Psalm 131

A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;

Nor do I involve myself in great matters,

Or in things too difficult for me.

2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;

Like a weaned child rests against his mother,

My soul is like a weaned child within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the LORD

From this time forth and forever.

I've been thinking about this Psalm lately. I've never really understood it before. Is it implying that it's wrong to fill our minds with 'great matters' or 'difficult' things? Will these things make our hearts proud and our eyes haughty?

But I think I'm starting to get it. Imagine a tired toddler resting against his mother at the end of the day. As she sings him a lullaby, his mind is not occupied with world economics or quantum physics. He feels the warmth of her arms around him and her rhythmic pat on his back. He hears the soft lullaby and his mind is at rest. Mum is here and that's all that matters. He trusts her to keep him safe in the night and provide breakfast tomorrow morning. His heart is not proud and his eyes are not haughty.

Dear God,

As a child rests against his mother

May I rest against you.

Still my restless heart,

Quiet my anxious soul,

Remove pride from my eyes and

Teach me to trust

in your son Jesus.

Amen