWH, so his meditation is directed towards the God of Israel. This song is therefore a prayer. The psalmist begins with a triple negative declaration: not – not – not.
- my heart is not haughty
- my eyes are not lofty
- I have not exercised myself in great matters etc.
This three-fold claim is neither boastful nor evidence of low self-esteem but rather an acknowledgement in prayer that the psalmist does not harbour pride or arrogance in his ‘heart’. We have here an example of metonymy – ‘heart’ stands for the will or emotions.
My heart is not haughty – meaning exalted or lifted up. The word ‘haughty’ (gāḇah) is used here in a bad sense, conveying the idea of proud, arrogant, presumptious or overly-ambitious, cf. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, Prov 18:12.
My eyes are not lofty – ‘Lofty'(rûm) is another word that means lifted up. The reference here is to elevated eyes and therefore a condescending gaze. David does not have an inflated view of his own importance and does not consider himself superior to other people, cf. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. Prov 30:13. Compare also: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13
I have not exercised myself in great matters, or in things too high for me – The Hebrew words for ‘great matters’ and ‘wondrous things’ occur together in Psalm 86:10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone
and in
Psalm 136:4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth forever
and also in Psalm 145:5-6, in these verses referring to the marvellous works of God.
The psalmist says that he does not ‘go about in,’ or ‘walk in,’ i.e. concern himself with, matters too great for him.
Similar sentiments are expressed in the third chapter of the Book of Sirach, an intertestamental apocryphal text:
21 Neither seek what is too difficult for you,
nor investigate what is beyond your power.
22 Reflect upon what you have been commanded,
for what is hidden is not your concern.
23 Do not meddle in matters that are beyond you,
for more than you can understand has been shown to you. Sirach 3:21-23 (NRSV)
In verse 1 of Psalm 131 David assures the Lord that he is modest and does not have an unrealistically high opinion of himself. He does not look down on others or have an exaggerated view of how much he knows. He does not busy himself with grand activities that are beyond his ability or try to understand amazing things that lie beyond human comprehension. He does not demand to be in control but rather leaves everything in God’s hands.
(2) ACTIONS
In verse 2 David moves from attitudes to actions. With the word surely he strongly affirms: I have behaved and quieted myself. The Christian Standard Bible translates this as: I have calmed and quieted my soul.
Calming the soul is an intentional act. The psalmist does not attempt to bear burdens that the Lord has not asked him to carry nor does he strive for answers rather than trust God. Instead, he has deliberately taken action to still and compose his soul. The word ‘stilled’ (KJV behaved) is literally to be smooth – as in the levelling of uneven ground (Isa 28:25) and the word for ‘quieted’ means to be silent. Oesterley (1955, p.528) comments that ‘the words might be paraphrased: I have calmed the disturbing arguments, and silenced the disconcerting questionings that worried me.’
The psalmist describes the present state of his soul with one of the most striking images in the Bible. He compares it to a child lying contentedly against its mother. The simile ‘like a weaned child’ is repeated for emphasis and effect – ‘as a child that is weaned of its mother…even as a weaned child.’ A weaned child is one that has moved beyond breastfeeding. Picture a child who no longer comes to its mother for nourishment alone but is able to rest in her presence without crying, demanding or creating a fuss.
The psalmist has deliberately chosen ‘weaned child’ (one word in Hebrew) as another word meaning ‘suckling’ was available to him for ‘baby’ – the two terms occur in Isa 11:8. In ancient Israel children were typically weaned at around 2 to 3 years of age – or perhaps even later.
In 2 Maccabees chapter 7, which gives an account of the torture and martyrdom of seven brothers and their mother by the tyrant king Antiochus, the mother, speaking to her youngest son says: “My son, have pity on me. I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you.” 2 Macc 7:27 RSV
In 1 Sam 1:22-24 Hannah says she will not go up to the sanctuary until her son Samuel is weaned. When she eventually does take him there v.24 describes him as a ‘young boy’ (na‘ar), which suggests that he is at least three years old.
Realising that a weaned child was likely around three years old helps us better understand the psalmist’s use of this image. Although still young, vulnerable and dependent the child has reached the stage where it can rest in its mother’s presence without constantly crying for milk.
Similarly, we as God’s children, and receiving from him all that we require, can commit ourselves to his love and care. Though still dependent on God, it is not with frantic anxiety and demand. We rest peaceful and content when, with quiet soul, we learn to trust the One who provides for us.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15
Note: for other feminine images of God in the Bible see: Gen 1:27; Deut 32:11-12; Isa 42:14; 49:15; 66:13; Hos 11:3-4; 13:8; Mat 23:37; Lk 13:34; 15:8-10.
(3) HOPE IN THE LORD
Whereas the first two verses are intensely personal this last verse contains a national exhortation. Having expressed his trust in the Lord the psalmist now calls upon Israel to follow his example and ‘hope in the Lord.’ Just as he has rejected pride and arrogance and realised that he cannot solve life’s problems by himself so the covenant people must rely on the Lord ‘henceforth and forever’ i.e. at all times; fixing their expectations on him and waiting with patience for him to work on their behalf.
SUMMATION
Modern life encourages self-esteem, self-sufficiency, self-promotion and glorifies material gain and financial success. Trying to match the high expectations of other people can put us under severe pressure.
Psalm 131 cuts across this way of thinking and teaches us to let go of restlessness and pride and maintain an attitude of calmness and trust in the Lord. This requires humility, for not trusting is pride. True humility involves not grasping after things that lie beyond our understanding, abilities or control but having faith in God and his kindness.
This is a useful psalm for times of anxiety and impatience, for it reminds us that peace is not found in knowing everything but in knowing the Lord – who knows everything. So let us humble our hearts, and rest with quiet trust in God – just like a three year old child content in the arms of a loving mother.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Clarke, A.G. and Vine, W.E. (1949). Analytical Studies in the Psalms. John Ritchie Ltd., Kilmarnock. Also available online here.
Goulder, M.D. (1998). The Psalms of the Return (Book V, Psalms 107-150): Studies in the Psalter, IV. Sheffield, Eng.: Sheffield Academic Press. Read a short review of this book at themelios.
Oesterley, W. O. E. (1955). The Psalms. Translated, with Text-critical and Exegetical Notes, S.P.C.K., London
Written Exposition 