Psalms 131 Study Notes: The Quiet Trust of a Weaned Child
David tells the LORD he has set aside pride and ambitions beyond his reach. He has calmed his soul so that it rests like a young child content beside its mother, and he calls all Israel to trust the LORD now and always.
General
How does Psalm 131 end (131:3)?
Answer: David calls all Israel to trust the LORD, now and always
The psalm closes by turning outward (131:3). Having quieted his own soul before the LORD, David calls the whole nation of Israel to do the same: to set its hope on the LORD in the present and for all time to come. His personal humility becomes an example and an invitation for God's people. Near its close, Psalm 130 makes the very same call to Israel, grounded in the LORD's loving devotion and full redemption (Psalm 130:7). The writer of Lamentations likewise calls the LORD his portion and so waits for Him in hope (Lamentations 3:24), and Paul prays that God, the source of all hope, will fill believers with joy and peace through their faith (Romans 15:13).
- Psalm 131:3 (BSB)“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, both now and forevermore.”David turns from his own quiet trust to call the whole nation to hope in the LORD for all time.
- Psalm 130:7 (BSB)“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance.”Near its close, the previous psalm makes the same call to Israel, grounded in the LORD's loving devotion and redemption.
- Romans 15:13 (BSB)“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”Paul prays that the God of hope will fill believers with joy and peace as they trust Him.
- Lamentations 3:24 (BSB)““The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.””The writer of Lamentations says the LORD is his portion, so he will hope in Him.
Theological
What is the concluding movement of Psalm 131 (131:3)?
Answer: David calls all Israel to trust the LORD, now and always
In 131:3 the psalm moves from individual to corporate: David's own stilled trust issues in a summons to all Israel to fix its hope on the LORD from this time forth and forever. His humility becomes paradigmatic for the covenant people. The identical summons appears near the close of Psalm 130, where it rests on the LORD's loving devotion and plenteous redemption (Psalm 130:7). Lamentations 3:24 grounds hope on the LORD as one's portion, and Romans 15:13 names Him the source of hope who fills believers with joy and peace in believing.
- Psalm 131:3 (BSB)“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, both now and forevermore.”David turns from his own quiet trust to call the whole nation to hope in the LORD for all time.
- Psalm 130:7 (BSB)“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance.”Near its close, the previous psalm makes the same call to Israel, grounded in the LORD's loving devotion and redemption.
- Romans 15:13 (BSB)“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”Paul prays that the God of hope will fill believers with joy and peace as they trust Him.
- Lamentations 3:24 (BSB)““The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.””The writer of Lamentations says the LORD is his portion, so he will hope in Him.
General
What does David tell the LORD about himself in 131:1?
Answer: He has set aside pride and ambitions beyond him
Psalm 131 is a very short song of ascents, and its heading says it is of David. Speaking directly to the LORD, David says his heart is free of pride and his eyes do not look down on others, and he does not reach for things too great or too high for him (131:1). He is not claiming to know God's hidden plans; he is gladly accepting his limits as a creature. This is not laziness but humility before God. Moses teaches that some matters God keeps hidden, while what He has made known is given to His people to obey (Deuteronomy 29:29). Paul tells believers to shun pride and keep company with humble people (Romans 12:16), and Peter says God resists the arrogant but shows favor to the lowly (1 Peter 5:5-6).
- Psalm 131:1 (BSB)“A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great things or matters too lofty for me.”The heading attributes this short song of ascents to David, who tells the LORD that he has laid aside pride and lofty ambition.
- Romans 12:16 (BSB)“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.”Paul tells believers not to be proud or conceited but to associate with the lowly.
- 1 Peter 5:5-6 (BSB)“Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.”Peter says God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, who are to humble themselves under His hand.
- Deuteronomy 29:29 (BSB)“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.”Moses distinguishes the secret things that belong to the LORD from what He has revealed for His people to obey.
Theological
What disposition does David profess before the LORD in 131:1?
Answer: He has set aside pride and ambitions beyond him
Psalm 131, a brief song of ascents attributed to David, opens with a profession of humility addressed to the LORD: neither a proud heart nor haughty eyes, and no striving after things too great or too high for him (131:1). It is creaturely contentment within the bounds God has set, not intellectual indifference. Deuteronomy 29:29 draws the same line between the secret things belonging to the LORD and the things revealed. The NT commends the same humility: Romans 12:16 forbids pride and conceit, and 1 Peter 5:5-6 teaches that God resists the arrogant and shows favor to the lowly.
- Psalm 131:1 (BSB)“A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great things or matters too lofty for me.”The heading attributes this short song of ascents to David, who tells the LORD that he has laid aside pride and lofty ambition.
- Romans 12:16 (BSB)“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.”Paul tells believers not to be proud or conceited but to associate with the lowly.
- 1 Peter 5:5-6 (BSB)“Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.”Peter says God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, who are to humble themselves under His hand.
- Deuteronomy 29:29 (BSB)“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.”Moses distinguishes the secret things that belong to the LORD from what He has revealed for His people to obey.
General
Why is the image of a weaned child in 131:2 a fitting picture of David's calmed soul?
Answer: The child rests quietly with its mother, no longer fussing to be fed
In 131:2 David says he has calmed and quieted his own soul, and he pictures it as a child that has been weaned, resting beside its mother. A nursing baby often cries and frets for milk, but a child who has been weaned can rest contentedly against its mother simply because it is with her, not because of what it can get. David's soul is at rest with the LORD just like that: not demanding, but trusting and content. Jesus teaches that the one who takes the lowly place of a little child ranks highest in His kingdom (Matthew 18:3-4). God told Israel that their strength would be found in quiet confidence (Isaiah 30:15), and Paul says he learned contentment in every situation (Philippians 4:11-12).
- Psalm 131:2 (BSB)“Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”David compares his calmed soul to a weaned child resting with its mother.
- Matthew 18:3-4 (BSB)““Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”Jesus says that whoever humbles himself like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Isaiah 30:15 (BSB)“For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.””God tells Israel that their strength would lie in quiet confidence.
- Philippians 4:11-12 (BSB)“I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.”Paul says he has learned to be content in every circumstance.
Theological
What does the simile of the weaned child in 131:2 convey?
Answer: The child rests quietly with its mother, no longer fussing to be fed
In 131:2 David has composed and quieted his soul, likening it to a child who is weaned and lies beside its mother. The nursing infant frets for sustenance; the weaned child rests in its mother's presence for her own sake. The simile portrays a soul that has ceased from restless demand and reposes in the LORD with trustful contentment. The NT holds up the humble child as the model of kingdom greatness (Matthew 18:3-4); Isaiah 30:15 locates Israel's strength in quiet confidence; and Paul testifies to learned contentment in every circumstance (Philippians 4:11-12).
- Psalm 131:2 (BSB)“Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”David compares his calmed soul to a weaned child resting with its mother.
- Matthew 18:3-4 (BSB)““Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”Jesus says that whoever humbles himself like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Isaiah 30:15 (BSB)“For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.””God tells Israel that their strength would lie in quiet confidence.
- Philippians 4:11-12 (BSB)“I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.”Paul says he has learned to be content in every circumstance.