TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 131:1–3. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here are two things which will be comforts to us: -
I.Consciousness of our integrity.
This was David's rejoicing, that his heart could witness for him that he had walked humbly with his God, notwithstanding the censures he was under and the temptations he was in.
1.He aimed not at a high condition, nor was he desirous of making a figure in the world, but, if God had so ordered, could have been well content to spend all his days, as he did in the beginning of them, in the sheep-folds. His own brother, in a passion, charged him with pride (Sa1 17:28), but the charge was groundless and unjust. God, who searches the heart, knew,
(1.)That he had no conceited opinion of himself, or his own merits: Lord, my heart is not haughty. Humble saints cannot think so well of themselves as others think of them, are not in love with their own shadow, nor do they magnify their own attainments or achievements. The love of God reigning in the heart will subdue all inordinate self-love.
(2.)That he had neither a scornful nor an aspiring look: "My eyes are not lofty, either to look with envy upon those that are above me or to look with disdain upon those that are below me." Where there is a proud heart there is commonly a proud look (Pro 6:17), but the humble publican will not so much as lift up his eyes.
(3.)That he did not employ himself in things above his station, in things too great or too high for him. He did not employ himself in studies too high; he made God's word his meditation, and did not amuse himself with matters of nice speculation or doubtful disputation, or covet to be wise above what is written. To know God and our duty is learning sufficiently high for us. He did not employ himself in affairs too great; he followed his ewes, and never set up for a politician; no, nor for a soldier; for, when his brethren went to the wars, he staid at home to keep the sheep. It is our wisdom, and will be our praise, to keep within our sphere, and not to intrude into things which we have not seen, or meddle with that which does not belong to us. Princes and scholars must not exercise themselves in matters too great, too high, for men: and those in a low station, and of ordinary capacities, must not pretend to that which is out of their reach, and which they were not cut out for. Those will fall under due shame that affect undue honours.
2.He was well reconciled to every condition that God placed him in (Psa 131:2): I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother. As he had not proudly aimed at the kingdom, so, since God had appointed him to it, he had not behaved insolently towards any, nor been restless in his attempts to get the crown before the time set; but,
(1.)He had been as humble as a little child about the age of a weanling, as manageable and governable, and as far from aiming at high things; as entirely at God's disposal as the child at the disposal of the mother or nurse; as far from taking state upon him, though anointed to be king, or valuing himself upon the prospect of his future advancement, as a child in the arms. Our Saviour has taught us humility by this comparison (Mat 18:3); we must become as little children.
(2.)He had been as indifferent to the wealth and honour of this world as a child is to the breast when it is thoroughly weaned from it. I have levelled and quieted myself (so Dr. Hammond reads it) as a child that is weaned. This intimates that our hearts are naturally as desirous of worldly things as the babe is of the breast, and in like manner relish them, cry for them, are fond of them, play with them, and cannot live without them. But, by the grace of God, a soul that is sanctified, is weaned from those things. Providence puts wormwood upon the breast, and that helps to wean us. The child is perhaps cross and fretful while it is in the weaning and thinks itself undone when it has lost the breast. But in a day or two it is forgotten; the fret is over, and it accommodates itself well enough to a new way of feeding, cares no longer for milk, but can bear strong meat. Thus does a gracious soul quiet itself under the loss of that which it loved and disappointment in that which it hoped for, and is easy whatever happens, lives, and lives comfortably, upon God and the covenant-grace, when creatures prove dry breasts. When our condition is not to our mind we must bring our mind to our condition; and then we are easy to ourselves and all about us; then our souls are as a weaned child.
II.Confidence in God; and this David recommends to all Israel of God, no doubt from his own experience of the benefit of it (Psa 131:3):
Let Israel hope in the Lord, and let them continue to do so henceforth and for ever. Though David could himself wait patiently and quietly for the crown designed him, yet perhaps Israel, the people whose darling he was, would be ready to attempt something in favour of him before the time; and therefore endeavours to quiet them too, and bids them hope in the Lord that they should see a happy change of the face of affairs in due time. Thus it is good to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
7 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Celsus, … as one who has heard the subject of humility greatly talked about but who has not been at pains to understand it, would wish to speak evil of that humility that is practiced among us, and imagines that it is borrowed from some words of Plato imperfectly understood, where he expresses himself in the Laws as follows: “Now God, according to the ancient account, having in himself both the beginning and end and middle of all existing things, proceeds according to nature and marches straight on. He is constantly followed by justice, which is the avenger of all breaches of the divine law: he who is about to become happy follows [justice] closely in humility, and becomingly adorned.” He did not observe, however, that in writers much older than Plato the following words occur in a prayer: “Lord, my heart is not haughty or my eyes lofty, neither do I walk in great matters, nor in things too wonderful for me; if I had not been humble,” etc. Now these words show that one who is of humble mind does not by any means humble himself in an unseemly or inauspicious manner, falling down on his knees or casting himself headlong on the ground, putting on the dress of the miserable or sprinkling himself with dust. But he who is of humble mind in the sense of the prophet, while “walking in great and wonderful things,” which are above his capacity—namely, those doctrines that are truly great and those thoughts that are wonderful—“humbles himself under the mighty hand of God.” If there are some, however, who through their stupidity have not clearly understood the doctrine of humiliation and act as they do, it is not our doctrine that is to be blamed; but we must extend our forgiveness to the stupidity of those who aim at higher things and owing to their foolishness of mind fail to attain them. He who is “humble and becomingly adorned,” is so in greater degree than Plato’s “humble and becomingly adorned” individual: for he is humble and becomingly adorned on the one hand, because “he walks in things great and wonderful,” which are beyond his capacity; and humble, on the other hand, because, while being in the midst of such, he yet voluntarily humbles himself, not under anyone at random but under “the mighty hand of God,” through Jesus Christ, the teacher of such instruction, “who did not deem equality with God a thing to be eagerly clung to, but made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” And so great is this doctrine of humiliation that it has no ordinary individual as its teacher; but our great Savior says, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.”
Then he goes on: Like a weaned child upon his mother's breast, so will you reward my soul. We are told that when Isaac was weaned Abraham made a feast because now that he was weaned he was on the verge of boyhood and was passing beyond milk food. The Apostle feeds all that are imperfect in the faith and still babes in the things of God with the milk of knowledge. Thus to cease to need milk marks the greatest possible advance. Abraham proclaimed by a joyful feast that his son had come to stronger meat, and the Apostle refuses bread to the carnal-minded and those that are babes in Christ. And so the Prophet prays that God, because he has not lifted up his heart, nor walked amid things great and wonderful that are above him, because he has not been humble-minded but did lift up his soul, may reward his soul, lying like a weaned child upon his mother: that is to say that he may be deemed worthy of the reward of the perfect, heavenly and living bread, on the ground that by reason of his works already recorded he has now passed beyond the stage of milk.
I know your humility. I know that you can say with sincerity, “Lord, my heart is not haughty or my eyes lofty”; I know that in your heart as in that of your mother the pride through which the devil fell has no place. It would be time wasted to write to you about it; for there is no greater folly than to teach a pupil what he knows already. But now that you have despised the boastfulness of the world, do not let the fact inspire you with new boastfulness. Harbor not the secret thought that having ceased to court attention in garments of gold you may begin to do so in mean attire. And when you come into a room full of brothers and sisters, do not sit in too low a place or plead that you are unworthy of a footstool. Do not deliberately lower your voice as though worn out with fasting; or, leaning on the shoulder of another, mimic the tottering gait of one who is faint. Some women, it is true, disfigure their faces so that they may appear to other people to fast. As soon as they catch sight of any one, they groan, they look down; they cover up their faces, except for one eye, which they keep free to see with. Their dress is somber, their girdles are of sackcloth, their hands and feet are dirty; only their stomachs—which cannot be seen—are hot with food. Of these the psalm is sung daily: “The Lord will scatter the bones of them that please themselves.” Others change their garb and assume the appearance of men, being ashamed of being what they were born to be—women. They cut off their hair and are not ashamed to look like eunuchs. Some clothe themselves in goat’s hair, and, putting on hoods, pretending to become children again by making themselves look like so many owls.
"If I had not lowly thoughts, but have lifted up my soul, as one taken from his mother's breast, such the reward for my soul" [Psalm 131:2]. He seems as it were to have bound himself by a curse:...as though he had been going to say, Let it so happen to me. "As one taken away from his mother's breast, may be my soul's reward." You know that the Apostle says to some weak brethren, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able." [1 Corinthians 3:2] There are weak persons who are not fit for strong meat; they wish to grasp at that which they cannot receive: and if they ever do receive, or seem to themselves to receive what they have not received, they are puffed up thereby, and become proud thereupon; they seem to themselves wise men. Now this happens to all heretics; who since they were animal and carnal, by defending their depraved opinions, which they could not see to be false, were shut out of the Catholic Church....
And so it is most clearly established by examples and testimonies from Scripture that the mischief of pride, although it comes later in the order of the combat, is yet earlier in origin and is the beginning of all sins and faults. Neither is it (like the other vices) simply fatal to its opposite virtue—that is, humility—but it is also at the same time destructive of all virtues. Nor does it only tempt ordinary folk and small people, but chiefly those who already stand on the heights of valor. For thus the prophet speaks of this spirit, “His food is choice.” And so the blessed David, although he guarded the recesses of his heart with the utmost care, so that he dared to say to him from whom the secrets of his conscience were not hid, “Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are my eyes lifted up; neither have I walked in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me. If I was not humble” and again, “He that is proud shall not dwell in the midst of my house.” Still, because he knew how hard that watchfulness is even for those that are perfect, he did not so presume on his own efforts, but prayed to God and implored his help, that he might escape unwounded by the darts of this foe, saying, “Let not the foot of pride come to me.” For he feared and dreaded falling into that which is said of the proud, namely, “God resists the proud” and “Every one that exalts his heart is unclean before the Lord.”
Now your goodness must listen briefly while I explain how this virtue may be obtained. First of all, if you intend to start a good work, you will begin it not with the intention of acquiring praise but for the love and desire of doing good. Then, when this good task, whatever it is, has been completed, you will guard your heart most cautiously, lest you fall under the influence of human favors and overestimate yourself, thus trying to please yourself or to look for some renown from any deed. For glory is like the human shadow: if you follow it, it runs away; if you run away, it follows. Always value yourself least of all and remember, whenever any good befalls you throughout your life, ascribe it all to God who gave it, not to yourself who received it, convincing yourself with these words of the apostle Paul: “What have you that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” And also reflecting on these words of the apostle: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” And when you have built in your heart a temple to the Holy Spirit, using these most precious stones of holy humility, then pray in it, using the song of the prophet David. Not in words only but in deeds shall you sing: “O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things or with things too sublime for me.” This song you will truly be able to offer to God when you humiliate yourself and praise him alone, to whom truly with all the faithful you may every day say, “To you we owe a hymn of praise,” glorifying him alone.
Nor can I think otherwise against the authority of so great a man, but I can only follow his steps and, in Christian humility, not deviate from the paths of our ancestors; as David says, “Neither have I walked with great things or with things too sublime for me.” He is raised up above himself who departs from the traces of his elders and tries to have vision in things that are beyond his powers. Hence, it follows, “If I was not humbly minded, but exalted my soul: as a child that is weaned is towards his mother, so will you reward my soul.” And so it is useful for us to think humble thoughts, in the words of the apostle: "Not setting your mind on high things but condescending to the lowly"; and to receive weaning with Isaac, that we may share stronger food rather than with Ishmael, son of the slave girl, to carry a bottle with water instead of wine and to be driven from the eternal inheritance.
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Summary
Psalm 131:2 offers a profound portrayal of spiritual tranquility and humble contentment, likening the psalmist's inner state to that of a weaned child. This evocative metaphor conveys a soul that has transcended restless craving and demanding self-reliance, finding deep rest and satisfaction in a mature, settled trust in God's sovereign care and provision. It speaks to a deliberate, active choice to quiet the soul, relinquishing pride, ambition, and anxiety for a posture of humble dependence and profound peace.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 131 is a concise yet deeply spiritual "Song of Ascent" (Psalms 120-134), a collection traditionally recited or sung by pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. Its placement within this sequence suggests a spiritual preparation for drawing near to God, emphasizing humility and trust as essential prerequisites for true worship and communion. The preceding verse, Psalm 131:1, establishes the psalmist's foundational commitment: a conscious rejection of pride, lofty ambition, and involvement in matters beyond his understanding or control. Verse 2 then elaborates on the profound internal state that naturally flows from such a humble posture: a soul that is quieted, settled, and content, much like a weaned child. This progression from outward humility to inward peace forms a cohesive spiritual journey within the psalm, culminating in an invitation to Israel to embrace this same hopeful trust in Psalm 131:3.
Historical & Cultural Context
Composed by David, this psalm reflects the ancient Israelite understanding of spiritual maturity and the profound nature of dependence on God. The imagery of a "weaned child" would have resonated deeply within an agrarian society where the weaning process was a significant developmental milestone, often occurring later than in modern Western cultures (sometimes between two and five years of age). This transition marked a child's move from absolute, immediate dependence on a mother's milk to a more mature, yet still utterly reliant, relationship where sustenance came through other means, and security was found in the mother's presence rather than solely her breast. The physical pilgrimage to Jerusalem, often involving arduous journeys, served as a powerful metaphor for a spiritual ascent that required pilgrims to strip away worldly anxieties and embrace a simple, profound trust in God for their sustenance, protection, and ultimate well-being. The psalm thus frames a universal human quest for peace amidst life's demands within the specific cultural context of ancient Israelite family life and religious practice.
Key Themes
The central theme of Psalm 131 is humble contentment and mature trust in God. The "weaned child" metaphor powerfully illustrates a soul that has relinquished the restless striving, insatiable desires, and demanding impatience often characteristic of spiritual immaturity. Unlike an unweaned infant whose existence revolves around immediate gratification and the constant cry for sustenance, the weaned child, while still dependent, has learned patience, security, and finds deep satisfaction in the mother's presence and overall care, rather than just her immediate provision. This mirrors the spiritual journey of moving beyond a transactional faith—one that constantly demands specific outcomes from God—to a relational faith that rests in God's timing, wisdom, and loving character. This profound shift echoes the call to childlike humility and trust found in Jesus' teachings, such as in Matthew 18:3, where He states that one must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. This deep, settled trust leads to a profound inner peace, a peace that transcends human understanding, as described by Paul in Philippians 4:7.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
The KJV "behaved" translates the Hebrew verb שָׁוָה ( shâvâh'), which fundamentally means "to level," "to equalize," or "to set, place." In its various forms, it can convey the idea of making something alike or bringing it into conformity. Here, in the context of the psalmist's soul, it suggests an active, deliberate effort to bring his inner being into a state of likeness or alignment with the quietness and contentment of a weaned child. It is not a passive reception of peace but a conscious act of self-regulation and intentional composure.
The Hebrew word דָּמַם ( dâmam'), from which "quieted" is derived, means "to be silent," "to be still," "to rest," or "to cease." The form used in the psalm (דּוֹמַמְתִּי) is a first-person common singular perfect, indicating a completed action: "I have stilled myself," or "I have silenced myself." This reinforces the active, intentional nature of the psalmist's spiritual discipline. He has actively brought his inner turmoil, anxieties, and restless desires to a halt, imposing stillness and cessation upon his soul's clamor.
The term "weaned" comes from the Hebrew root גָּמַל ( gâmal'), which means "to treat a person (well or ill)," "to benefit or requite," and by implication, "to ripen" or "to wean." When applied to a child, it refers to the significant developmental stage where the child transitions from being nourished by its mother's milk to consuming solid food. This process, often gradual, teaches patience and a different form of dependence. The image evokes a child no longer crying frantically for milk but contentedly resting with its mother, perhaps even leaning on her in quiet satisfaction, having learned to trust in her provision beyond immediate gratification of the breast.
Verse Breakdown
"Surely I have behaved and quieted myself"
This opening clause immediately establishes the psalmist's deliberate and active role in cultivating inner peace. The use of two strong verbs of intentional action—"behaved" (composing, setting in order) and "quieted" (silencing, stilling)—underscores that this state of tranquility is not accidental or merely a result of circumstance, but a conscious spiritual discipline. It speaks to a soul that has learned to master its own impulses, anxieties, and restless striving, bringing them under control.
"as a child that is weaned of his mother"
This is the core simile, providing the powerful and relatable imagery for the psalmist's achieved state. The weaned child serves as a profound metaphor for a soul that has moved beyond the demanding, restless cravings and immediate gratification sought by spiritual infancy. It no longer cries out with insatiable desires or struggles with unfulfilled expectations but rests in a deeper, more mature trust, finding contentment in the presence and general care of the "mother" (God), rather than just His specific, immediate provisions.
"my soul [is] even as a weaned child"
This final clause reiterates and confirms the comparison, explicitly stating that the psalmist's very "soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh – the seat of emotions, will, desires, and life itself) has attained this settled, quieted state. The repetition of the simile emphasizes the profound internal transformation and the depth of the peace achieved, a peace rooted in humble contentment and unwavering trust that has permeated the psalmist's entire being.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Psalm 131:2 is Simile, explicitly comparing the psalmist's soul to "a child that is weaned of his mother" through the use of the comparative "as." This simile is remarkably effective because it draws on a universally understood human experience of childhood development and maturation, making the abstract concept of spiritual peace tangible and deeply relatable. The image of a weaned child evokes a powerful sense of contentment, security, patience, and a cessation of restless craving, providing a vivid and poignant picture of the desired spiritual state. Furthermore, there is a significant use of Repetition in the verse, with the phrase "as a weaned child" appearing twice. This repetition serves to reinforce the central metaphor, emphasize its profound significance, and underscore the depth of the spiritual posture that the psalmist has achieved and desires to maintain for his soul.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 131:2 articulates a profound theological truth about the nature of spiritual maturity: it is characterized not by restless striving, demanding prayer, or anxious ambition, but by a humble, quiet, and settled trust in God. This "weaned" state signifies a soul that has learned to relinquish control, surrendering its anxieties, desires, and even its perceived needs to divine sovereignty. It represents a progression beyond a transactional faith that constantly seeks immediate gratification or specific outcomes from God, towards a relational faith that finds deep satisfaction and security in God's presence, character, and wisdom, regardless of external circumstances. This posture of quiet dependence is a hallmark of true spiritual wisdom and profound inner peace, reflecting a heart that has found its ultimate rest and contentment in the Lord Himself, understanding that His timing and provision are always perfect.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 131:2 extends a profound and tender invitation to each of us to examine the true state of our souls. Are we, in our spiritual walk, still akin to unweaned infants—constantly crying out for what we think we need, restless, demanding, and easily agitated when our immediate desires are not met? Or have we matured into a quiet, settled contentment, trusting God's timing and provision even when our immediate cravings are not satisfied? This verse challenges us to actively "behave and quiet" our souls, which implies a conscious, intentional spiritual discipline. It calls us to bring our anxieties, our unfulfilled ambitions, our restless cravings, and our need for control before God, and then deliberately choose to rest in His sovereign care and perfect wisdom. Cultivating this "weaned" posture fosters a profound inner peace that is not dependent on fluctuating external circumstances but on a deep, abiding, and mature trust in the One who holds all things together. This spiritual surrender frees us from the tyranny of our own desires and allows us to find true rest and satisfaction in God's presence alone.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "as a child that is weaned of his mother" truly mean in a spiritual sense?
Spiritually, being "as a child that is weaned of his mother" signifies a profound state of mature trust, deep contentment, and quiet surrender, moving beyond the restless, demanding nature often characteristic of spiritual infancy. An unweaned infant cries incessantly for immediate gratification (milk), its entire being focused on this singular, urgent need. A weaned child, however, has learned patience, security, and a different form of dependence; it still relies entirely on its mother for sustenance and comfort, but it does so without the urgent, clamoring insistence. In a spiritual sense, it means relinquishing our demanding desires, our need for immediate answers or specific outcomes from God, and instead resting in His presence and sovereign care. It's a surrender of self-will and a deep acceptance of God's wisdom and timing, leading to profound inner peace, as seen in Psalm 4:8. It implies a settled satisfaction in God Himself, rather than merely in what He can provide or how quickly He provides it.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The humble, quieted soul described in Psalm 131:2 finds its ultimate fulfillment and perfect embodiment in the person of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist actively strives to quiet his soul, Jesus perfectly exemplified this state of complete dependence and humble submission to the Father's will. He did not come seeking His own glory, pursuing earthly ambitions, or demanding immediate gratification, but continually declared, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me" (John 5:30). His entire life was a testament to the weaned child's contentment, accepting the Father's provision and timing, even unto the ultimate sacrifice of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). He invites us to find this same profound rest, promising, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29). Through Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to shed our restless cravings and enter into the profound peace of a soul truly weaned from worldly anxieties and fully dependent on the Father's loving, perfect care, just as He was.