A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 131
PSALME CXXXI.
Ver. 1. LORD, my heart is not haughtie, nor mine eyes loftie: neither do I exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2. Surely I have behaved my selfe, as a childe that is weaned of his mother: my soule is even as a weaned childe.
3. Let Israel hope in the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
IN this Psalme, the Prophet minding to teach the godly to be humble before God, however matters go with them, doth propound his own example, v. 1, 2. that so the believer may persevere in hope, v. 3. He proveth his humility by the lowlinesse of his heart, sobriety of carriage, and keeping himself within his vocation, v. 1. and by the submission of his will unto Gods dispensation, v. 2. the use and profit whereof, as he had found in his own experience, so he recommendeth the following of his example unto all Gods people, as the way to be constant in their hope, v. 3. Whence learn, 1. Albeit pride be a ri…e vice, which attendeth vaine man in every degree of excellency, and supposed worth in him, yet the grace of God is able to keep humble a wise, rich and potent man, yea to keep humble a King and Conquerour: for it is David who saith here: Lord, my heart is not haughtie. 2. He who will approve himself in his humility unto God, must purge his heart as the fountain from pride, and his eyes and outward carriage also, that they be not the signes and tokens of pride, and watch over his actions, that they go not without the bounds of his calling, and commission given to him in Gods Word: Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me 3 Albeit the most excellent of men are but witless, weak and unclean things, comparable to young children lately weaned from the breasts, yet it is the property of the godly to know this, and acknowledge himself to be as a childe that is weaned of his mother. 4. The Lord is as a mother, wise and tender toward his children, dealing with them as their age, weaknesse, witlesnesse, and other necessit…es do require: for so much doth the similitude lead us unto. 5. The godly must not look to be satisfied in their childish will and appetite, but must resolve to be deprived of their carnal comforts, which naturally they most affect, as a childe weaned is put from the breast to a more hard diet, this doth the comparison import. 6. The humble man must be content to be handled and dealt with as the Lord pleaseth, and to submit himself absolutely unto Gods dispensation, must depend upon his care and favour, and wait for the manifesting of it, when and how it shall please God to dispose, and this most of all doth prove humility; My soule is even as a weaned childe. 7. The peace and quiet comfort of humility is such, as the humble man from his own experience may encourage every man to follow that way, with confidence to finde the benefit of it: for, Let Israel hope in the Lord, saith the Psalmist here from his own experience. 8. The servant of God who desireth to persevere to the end, must wait on God in the way of humility, and hope in him unto the end: Let Israel hope in the Lord, from hence forth and for ever.
From this doctrine we may have the description, both of a proud man, and of an humble. He is a proud man, who being ignorant or insensible of his sinfulnesse and infirmities, doth lift up himself in some vaine confidence, to follow some unwarrantable course, for satisfying his own minde, and will not submit himself unto Gods dispensation. Again, he is an humble man, who in the sense of his sins and infirmities standeth in awe of God, keepeth himself within the bounds of his calling and commission, renounceth all confidence in his own wit, and submitteth unto Gods dealing, in hope to be helped by God in all things, as he standeth in need.