Psalm 131
Psalm 131, David’s Humble, Learned Contentment in the LORD
Scripture Text
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.”
Psalm 131:2, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.”
Psalm 131:3, “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”
Introduction
Psalm 131 is titled A Song of degrees of David. It belongs to the Songs of Ascents, the collection of psalms sung by Israelite pilgrims as they traveled upward to Jerusalem for worship. This short psalm is deeply personal, but it is also suitable for corporate worship because every worshiper must learn humility, contentment, and hope in the LORD.
The psalm is attributed to David. Commentators have suggested two possible occasions for its composition. The first may be during the years when Saul hunted David and accused him of ambition for the throne of Israel. David had been anointed by Samuel, but he refused to seize the throne by sinful means. He would not stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed. He waited for God to exalt him in God’s time.
The second possible occasion may be after David brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, when Michal despised him for dancing before the LORD and accused him of being undignified. David’s response showed that he was willing to humble himself before the LORD, even if others misunderstood him.
2 Samuel 6:16, “And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.”
2 Samuel 6:20, “Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of handmaids of his servants, as one of vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!”
2 Samuel 6:21, “And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint ruler over people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.”
2 Samuel 6:22, “And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.”
David’s humility was not weakness. It was strength under submission to God. He knew the LORD had chosen him, but he did not use that calling as an excuse for arrogance. He knew the LORD had lifted him up, but he was willing to be low in his own eyes before God.
Psalm 131 is one of the shortest psalms, but it contains a lesson that takes a lifetime to learn. It teaches the believer to reject pride, arrogance, restless ambition, and anxious striving. It teaches the soul to become quiet before God, not because life is easy, but because the heart has learned to rest in the LORD Himself.
A. David Declares His Humble Heart
1. Psalm 131:1a, David Renounces Pride and Arrogance
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.”
David begins by addressing the LORD directly. This is important. He is not boasting to men about his humility. He is speaking before God, the One who sees the heart. A man can pretend humility before people, but he cannot deceive the LORD. David’s statement is not empty self praise. It is a prayerful declaration made in the presence of the covenant God.
He says, “LORD, my heart is not haughty.” The heart is the inner man, the seat of desire, thought, will, affection, and motive. David is not merely concerned with outward behavior. He begins with the inner life. Pride begins in the heart before it appears in the eyes, words, ambitions, and actions.
A haughty heart is lifted up above its proper place. It refuses dependence. It resents correction. It demands recognition. It believes it deserves more than God has presently given. David learned to reject this. Though he was anointed king, though he killed Goliath, though he had great victories, though he had a divine calling, he still had to keep his heart low before the LORD.
Scripture consistently warns that God opposes pride.
Proverbs 3:34, “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.”
James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth proud, but giveth grace unto humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth proud, and giveth grace to humble.”
These verses show the seriousness of pride. God does not merely dislike pride. He resists the proud. Pride puts a man in opposition to God. Humility positions a man to receive grace.
David continues, “nor mine eyes lofty.” Lofty eyes are the outward expression of an inwardly proud heart. The proud man looks down on others. He measures people beneath him. He sees himself as superior, more deserving, more important, or more enlightened. Arrogance is pride looking outward with contempt.
Proverbs 6:16, “These six things doth LORD hate: yea, seven are abomination unto him:”
Proverbs 6:17, “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,”
The proud look is listed among the things the LORD hates. This shows that arrogance is not a minor personality flaw. It is a moral evil before God.
David’s life repeatedly tested this issue. When Saul pursued him unjustly, David had opportunities to kill Saul and take the throne by force. Yet David refused. He would not exalt himself by rebellion.
1 Samuel 24:6, “And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is anointed of LORD.”
1 Samuel 24:10, “Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not forth mine hand against my lord; for he is LORD’S anointed.”
David could have justified himself in the eyes of men. Saul was unjust. David had been anointed. The throne would eventually be his. Yet David feared God more than he trusted opportunity. That is humility. He did not need to grasp what God had promised by sinful means.
This is a strong lesson for the believer. Pride often disguises itself as calling, vision, leadership, confidence, or zeal. But if a man must sin, manipulate, slander, force, or despise others to gain position, he is not walking in humble faith. He is walking in pride.
2. Psalm 131:1b, David Renounces Selfish Ambition
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.”
David also says, “neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” This does not mean David rejected responsibility. He was a shepherd, warrior, musician, king, and psalmist. He faced giants, led men, administered justice, wrote Scripture, and ruled Israel. David was not passive or lazy.
The issue is not responsibility. The issue is restless, self centered ambition. David refused to occupy himself with matters God had not assigned to him. He refused to pry into things God had not revealed. He refused to grasp for a station God had not yet given. He learned to live within the limits of God’s present calling.
There is a difference between godly aspiration and selfish ambition. Godly aspiration seeks to obey God, glorify Christ, serve others, grow in holiness, and fulfill one’s calling faithfully. Selfish ambition seeks position, recognition, control, superiority, and self exaltation.
Philippians 3:12, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but follow after, that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but one thing do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”
Philippians 3:14, “I press toward mark for prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
This is godly aspiration. Paul presses forward in Christ. His pursuit is not selfish promotion, but faithful obedience to the call of God.
By contrast, Scripture condemns selfish ambition and strife.
2 Corinthians 12:20, “For I fear, lest, when come, I shall not find you such as would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:”
Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,”
Galatians 5:20, “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,”
Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Selfish ambition is fleshly because it puts self at the center. It does not ask, what has God assigned me? It asks, how can I advance myself? It does not ask, how can I serve faithfully? It asks, how can I be noticed?
David refused to exercise himself in things too high for him. This also applies to matters of knowledge and providence. There are things God has revealed, and those belong to us. There are also secret things that belong to God alone. Humility accepts this boundary.
Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong unto LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to children for ever, that we may do all words of this law.”
This is a stabilizing verse. Man is responsible for what God has revealed, not for mastering what God has hidden. Many people torment themselves by demanding answers God has not given. Others become proud by speculating beyond Scripture. David learned not to exercise himself in things too high for him.
Job had to learn this same lesson. In his suffering, he asked deep questions about God’s governance. The LORD answered him by revealing that Job could not understand or manage the universe.
Job 40:1, “Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,”
Job 40:2, “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.”
Job 40:3, “Then Job answered the LORD, and said,”
Job 40:4, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.”
Job 40:5, “Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.”
Later Job confesses even more fully.
Job 42:1, “Then Job answered the LORD, and said,”
Job 42:2, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
Job 42:3, “Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.”
Job 42:4, “Hear, beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.”
Job 42:5, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”
Job 42:6, “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job’s words, “things too wonderful for me, which I knew not,” match the spirit of Psalm 131. Humility admits limits. Faith does not require that man understand everything God does. Faith bows before the LORD and obeys what He has revealed.
Jesus also taught His people to take the lower place and wait for God to exalt in His time.
Luke 14:8, “When thou art bidden of any man to wedding, sit not down in highest room; lest more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;”
Luke 14:9, “And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take lowest room.”
Luke 14:10, “But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship presence of them that sit at meat with thee.”
Luke 14:11, “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
David lived this principle. He did not exalt himself. He waited for God.
B. David Declares His Contented Heart
1. Psalm 131:2, Contentment Like a Weaned Child
Psalm 131:2, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.”
David now moves from renouncing pride to describing learned contentment. He says, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself.” This is deliberate language. David does not describe contentment as something automatic. He has acted upon his own soul. He has brought his inner life under discipline before God.
The phrase “behaved and quieted myself” indicates that David had to calm his soul. His desires, ambitions, fears, and anxieties were not naturally quiet. Like every man, David had to deal with inward restlessness. But by God’s grace, he learned to compose himself before the LORD.
Psalm 62:1, “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.”
Psalm 62:5, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”
In Psalm 62, David speaks to his own soul and directs it to wait upon God. Psalm 131 shows the same discipline. The godly man does not let his soul run wild. He speaks truth to it. He quiets it. He places it before the LORD.
This is an important spiritual practice. Many believers assume that whatever they feel is automatically authoritative. Scripture teaches otherwise. The soul must be governed by truth. Anxiety must be brought under trust. Ambition must be brought under submission. Desire must be brought under holiness. Fear must be brought under the sovereignty of God.
David compares his soul to “a child that is weaned of his mother.” This image is tender, but it is also strong. A nursing child comes to his mother primarily for milk. He associates her presence with immediate provision and satisfaction. A weaned child has learned to be near his mother without demanding the same gift in the same way. He no longer comes only for milk. He rests in her presence.
This is the heart of the image. David has learned to seek God for God Himself, not merely for what God gives. He has learned contentment with the LORD’s presence, even when immediate desires are denied.
This is not natural. Weaning is difficult for the child. The child may feel deprived. The child may cry, resist, and struggle. Yet weaning is necessary for maturity. The mother is not rejecting the child. She is training the child for growth. The denial of one form of comfort does not mean the denial of love.
So it is with God’s dealings with His people. Sometimes the LORD withholds what we desire in order to mature us. He may deny immediate comfort, visible success, promotion, ease, or explanation. This does not mean He has rejected us. It may mean He is weaning us from childish dependence on gifts so that we learn deeper dependence upon Himself.
Isaiah 49:15, “Can woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
Isaiah 66:13, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall comforted in Jerusalem.”
These passages use motherly imagery to describe God’s compassion and comfort. God is overwhelmingly revealed as Father in Scripture, yet these images show His tender care. Psalm 131 uses the picture of a weaned child with his mother to describe a soul quieted in God.
The weaned child has learned that the mother herself is greater than the milk. In the same way, the mature believer learns that God Himself is greater than any blessing He gives. This is one of the hardest lessons in the Christian life.
A man may begin by seeking God because he needs help, provision, rescue, comfort, or answers. There is nothing wrong with crying to God for such things. Scripture invites us to pray. But spiritual maturity grows when the soul learns to love God even when the desired gift is delayed, changed, or withheld.
Habakkuk 3:17, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in vines; labour of olive shall fail, and fields shall yield no meat; flock shall be cut off from fold, and there shall no herd in stalls:”
Habakkuk 3:18, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk 3:19, “The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make walk upon mine high places. To chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
Habakkuk shows the same mature faith. If every visible blessing fails, he will still rejoice in the LORD. That is weaned faith. That is contentment rooted in God Himself.
David says, “my soul is even as a weaned child.” The repetition emphasizes the reality of this learned condition. David’s soul is not raging, grasping, demanding, or striving. It is quiet before God.
This does not mean David had no desires, duties, battles, griefs, or prayers. David was a man of strong emotion. He lamented, fought, pleaded, rejoiced, repented, and worshiped. The quiet soul is not a dead soul. It is an ordered soul. It is a soul that has learned who rules.
Paul later describes this same learned contentment.
Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith content.”
Philippians 4:12, “I know both how to abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in things I am instructed both to full and to hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Paul says, “I have learned.” Contentment is learned through God’s training. David’s weaned child image says the same thing. Contentment is not native to fallen man. It is learned as God humbles, trains, and strengthens the soul.
The believer must be weaned from self sufficiency, self will, self seeking, worldly dependence, human approval, restless ambition, and the demand that God arrange life according to personal preference. This is not pleasant at first, but it is blessed. A weaned soul is freer than a demanding soul. It rests in God rather than in circumstances.
2. Psalm 131:3, Exhorting Israel to Find the Same Contentment
Psalm 131:3, “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”
David now turns from personal testimony to public exhortation. He has spoken of his own humble and quieted soul, but he does not keep the lesson to himself. He calls Israel to the same hope. “Let Israel hope in the LORD.”
This is the proper conclusion. Humility and contentment are only possible when hope is placed in the LORD. If a man hopes in himself, he will become proud or despairing. If he hopes in position, he will become restless. If he hopes in human approval, he will become enslaved to opinion. If he hopes in circumstances, he will become unstable. Only the LORD can carry the full weight of the soul’s hope.
Psalm 130:7, “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.”
Psalm 130 and Psalm 131 both call Israel to hope in the LORD. Psalm 130 comes from the depths of guilt and forgiveness. Psalm 131 comes from the school of humility and contentment. In both cases, the answer is the same. Hope in the LORD.
David’s exhortation is national. Israel as a people must not hope in kings, armies, alliances, wealth, land, temple ritual, or national identity apart from God. Israel’s hope must be in Yahweh Himself. This was true in David’s day, and it remains true in God’s prophetic purposes for Israel.
Jeremiah 17:5, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from LORD.”
Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is man that trusteth in LORD, and whose hope LORD is.”
The contrast is plain. Trusting in man brings curse. Trusting in the LORD brings blessing. David calls Israel to that blessed hope.
The phrase “from henceforth and for ever” gives both beginning and endurance. Hope in the LORD must begin now and continue forever. It is not a temporary religious mood. It is the settled direction of the soul and the nation.
This also points to Christ, David’s greater Son. Jesus perfectly embodied the humility, contentment, submission, and hope described in Psalm 131. He did not grasp at self exaltation. He humbled Himself under the Father’s will.
Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Philippians 2:6, “Who, being in form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
Philippians 2:7, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him form of servant, and was made in likeness of men:”
Philippians 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death of cross.”
Philippians 2:9, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him name which is above every name:”
Christ is the perfect example of humility followed by exaltation. David learned humility imperfectly. Christ lived it perfectly. Therefore, the believer does not merely imitate David in human strength. He follows Christ by grace.
Jesus also described His own food as doing the Father’s will.
John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
This is the mature soul. Christ did not live by selfish ambition. He lived by the Father’s will. He did not exercise Himself in pride. He submitted perfectly to the work given Him.
Psalm 131 therefore calls God’s people to a quiet, humble, durable hope. Stop grasping. Stop demanding. Stop trying to occupy God’s throne. Stop measuring life by man’s applause. Stop prying into secret things. Fear God, obey what He has revealed, do the work He has assigned, accept the place He has given, and hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.
Doctrinal and Practical Summary
Psalm 131 teaches that humility begins in the heart. David does not merely reject outward pride. He says, “my heart is not haughty.” True humility is inward before it is outward.
The psalm also teaches that pride expresses itself through arrogant vision. Lofty eyes look down on others. The man who fears God must reject the proud look and learn to see himself and others under the authority of the LORD.
Psalm 131 warns against selfish ambition. David does not exercise himself in great matters or things too high for him. This does not condemn responsibility, leadership, study, or godly aspiration. It condemns restless self exaltation and proud speculation beyond what God has revealed.
The psalm teaches that contentment must be learned. David says he has behaved and quieted himself. The soul must be disciplined before God. The believer must speak truth to his own soul and bring desires, fears, and ambitions under the LORD’s rule.
The image of the weaned child teaches mature dependence. The child learns to rest in the mother herself, not merely in the immediate gift of milk. Likewise, the believer must learn to rest in God Himself, not merely in His gifts.
Finally, Psalm 131 teaches that the answer to pride, ambition, anxiety, and restlessness is hope in the LORD. David’s personal lesson becomes Israel’s public call, “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”
