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Daily Devotion: Psalm 131:1-3

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Psalm 131:1-3     "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.  (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.  (3)  Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever."

I include the entire Psalm this morning because it seems to convey one thought in all three verses.  As I read these verses, it seems that David has just experienced a great victory in his life. It is not revealed to us as to what kind of victory, but it must have been one that was very special to him.  Take a moment to think back on your life. It may have been something in your past, or it could be something that you are experiencing at the moment.  It may be something you are anticipating in the future. But think about a time when you experienced victory in your life. Something happened that caused you to feel that you were on top of the world.  How did you respond?

The human response to which we must constantly be on guard is to think we have done something on our own to gain such a victory.  In David's experience of victory, he was determined not to have a haughty, or prideful, response.  He was determined not to think more highly of himself than was healthy for his future struggles.  He was determined not to think he could conquer the world at that point because he had been given one particular victory.  He compared himself to a weaned child who had entered a new dimension of life. It was both exciting and frightening. He was determined to be guarded.

Verse three brings him to the place where we all should be. There is hope, always hope, that is found in the Lord.  Again, we don't know if this was written after going against the bear and lion, or Goliath, or after he was made king of Israel. But whatever the victory that had been experienced by David, He was determined to give all glory and all credit unto the Lord.  This Psalm is a reminder to us that we must never stop trusting and depending upon the Lord for all things.  He is our defense. He is the lifter of our head when we are down. And He is the source of every victory we have ever or will ever experience.  Let us give Him praise!

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