Psalm 131
TEXT:
Psalms 131:1-3 (KJV)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.
3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
Introduction:
This may not be one of the longest Psalms, being just three verses, but whatever you do, don’t underestimate the value and the importance of Psalm 131.
If you can get the message of this Psalm into our spirit, I guarantee it will make you a better Christian.
The text deals with man’s pride, his fleshly desire to be first, to be the best, to be the one in charge.
But it also speaks of humility and in our text the Psalmist focuses on
what TRUE Humility is all about.
My friends, make no mistake, being full of pride is a fleshly thing.
being genuinely humble is a spiritual thing.
A person can become filled with PRIDE when he overvalues his self and
undervalues others.
Pride makes one restless.
(1) We become dissatisfied with what we have, our possessions, our
job, our title, our toys, etc…
(2) We begin to worry about what those around us are doing.
(3) We have to have MORE ATTENTION, MORE ADORATION,
we must hear the accolades of the people around us in order to
be satisfied.
In stark contrast;
(1) The Spirit of humility causes one to put others first.
(2) Humility isn’t selfish, or self-seeking.
(3) The humble of heart are content as long as they know that the
Holy Spirit is leading them.
(4) In in the Spirit of humility, we live to please God and in this
becomes our security.
(5) We are released from the pressure of feeling that we must prove
ourselves to others.
A Christian needs the spirit of humility in order to put everything else in its proper prospective.
A Christian is called to serve, not to be served!
I. The Need For Humility
A. Many Bible scholars believe that David wrote this particular psalm
shortly after God had chosen him to succeed Saul as king.
1. While David patiently waited for his time to come, Saul accused
him of seeking the throne out of the pride of his heart.
2. David had been content feeding the sheep and being a good
shepherd but these accusations caused him to do some soul
searching.
B. David came to the conclusion that it wasn’t earthly things that he
aimed for.
1. He had not aimed for anything high or great as this world thinks
of it.
2. Out of David’s soul searching, he concluded that It was God’s Will
and God’s Divine Favor that he sought for.
C. It is important that we ask ourselves, What am I doing here?
What is it that motivates me to do the things I do?
Why is the position so important to me?
1. Do I desire this position because I know it to be HIS will?
2. Am I serving in this position because I rather have it, than to see
someone else in it?
3. Or Am I serving out of Love?
D. Humility helps one to maintain integrity.
Self measurement
A little boy came to his mother one day, saying, “Mamma, I am as tall as
Goliath; I am nine feet high.” “What makes you say that?” His mother asked.
“Well, I made a little ruler of my own and measured myself with it, and I am
Just nine feet high!”
There are many people who follow the little boy’s method, measuring themselves by some rule of their own.
(Knight’s Master Book Of New Illustrations)
2 Cor 10:12 (NLT)
12 Oh, don’t worry; I wouldn’t dare say that I am as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, and measuring themselves by themselves. What foolishness!
II. David Had Aimed At Nothing High Nor Great
A. David was confident that he had done nothing to injure his integrity.
(1) This is so important! I have seen professing Christians and even
some who professed to be ministers of the gospel who lived such
careless lives.
(2) They toss their reputations around like rag dolls.
B. David rejoiced in the fact that he knew within his heart that he
Had walked humbly before his God.
(1) Even when you are careful to approach everything by prayer
and even when you are certain that you have served out of
true humility, there will be those who will accuse you of
having other motives.
(2) In the midst of a heated moment, David’s own brother had
accused him of operating out of pride.
When the giant was threatening Israel
1 Sam 17:28 (KJV)28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
(3) I like David’s Response; “Is there not a cause?”
David turned from one soldier to the other and ask them the
same question.
David was tired of living under the threat of the giant.
David knew it was not God’s Will for His people to live in such
fear.
It was as if David was saying: “Hey, God is for us, what are we
waiting for?”
Let’s stop sitting around here on the defensive, lets go into the offensive mode and put away this giant that dares to threaten the
People of God.
(4) You see, some folks don’t want to do anything much, but they
will quickly accuse anyone who does rise to make a difference
of being prideful.
*Such was the case with David’s older brother.
*And such was the case with King Saul.
(5) David had not aimed at a High Position and he was not desirous of
making a name for himself in the World.
*The God who searches the heart, knew that these charges
against David were groundless.
C. David was not conceited in his opinion of himself, or his own merits.
Psalms 131:1 “LORD, my heart is not haughty,…”
(1) Christians who walk in humility will not think as highly of
themselves as others think of them.
Matt 23:12 (KJV) 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
abase- to bring down, to chasten, to humiliate
(2) Humble Christians are not in love with their own shadow.
Romans 12:10 (KJV)
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
*Preferring One another- caring about the condition of those around
us. We are to lead men and women by way
of example.
(3) The Humble Christian never seeks to magnify his own attainments
or achievements.
Prov 16:18-19 (KJV)
18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
(4) The Christian’s greatest desire is to exalt God!
(5) We give God the credit for all of our achievements in
Kingdom Work and in our own personal lives as well.
Romans 7:18 (KJV)18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Phil 4:13 (KJV)13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
(6) Proverbs 6;16-19 list six things that God hates; Pride is among
that list. (A proud look)
III. David Did Not Look Down On Others
1 LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty:
A. David did not look with envy upon those who were over him.
B. Neither did he look with disdain upon those who were under him.
C. Where there is a proud heart there is commonly a proud look.
Jesus spoke a parable which contrast pride against humility.
Luke 18:10-13 (KJV)
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
IV. David Did Not Employ Himself In Matters Above His Knowledge
Verse 1 “…neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.”
A. We have all seen someone at one time or another who knew
everything or at least thought that they did.
(1) They will interrupt the conversions of others so that they may put
In their tow cents.
(2) No subject is ever above them, if they don’t know something
about any given subject, they will make up something.
(3) I have heard it said that it is better to listen than to speak.
James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,…”
B. Today man thinks that he has to have all of the answers;
(1) Creation and cloning are good examples,
(2) Man feels that he must be able to explain everything that is
around him.
C. What ever happened to living by faith?
Heb 10:38 (KJV)38 “Now the just shall live by faith…”
(1) By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the
Word of God!
(2) No need to spend billions and billions of tax dollars trying to
find and prove some other theory.
D. David just simply took God at His Word.
(1) He meditated upon His Word.
(2) David didn’t pretend to have the answers to all of lives
problems. He just knew that God was God and that, that
was good enough.
E. We must stay within our sphere and not intrude into things
in which we have not seen or meddle with that which does not
belong to us.
EXAMPLE: Those who would add to God’s Word by coming up
with their own addition to it.
EXAMPLE: The cloning of animals etc…
F. There is absolutely nothing shameful about admitting that we
don’t have all of the answers, but we trust God and that is
enough.
G. To know God and to know what our calling in life is learning
Sufficiently High for us.
(1) Even Presidents, Kings and other World Leaders as well
as top military personal must not exercise themselves
in matters too GREAT or too HIGH for men.
V. David Was Felt At Home In Job That God Had Given Him. (Verse 2)
2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
A. David was very much at ease in whatever condition God allotted
him.
(1) He had not proudly aimed at the kingdom.
(2) He knew God’s calling and that God would put him in place
As the king when the timing suited Him.
(3) He had be been as humble as a little child about the age of
Weaning, manageable and governable.
Christ taught humility by this comparison;
Matt 18:3-4 (KJV)
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(4) David had not allowed the wealth and the honor of this world
to control him and his actions.
He was as content in his current position (before becoming king).
A child that has been weaned from the breast is content, it no
longer cries and troughs fits for its mother.
B. A worldly heart desires worldly things as a babe desires the breast,
and just like the babe, the worldly minded will cry for the things
of the world
(1) The worldly minded are fond of worldly things,
They play with worldly things,
They cannot live without them,
C. But a person that is sanctified is weaned from all of those things.
D. A child that has been weaned from the breast no longer desires
milk, but is ready for strong meat.
(1) They are through resisting change.
(2) They are ready to embrace the vision, the calling of God.
VI. David Encourages Others To Trust God Also.
3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
A. David encourages all of Israel to put their trust and their
Confidence in God!
(1) David knew he could wait patiently for the crown in which
God had already promised him, but the people of Israel
Were getting restless.
(2) They wanted change and they were ready to embrace David
As their knew king.
(3) They sang; “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten
thousands.”
B. David is trying to quite the people and he encourages them to
Put their HOPE in the Lord.
(1) They will witness a great change in the kingdom and all of its
affairs in due time.
C. We too must quietly wait for the promise of the Lord.
Psalms 37:7 (KJV)7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Get rid of pride,
Be content while waiting on the Lord,
Encourage others to wait on the Lord,
Prepare while waiting!
Gary L. Smith Senior Pastor, Lexington Church of God
11280 Hwy 101
Lexington Al. 35648
e-mail Smith686@msn.com
