Psalm 131

The Love of God reigning in the heart,

will subdue self-love

Psalm 131:1—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.

 

Where there is a humble heart there is a humble look

Where there is a proud heart, there is commonly a proud look.

 

When our condition is not to our mind, we must bring our mind to our condition

One of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn.

 

It speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ. Lowliness and humility are here seen in connection with a sanctified heart, a will subdued to the mind of God, and a hope looking to the Lord alone happy is the man who can without falsehood use these words as his own; for he wears about him the likeness of his Lord, who said, "I am meek and lowly in heart."

1. Humility is set as the example
   1. Not haughty—a sign of not arrogant
      1. Haughty –a sign of arrogance
      2. eyes lofty--a sign of pride
2. Maturity
   1. submissive temper of a true child of God.
   2. David  testifies his humility, and exhorts Israel to trust in God,
3. Hope
   1. The grace of hopea man who is weaned from self thinks of others! a man who is weaned from self thinks of others! a man who is weaned from self thinks of others!

 

I. He aimed at nothing high nor great, Ps 131:1.

 

 II. He was very easy in every condition which God allotted him (Ps 131:2); and therefore,

 

  III. He encourages all good people to trust in God as he did, Ps 131:3.  Some have made it an objection against singing David's psalms that there are many who cannot say, "My heart is not haughty,"

 

 

Oppurtunity

Possibility

 

Disposition    Busy body  Character     Attitude                    Temperament happy

Deeds             Behavior     Conduct       Accomplishments   Temperance  high spirited Duty     Believe        Confidence Actions  Temper       Hope

 

1. Consciousness of integrity.
   1. David's rejoicing
      1. His heart  testified  he walked humbly with his God
         1. Under censures
         2. Under temptations
      2. He aimed not at a high condition,
      3. He was not desirous of making a name for himself
      4. It was whatever God would order
      5. He had no conceited opinion of himself, or his own merits: Lord, my heart is not haughty.
      6. Humble saints cannot think so well of themselves as others think of them, are not in love with their own shadow, nor do they magnify their own attainments or achievements.
      7. The love of God reigning in the heart will subdue all inordinate self-love.
      8. He had neither a scornful nor an aspiring look:

 

"My eyes are not lofty, either to look with envy upon those that are above me or to look with disdain upon those that are below me."

 

Where there is a proud heart there is commonly a proud look (Pr 6:17), but the humble publican will not so much as lift up his eyes.

 

1. He did not employ himself in things above his station, in things too great or too high for him. He did not employ himself in studies too high; he made God's word his meditation, and did not amuse himself with matters of nice speculation or doubtful disputation, or covet to be wise above what is written. To know God and our duty is learning sufficiently high for us. He did not employ himself in affairs too great; he followed his ewes, and never set up for a politician; no, nor for a soldier; for, when his brethren went to the wars, he staid at home to keep the sheep. It is our wisdom, and will be our praise, to keep within our sphere, and not to intrude into things which we have not seen, or meddle with that which does not belong to us.  Princes and scholars must not exercise themselves in matters too great, too high, for men: and those in a low station, and of ordinary capacities, must not pretend to that which is out of their reach, and which they were not cut out for. Those will fall under due shame that affect undue honours.

 

2. He was well reconciled to every condition that God placed him in (Ps 131:2): I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother. As he had not proudly aimed at the kingdom, so, since God had appointed him to it, he had not behaved insolently towards any, nor been restless in his attempts to get the crown before the time set; but,

 

(1.) He had been as humble as a little child about the age of a weanling, as manageable and governable, and as far from aiming at high things; as entirely at God's disposal as the child at the disposal of the mother or nurse; as far from taking state upon him, though anointed to be king, or valuing himself upon the prospect of his future advancement, as a child in the arms. Our Saviour has taught us humility by this comparison (Mt 18:3); we must become as little children.

 

But, by the grace of God, a soul that is sanctified, is weaned from those things. Providence puts wormwood upon the breast, and that helps to wean us. The child is perhaps cross and fretful while it is in the weaning and thinks itself undone when it has lost the breast. But in a day or two it is forgotten; the fret is over, and it accommodates itself well enough to a new way of feeding, cares no longer for milk, but can bear strong meat. Thus does a gracious soul quiet itself under the loss of that which it loved and disappointment in that which it hoped for, and is easy whatever happens, lives, and lives comfortably, upon God and the covenant- grace,. then our souls are as a weaned child.

 

a man who is weaned from self thinks of others!

 

  II. Confidence in God; and this David recommends to all Israel of God, no doubt from his own experience of the benefit of it (Ps 131:3): Let Israel hope in the Lord, and let them continue to do so henceforth and for ever. Though David could himself wait patiently and quietly for the crown designed him, yet perhaps Israel, the people whose darling he was, would be ready to attempt something in favour of him before the time; and therefore endeavours to quiet them too, and bids them hope in the Lord that they should see a happy change of the face of affairs in due time.  Thus it is good to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord.