Psalm 131
Yahweh, my heart is not haughty, * nor my eyes raised high.
I have not meddled with lofty matters, * nor been occupied with wonders beyond me.But I have kept my soul level and tranquil like an infant with its mother; * like an infant with him is my soul.
Wait, Israel, for Yahweh * from now until eternity.
1. A gradual canticle of David.
132:0 This is Psalm 131 (Vul 130) in the whole book, the 31st in the third part, the 12th Gradual Psalm, the 2nd of those that talk of the completion of goodness. After the previous Psalm talked about the confidence of the supplicant, this one considers his humility, lest that confidence be considered pride and presumption. There are two parts: (1) After the title, he expresses his humility, speaking in the person of all the perfect. (2) He brings an invitation to confidence: "Let Israel hope". In the first he (1) removes from himself all elation and pride, (2) shows his humility: "If I was not humbly minded". In the first he dissociates himself from (1) interior pride, (2) exterior pride: "nor are my eyes".
Lord, my heart is not exalted:
Yahweh, my heart is not haughty,132:1.1.1 The idea is: I have trusted and prayed, but have not been proud. Rather, Lord, my heart, as you know, is not exalted by interior pride, as was Nebuchadnezzar —Judith 1:7 The heart of Nebuchadnezzar was exalted (Vul). But the Lord quickly overthrew his pride —Is 10:12 He will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. —Prov 17:19 One who builds a high threshold courts ruin. —Prov 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. —Job 15:12 Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash?
nor are my eyes lofty.
nor my eyes raised high.132:1.1.2.1 Here he dissociates himself from exterior pride: (1) in expression, (2) in deed: "Nor have I walked". The idea is: My heart has not been proud, nor are my eyes raised high, as an exterior sign of pride. —Sir 23:5 A brazen look allow me not. This is found among ill-bred people. —Prov 30:13 There are those— how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift! —Prov 6:17 The Lord hates haughty eyes. —Is 2:11 The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low. —Gregory: All pride lies as low as it raises itself. high.
Neither have I walked in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me.
I have not meddled with lofty matters, nor been occupied with wonders beyond me.132:1.1.2.2 Here he dissociates himself from pride in deeds: (1) which are within human power, (2) which are above human power: "nor in wonderful things". The idea is: My eyes have not been proud in expression, nor have I walked in great works and pomps which the proud use to show off. —Luke 20:46 Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. —Amos 2:7 They push the lowly out of the way. —Amos 6:1 Alas to the notables of this first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel resorts! (Vul: who walk pompously).
Besides avoiding great matters, I have not walked in wonderful things above me, that is, above my powers and state, which would be great pride. —Sir 3:22 With what is too much for you meddle not, when shown things beyond human understanding. —Is 16:6 We have heard of the pride of Moab — how proud he is!— of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; his boasts are false. Such were Pharaoh's magicians, who want to make horseflies and could not (Ex 8). Such also was Simon the magician, who wanted to work miracles like Peter (Acts 8). Such also is the Anti-Christ, who will pretend he is God. —Dan 11:36 He shall exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god. —Jerome: This properly applies to the pride of bishops, who decorate the dignity of their title with deeds, assuming pride in place of humility, ignoring Luke 16:15 What is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.
2. If I was not humbly minded, but exalted my soul:
But I have kept my soul level and tranquil132:1.2.1 Here he shows his humility, (1) by affirming it, (2) by a curse if that is not true: "As a child". In the first (1) he affirms his humility about himself, (2) he says that he was not puffed up by any gift from God, and that is great humility: "but exalted". The idea is: I have not been proud internally in my soul, nor externally in expression or deed. Moreover, if I was not humbly minded about myself —Rom 11:20 Do not think high things, but be afraid. —Rom 12:16 not thinking high things, but going along with the lowly. —Is 5:21 Ah, you who are wise in your own eyes, and shrewd in your own sight! —Gregory: It is the very special characteristic of the elect to believe what is true about God, to think what is humble about oneself, like their master, Christ. —Phil 2:5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
But exalted my soul over divine gifts, whereas it is said —1 Cor 4:7 What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? Thus Abraham, who received many gifts, did not exalt himself —Gen 18:27 Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. —Job 31:26 if I have looked at the sun, the brightness of a big favor, when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, the appearance of a lesser benefit.
As a child that is weaned is towards his mother, so reward in my soul.
like an infant with its mother; like an infant with him is my soul.132:1.2.1 Here is the self-curse if he is not humble as he said he was. The idea is: If I was not humble but exalted myself, then let my soul be repaid, not my body only, to fulfil Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them. So I expose myself to misery and death, as a child resting on its mother is exposed to death if it is weaned, separated from its mother's milk; for then it perishes right away. —Lam 4:4 The tongue of the infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst.
Note here that there is: (1) the milk of flattery —Proverbs 16:29 The violent entice (Vul: milk) their neighbors, and lead them in a way that is not good. It is good to be separated from that milk. —Prov 1:10 My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent. (2) the carnal milk of pleasure and worldly prudence —Lam 4:3 Even the jackals, the flesh, the world, the heretic, offer the breast and nurse their young. And we are weaned from that milk. —Is 11:8 The weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. (3) the milk of temporal abundance —Ex 3:17 I will bring you to a land flowing with milk and honey. To be perfect one abstains from this milk. —Is 28:9 Whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from milk, those taken from the breast. (4) the milk of simple doctrine —1 Cor 3:1-2 As infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food. —Heb 5:12 You need milk, not solid food. We should take this milk. —1 Pet 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk. The holy Doctors feed us this like nurses —1 Thes 2:7 We were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children from the breasts of the Old and New Testaments. —Cant 1:2 Your love (Vul: breasts) is better than wine. (5) the milk of divine consolation, by which one's desires are marvelously fed and refreshed. —Hosea 2:14 I will now allure her (Vul: give her milk), and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. —Is 66:11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom.
3. Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever.
Wait, Israel, for Yahweh from now until eternity.132:2 Here others are invited to hope and to persevere: (1) He invites them, (2) He shows how long hope should last: "from henceforth". The idea is: I have trusted in the Lord, yet nevertheless I am humble. So I now make a plea: Let Israel hope in the Lord. —Lam 3:25 Yahweh is good to those who wait for him. —Sir 2:10 Has anyone hoped in Yahweh and been disappointed? —1 Mac 2:61 And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.
And that from now until eternity. —Hosea 12:6 Hold fast to love and justice, and hope continually in your God. —Ps 57:2 Hide me in the shadow of your wings till the plague passes by, that is, until the end, even beyond, for the plague will not go away altogether, but will remain in hell.