Psalm 131:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

NIV: A song of ascents. Of David. My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

NASB: Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes arrogant; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me.

CSB: A song of ascents. Of David. Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me.

NLT: Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

KJV: A Song of degrees of David. 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.

NKJV: {A Song of Ascents. Of David.} Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.

This psalm is attributed to David, considered the greatest king of Israel. Kings tend to become arrogant: they begin to believe themselves truly better than others. David's predecessor, King Saul, started out small in his own eyes but eventually became self-important. Saul disobeyed the Lord's command to utterly destroy Amalek and all the livestock (1 Samuel 15:1–9). As a result of his disobedience, the Lord rejected him from being king (1 Samuel 15:23).

David was a vivid contrast to King Saul. He was humble. David was not afraid to proclaim the Lord's promises and to trust in them (1 Samuel 17:45–47). Nor did David pursue selfish ambitions. Twice, when he had an opportunity to kill his rival, David instead chose humility and patience (1 Samuel 24:6–7; 26:7–10). David was far from perfect, as his sins of adultery and conspiracy would prove (2 Samuel 12:7–9). Yet his basic attitude was always that of a man submitting to the Lord and His will. David's later confessions highlight this idea (Psalm 32:5; 51:3–6).

Psalm 131:1–2 announces David's humility before the Lord. David does not presume to know what God knows. He understands his place and this knowledge brings him peace. David compares his trust in God to a child who has matured beyond the need for breastfeeding. The child rests contented in the care of the mother without the impatience and emotion of an un-weaned infant. In that way, David is satisfied to trust in the Lord.

David declares that he has put all of his faith in the Lord, without arrogance or scheming. Like an infant who has just been fed, David is content to trust God. Rather than being impressed with himself, or concerned about things he does not understand, David chooses to calmly rely on the Lord. He encourages all Israel to do the same.

Fifteen psalms (Psalms 120—134) are part of a collection used when pilgrims would climb into the hills of Jerusalem for annual feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16). Four of these songs "of ascents" (Psalm 122; 124; 131; 133) are labeled "of David," which may be a reference to style more than his personal writing. Yet this psalm echoes David's humility in faith (2 Samuel 7:18; Psalm 36:11).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 7/31/2025 1:28:16 PM