Reflections on Psalm 131

Psalms 131 (Contemporary English Version)


1. (A song by David for worship.) I am not conceited, LORD, and I don't waste my time on impossible schemes.
   
2. But I have learned to feel safe and satisfied, just like a young child on its mother's lap.
   
3. People of Israel, you must trust the LORD now and forever.
   

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Knowing the occasion on which this psalm was written would go a long way in better understanding its meaning. Many suppose it was written by David as a young man when he was accused of conspiring to overtake the throne from Saul. That would give one meaning to the psalm. Another meaning, a more general one, could be a determination by David at some point in his life that he would no longer aspire to things too great or lofty but was instead going to calm and quiet himself and let the Lord direct his paths. This is the meaning I lean toward which does not exclude the first setting in which David was accused of aspiring for the throne. It just gives a slightly different perspective to it.

From this perspective we understand David to be saying that although he had certain aspirations in mind for his life, he is now content to accept whatever God has planned for him. He has put his hope in the Lord, not just for the present, but forever. His life is in God's hands. This is the meaning I wish to take from the psalm. I believe it is the best goal we can set for ourselves. As followers of Christ, if we aspire to be true disciples of Christ, I believe it is the only goal we can have. That is, God's purpose for our lives.

As a young man soon out of college and pursuing a vocation, I had certain aspirations for myself. When I came to a serious consideration of committing my life to Christ and what this really meant, I came up against the very issue I am supposing this psalm is addressing. Do I pursue my aspirations or God's? I believe this question to be one of the three major obstacles to being a true disciple of Christ which Christ Himself points out in Luke 14:27. In this verse Jesus says, "You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me." I interpret this cross-carrying as crucifying one's own plans for their life that they might follow Christ.

How can we claim to be followers of Christ if rather than following Him we are pursuing our own aspirations? That doesn't automatically mean going to some remote spot on the globe as a missionary. It merely means we allow Christ to call the shots in our life rather than doing it ourselves. In my estimation, that is the only way to the abundant life that Jesus said He came to provide - "I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance." (John 10:10) Does this sound scary and give feelings of insecurity? Actually, I believe it is the most secure position we can take. God promises to provide for those who put first the kingdom of God. In Matthew 6:33, Christ says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." He said this in the context of talking about having the necessities of life. If we pursue God's plan for us we can be assured of always having what we need. If, instead, we pursue our own plans for life we do not have that guarantee. I call God's plan the most secure one to follow.