Chapter Summary

The lowliness and humility of a sanctified heart.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 131

1. How does this Psalm create a framework for our soul? How does it serve as a blueprint for our to carry our heart before The Lord?
2. Psalm 131:1, “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”(ESV) What is David renouncing in this verse? What direction is he pointing his heart towards? What heart posture would be produced through this?
3. What things do you consider “too great” or “too marvelous” for you? How does this impact your walk with God?
4. Psalm 131:2, “But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (ESV) What does this verse teach us about the connection between self control and humility? How can this promote accountability to “quiet” one’s soul?
5. How can this Psalm prompt your heart towards stillness and serenity? How can you personally apply this same sense of calm to your life this week?
6. How does the metaphor of a weaning child in verse two shape our understanding of the passage? How does it capture the heart of what the Psalmist is saying?
7. What does verse two teach us about God’s desire for the bond between a mother and child?
8. Psalm 131:3, “O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.” (ESV) How do you think this exhortation prompted Israel to find contentment in The Lord?
9. How do each of these verses blend with one another? How do they each carry and display the same theme?
10. Charles Spurgeon said of this Psalm that “It is one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn. It speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” Considering this, what does it look like for you to dwell on and learn from God’s Word even when the words are few?

Key Words/Phrase

Humility, v. 1.

Characters

God, David.

Strong Verse(s)