Psalms 131:3

Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever. LET ISRAEL HOPE IN THE LORD FROM HENCEFORTH AND FOREVER. Hope in the Lord is the antidote of haughty thoughts and overweening aims by one's own hand. is copied from this. If Israel, wishes to be great "from henceforth and forever," she must leave herself in the Lord's hands, and wait for the Lord's time and way to magnify her....

Verse Psalms 131:3. _LET ISRAEL HOPE IN THE LORD_] Act all as I have done; trust in him who is the God of justice and compassion; and, after you have suffered awhile, he will make bare his arm and deliver you. Short as it is, this is a most instructive Psalm. He who acts as the psalmist did, is never likely to come to mischief, or do any to others. ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST PSALM I. The psalmist, having been accused of proud and haughty conduct, protests his innocence, states his humble thoughts of himself, and the general meekness of his deportment. II. That his confidence was in God; in him he trusted, and therefore was far from ambition. III. And by his own example calls on Israel to trust in God as he did. I. He protests his humility. 1. There wa

LET ISRAEL HOPE IN THE LORD ... - The connection would seem to require us to understand this as the assertion of him who had been accused of thoughts which seemed to be too lofty. As the result of all his reflections (of those reflections for which he was rebuked and charged with pride, but which were really conceived in a modest spirit) - as expressing what he saw that seemed to be in advance of what others saw, or to indicate a habit of thought beyond his years - he says that there were reasons why Israel should hope in the Lord; that there was a foundation for confident trust; that there was that in the divine character which was a just ground of reliance; that there was that in the course of events - in the tendencies of things - which made it proper for the people of God, for the church, to hope, to confide, to feel assured of its ultimate and permanent safety. This would indicate t...

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....

LET ISRAEL HOPE IN THE LORD FROM HENCEFORTH AND FOR EVER. What he did himself, and found it good for him to do, that he knew was good for others, and therefore exhorts and encourages to it, to hope in the Lord and wait for his salvation; and which should be done constantly, and to the end of life, or till the thing hoped for is enjoyed; see Hebrews 3:6. Perhaps some respect is here had to the people of Israel, especially the friends of David, who were weary of Saul's government, and impatient to have David on the throne; whom he advises to wait patiently, and not take any indirect steps to bring it about, but leave it with God, and hope and trust in him; compare with this 1 Samuel 24:7; Psalms 130:7.

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....

ISRAEL. Not "a liturgical addition", but used to link the three Psalms of this group together (Psalms 129:1; Psalms 130:7; Psalms 130:8; Psalms 131:3). For Israel is to find rest and peace where their kings (David, and Hezekiah) found it....

LET ISRAEL HOPE, &C.— i.e. "Let all good men, all the children of God, in like manner, modestly place their confidence and hope in the Lord, as long as their live; and choose rather to be depressed, than by any undue means to raise themselves to greatness and honour." REFLECTIONS.—We have, 1. David's profession of his integrity. _Lord, my heart is not haughty;_ naturally it is so in every man, but by divine grace he had been brought to entertain humble apprehensions of himself, since a discovery of his sin, helplessness, and corruption had, by the word and Spirit of God, been made to him; _nor mine eyes lofty,_ superciliously looking down upon inferiors with disdain, or looking up to superiors with envy: he bowed before God, as the publican, in deep humility; and, far from aspiring thoughts, could have been content, if God so pleased, to have continued among the sheepfolds: neither do I...