The Psalm 131 Man
- Dan Potter
- 17 hours ago
- 6 min read
“Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me. Instead, I am content and at peace. As a weaned child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me.” Psalm 131:1-2 GNT
So the above Words say in the Holy Bible through the Holy Spirit-inspired David in Psalm 131 verses 1 and 2. But I have a curious question for you concerning the above Words dear reader. How would our world (including you) better state these two verses? To better clarify, as we conduct this experiment, how would the worldly human heart, that is, the human heart that revolves, resides, and respires on this green Earth, reword these two verses to be a more “accurate” representation of our world today? Well, considering what we are told about the world being in opposition with God (James 4:4, Romans 5:10) let us undergo this venture with gusto. Allow me to propose a “worldly” version of Psalm 131 verses 1 and 2. (Note: please be clear in that I have created the below 3 sentences in an effort to create juxtaposition to the genuine verses of Psalm 131 verses 1 and 2.)
“World, I believe in myself and the power in which I can get things done by myself. I attempt to tackle great things in this world, pondering to understand all the great and lofty subjects that approach me. I wrestle with topics and people that resist me, they consume me until I conquer them. My heart is like a wild stallion running until I find what I desire.”
Now honestly, if you were to read about the person in the worldly Psalm 131, what would you think? I bet, if you are honest, you would think them a self-confident, go-getter, that is intellectual, deep-thinking, and insistent on demanding and achieving high levels of success. Many of you would probably like nothing more than to hire them and put that grit to work for you. Folks, point made. Our world values something very different than the God that made it.
We are clearly told in God’s Word that this world is currently the opposite of what God truly desires it to be (and what it will one day be when Christ returns to claim it.) This world is currently being controlled by an evil one, satan, and he is opposed to all things promoted by God as good and right (2 Corinthians 4:4). Thus, to oversimplify, what the world deems as good, God deems as bad. What the world promotes, God denies. And what the world is selling, God is not buying.
As I rose early this morn to simply sit at the feet of Christ and drink in the wisdom of His Words for my life, I could not help but think about how differently His Words are from what I hear and see promoted all around me in this world today. In fact, when Psalm 131 hit my heart, it felt strange indeed to sense God’s Words as radical synonyms to the words of this world. Yes, the man I find in Psalm 131 is not a man the world promotes or values.
As we better consider this unusual Psalm 131 man, let’s delve a little deeper into the ingredients of his life-recipe. And to do that delving, I’ll ask three simple questions. As I do, please feel free to play along in the study and ponder where you scale as a Psalm 131 man or woman.
1) What does the Psalm 131 man truly think about his own capabilities?
The Psalm 131 man starts his discourse by honestly telling God about who he is at his core…that is, deep in his being, deep in his heart. Friends, until one can get brutally honest about what truly fills their heart, they can never get truly honest with God or anybody else. The Psalm 131 man first rejects the pride that so demands to live in his heart, to lift it up, to exalt it to a place it does not deserve to be. He is kicking that pride out of its desired heart-residence and instead telling God he desires to allow humility to live in its stead. And a humble heart before God is one that is quick to name God as God, and the creature as the created. The Psalm 131 man is also quick to readily admit to God that he has suffered from arrogance, but has, in learning the right ways of God, chosen to turn away (repent) of that arrogance. And just how is arrogance defined? Well, pride is boasting in the goodness of self, but arrogance goes beyond that. Arrogance preaches to self that you are so good that you are better than all those around you. Arrogance promotes self and demotes others. Yes, a prideful, arrogant heart is one that can never truly align with God’s own heart and thus experience the goodness God has destined for it.
2) What does the Psalm 131 man truly think about his own wisdom?
The Psalm 131 man knew that the first heart-hurdle (pride and arrogance) created a second. Pride and arrogance over-inflate the ego and lead one to believe they are wiser than they really are. Yes, unbridled pride and arrogance will allow you to score a 100 on an IQ test, yet truly think and tell others you are closer to a 120. The Psalm 131 man knew that his brain had limits, and most importantly, he was ok with that. He knew that there were myriad themes, topics, and ways of this world that he simply could not, and would not, ever fully understand. And he was content with that. Folks, as an international missionary, I personally encounter people every single day that are missing salvation in Jesus Christ because they cannot understand the plan of Godly redemption like they believe they deserve and need to. Mirroring the original sin, (Genesis 3), they desire to fully know and understand the ways of God before they decide to believe in those ways. It’s almost like demanding that the magician reveal his magic trick to you before you decide if it will entertain you or not. Yes, a major milestone in this life is reconciling yourself to your own intellect. You will not know it all…you never will know it all…and you were never meant to.
3) What does the Psalm 131 man truly think about his own power and potential?
In a picture that truly speaks to our humanity, the Psalm 131 man describes a weaned child simply reclining in the loving arms of its mother. Why a weaned child? Well, because the child has graduated from the phase of demanding something from its mother and now lives in a season of simply living in, reveling in, and enjoying, her love. What human God-given joy lies in simply residing in the embrace of one that unconditionally loves you. And folks, the Psalm 131 man uses this example to describe His Godly relationship. As he, powerless in himself, relaxes in the unconditional loving arms of His Savior, His Creator, His God, His Lord, His Provider, the Lover of His soul, the Psalm 131 man finds what God has been leading him to all along…calmness and quietness of his soul that leads to internal contentment and peace that then radiate deep into the confines of his being. Folks, more of that please.
Today, which are you, more of a world 131 man or more of a Psalm 131 man? Are you still intent on pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps and getting things done in your own power, strength, and intellect? Or are you instead embracing the idea that you have no real control or power at all? You see, the glory of the Psalm 131 man is that he relinquishes his idea of limited personal glory, instead yearning to attain an even greater glory. A glory that exists for all…yet eludes so many. A glory that envelopes untold peace, serenity, and contentment within all life positions. And to achieve this glory, to walk like a true Psalm 131 man, you must deny self, accept Christ…and closely study and follow the most perfect human example that has ever existed…the life that is Jesus Christ.
Blessings ~ Dan
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3
“And He (Jesus) sat down and called the twelve. And He said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35
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