Psalms 131:1-3: a reflection

1LORD, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. 2Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. 3Israel, hope in the LORD, from this time forward and forever more.

In this short psalm, the writer describes a soul that has been stilled and quieted, humble and content, not grasping at things too great, but resting in God like a weaned child with its mother. My heart isn't arrogant, the psalm says, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother. The psalmist has quieted his soul: not proud, not grasping at things too great and high for him, not consumed with ambition, but stilled, content, resting in God with the trustful calm of a weaned child resting on its mother. His soul is at peace, quieted and content in God. This shows the stilled, humble soul that rests in God, content and not grasping. Still and quiet your soul, resting in God like a weaned child. Do not grasp at things too great; rest content in God. A quieted, humble soul finds peace in God. Let your soul be stilled and content, resting in God.

Notice the picture of the quieted soul. The psalmist has stilled and quieted his soul: not arrogant, not lifting his eyes to lofty things, not concerning himself with matters too great and wonderful for him, not consumed with grasping ambition or restless striving after what is beyond him. Instead, his soul is calmed and content, resting in God like a weaned child with its mother, no longer fretting or crying for what it wants, but simply resting, quiet and at peace. This is a picture of a soul at rest in God, and a state worth seeking. Our souls can be restless and grasping: proud, reaching after things too great for us, consumed with ambition, fretting and striving after what is beyond us, never at peace. But there is a better way: to still and quiet our souls, to let go of grasping at what is too great, to rest content in God like a weaned child resting on its mother, at peace, not fretting, but trusting. This quiet, humble contentment, resting in God rather than grasping, is a place of deep peace. We do well to still and quiet our souls, letting go of proud grasping and restless ambition, and rest content in God like a weaned child. Still and quiet your soul, resting content in God. Do not grasp at things too great; let your soul rest in God. A humble, quieted soul rests in God like a weaned child. Let go of restless ambition, and find peace resting in God.

That is worth resting in, for a stilled and quieted soul, humble and content, finds peace resting in God like a weaned child, rather than grasping at things too great, as the psalmist describes. Our souls can be restless and grasping, proud and reaching after what is beyond us, never at peace; but the psalmist stilled and quieted his soul, resting content in God like a weaned child with its mother. Rest in God. Do not grasp at things too great or strive restlessly after what is beyond you; still and quiet your soul, resting content in God. Still and quiet your soul, resting content in God like a weaned child rather than grasping at things too great, as in this short psalm the writer describes a soul that has been stilled and quieted, humble and content, saying his heart is not arrogant nor his eyes lofty, that he does not concern himself with great matters or things too wonderful for him, and that he has stilled and quieted his soul like a weaned child with his mother; for the psalmist has quieted his soul, not proud or grasping at things too great and high for him, not consumed with ambition, but stilled and content, resting in God with the trustful calm of a weaned child resting on its mother, so that his soul is at peace, quieted and content in God, which is a picture of a soul at rest in God and a state worth seeking, since our souls can be restless and grasping, proud and reaching after things too great for us, consumed with ambition and fretting after what is beyond us, never at peace, but there is a better way, to still and quiet our souls, to let go of grasping at what is too great, and to rest content in God like a weaned child, at peace and trusting, so that this humble contentment, resting in God rather than grasping, is a place of deep peace, and we do well to still and quiet our souls.

Lord, in this short psalm, the writer describes a soul that has been stilled and quieted, humble and content, not grasping at things too great, but resting in you like a weaned child with its mother. My heart isn't arrogant, the psalm says, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother. The psalmist has quieted his soul: not proud, not grasping at things too great and high for him, not consumed with ambition, but stilled, content, resting in you with the trustful calm of a weaned child resting on its mother. His soul is at peace, quieted and content in you. Show me the picture of the quieted soul. The psalmist has stilled and quieted his soul: not arrogant, not lifting his eyes to lofty things, not concerning himself with matters too great for him, not consumed with grasping ambition or restless striving. Instead, his soul is calmed and content, resting in you like a weaned child with its mother, no longer fretting for what it wants, but simply resting, quiet and at peace. This is a picture of a soul at rest in you, and a state worth seeking. My soul can be restless and grasping: proud, reaching after things too great for me, consumed with ambition, fretting and striving after what is beyond me, never at peace. But there is a better way: to still and quiet my soul, to let go of grasping at what is too great, to rest content in you like a weaned child, at peace, not fretting, but trusting. Take that to my heart, for a quieted, humble soul finds peace resting in you. Keep me from grasping at things too great or striving restlessly after what is beyond me; help me still and quiet my soul, Lord, letting go of proud ambition and resting content in you like a weaned child with its mother, at peace and trusting in you.