Psalms 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. SURELY I HAVE BEHAVED AND QUIETED MYSELF - literally, 'I have composed and quieted my soul.' Hengstenberg takes it, 'I have smoothed,' etc., as in Isaiah 28:25, removing all false elevations (Isaiah 40:4). [So shaawah (H7737) primarily means, but in the Piel to compose or dispose.] The quieting of his soul refers to his stilling the motions of pride. "Surely," in Hebrew, a solemn asseveration (im lo). AS A CHILD THAT IS WEANED OF HIS MOTHER - as one still a child, though weaned ...

2._If I have not set, _etc. He here employs a figure which appropriately explains what he meant, and likens himself to a weaned child; by which is intended, that he dismissed all the anxieties which disquiet the man of ambition, and was willing to be satisfied with small things. This assertion, which some might be inclined to disbelieve, he makes with an oath, expressed in that particular form of which I have elsewhere taken notice, in which the imprecation is not directly brought forward, but left to be understood, to teach us caution in the use of God’s name. (124) As to the words, _to set his soul like a child, _is as if he had said, that he would frame it into such a likeness. And this with the view, as _he declares, _of composing himself to silence. For דוממתי _domaintee, _is formed from דום _dum, _and has the activ

Verse Psalms 131:2. _I HAVE BEHAVED AND QUIETED MYSELF, AS A CHILD_] On the contrary, I have been under the rod of others, and when chastised have not complained; and my _silence_ under my affliction was the fullest proof that I neither _murmured_ nor _repined_, but received all as coming from the hands of a just God. _MY SOUL_ IS _EVEN AS A WEANED CHILD._] I felt I must forego many conveniences and comforts which I once enjoyed; and these I gave up without repining or demurring....

SURELY I HAVE BEHAVED AND QUIETED MYSELF - Margin, as in Hebrew, my soul. The Hebrew is, “If I have not soothed and quieted my soul.” This is a strong mode of affirming that he had done it. The negative form is often thus used to denote a strong affirmation. The full form would be, “God knows if I have not done this;” or, “If I have not done this, then let me bear the consequences; let me be punished.” The idea is that he was conscious he had done this. Instead of being arrogant, proud, and ambitious - instead of meddling with matters above him, and which did not belong to him, he had known his proper place. He had been gentle, calm, retiring. The word rendered behaved means properly to be even or level; then, in the form used here, to make even, smooth, or level; and it is used here in the sense of calming the mind; smoothing down its roughnesses; keeping it tranquil. Compare the notes...

EXPOSITION This psalm has been said to be "like a string era Christian 'Lyre Innocentium'"_ _(Bishop Alexander). It breathes the profoundest humility and submission to God's will (Psalms 131:1, Psalms 131:2). At the same time, it encourages the faithful to maintain a lively "hope" in God's sustaining grace (Psalms 131:3). The ascription of the psalm to David is quite in accordance, both with the language and the contents. PSALMS 131:1 LORD, MY HEART IS NOT HAUGHTY; or, "_not_ _lifted up_". Not unduly elated by the prosperity that thou hast bestowed on me....

SURELY I HAVE BEHAVED AND QUIETED MYSELF,.... Or "my soul" o; behaved quietly and peaceably towards all men, even his inferiors in Saul's court and elsewhere, and had given no tokens of a restless, turbulent, and ambitious spirit; as well as behaved patiently under all his troubles and afflictions, reproaches and calumnies: or "if I have not" p, being in the form of an oath or imprecation, as Kimchi and Aben Ezra observe; if I have not thus behaved, let it come to me so and so, or let me be as a weaned child. Noldius renders it by way of interrogation, "have I not composed and quieted myself?" c. The Targum is, "if I have not put the hand to the mouth, and caused my soul to be silent, until it heard the words of the law'' AS A CHILD THAT IS WEANED OF HIS MOTHER: and, for the further confirmation of it, it is added, MY SOUL [IS] EVEN AS A WEANED CHILD; innocent and harmless, had no mor...

Psalms 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._ I commend this verse to some who profess to be Christians, but who are always puzzling their poor brains with intricate questions, who want to solve the mystery of where free will and predestination can meet, how man can be responsible, and yet God's predestination can be fulfilled, and I know not what beside. These are great waters the waves whereof are too big for our little barques. We have quite enough to do, my brother, to attend to the plain things of God's Word, and to strive after holiness and the salvation of our fellow men, without addicting ourselves to tying knots and trying to untie them. It is an unprofitable business; it gendereth to pride rather than to anything else, and well did David say, «My heart is not haughty, nor m

PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the feasts of the Lord--”Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.” They are indeed Psalms of “the goings-up” for we rise higher and higher as we read through them. Prophetically they give us again the steps from trial and suffering to the glorious consummation. As they are so simple in language and construction no lengthy annotations are needed. Psalms 120:1 begins with distress, picturing again the suffering of the righteous godly remnant. In Psalms 121:1 the Keeper of Israel, the Covenant Keeping God, is revealed

CXXXI. REST IN GOD. The Psalmist accepts the place God gives him: he does not concern himself with great matters, _i.e._ with high positions or the like. But an explanation recently suggested is also possible. The great matters may be the questions raised by Greek philosophy. Instead of occupying himself with these the Psalmist rests on Yahweh like a weaned child on his mother. _Cf._ Ecclesiastes 3:21, Search not out that which is too wonderful for thee....

SURELY. [See] whether. have not, &c. QUIETED. silenced. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "soothed and uplifted": i.e. comforted. MYSELF. my soul. Hebrew. _nephesh._ MY SOUL. Myself. Hebrew. _nephesh_. App-13....