Psalm 131
The
message of Psalm 131 is incredibly subtle. At first it seems
like this is a psalm of sorrow when the psalmist says, “My heart is not lifted
up.” But this is not a complaint. This is not a place where the
psalmist is downcast.
This is a
psalm where the psalmist is humble. As we read on, we understand that the
psalmist is working himself into a place where he understands his
limitations. The psalmist wants to focus on that which is within his
grasp. In a sense, this psalm is the psalm of the practical person.
There are psalms for the visionary; but this is not one of them. This is
a psalm for the “worker bee,” for “Joe Average,” and for all the “indians” who
happen to be really skilled at following “chiefs.” If you are person who
enjoys having a task and doing the task and letting someone else set the
agenda, this psalm is for you!
The
psalmist says that he does not occupy himself with things too great for
him. At first this might sound like someone who is suffering from a lack
of motivation. Or perhaps it sounds like someone who is lazy. But
that isn’t actually what is going on at all. What the psalmist is saying
is a confession of trust. The psalmist is willing to focus on that which
he can grasp and simply trust God to handle the rest. First and foremost,
this is a psalm about trust in God. Every good “worker bee” must
have trust as one of their assets. A worker bee that does not trust the
leadership above them will not be able to do much in terms of productive work.
Then the
psalmist goes on to say that he has calmed and quieted his soul. Again
this is a comment about trust. There are many things in the world that
can upset us and cause us to worry. The psalmist has quieted his soul and
placed his trust in God and knows that God is in control. The psalmist
knows that if God is in control, then everything will work out one way or
another. There is no need to worry when we are working with God.
The same
is true about the analogy of the weaned child to the mother. A mother’s
presence is a comfort to the child. The child should not need to worry
when the mother is around. The child can simply focus on whatever the
child needs to focus and let the mother worry about all the stuff that is
beyond the scope of the child. Again, we see that this psalm is about
trusting God.
Psalm 132
Psalm 132 is
a Psalm of Ascent to turns us to the idea of Zion. Yes, Zion is often
thought of as Jerusalem. But fundamentally there is a difference.
Jerusalem is the earthly city. It is a geographical place. It is
the bricks and walls and stones and mortar. Jerusalem is God’s city upon His holy
hill. But Zion means so much more than that.
Zion is a
messianic term. Zion is the place where the Messiah will dwell. It
is the place where the Messiah will rule. Zion is the place where God’s
people will find protection from the enemies of God. Zion may speak about
Jerusalem, but Zion is so much more than Jerusalem.
This is
why towards the end of the psalm there is so much messianic language. We
hear about the horn that will rise up from David. Of course, as
Christians we know that the horn the psalmist speaks about is Jesus. God
did keep His messianic promise here in this passage. God did raise up a
horn from David. In Jesus we do find protection from God’s very own hand.
In Jesus
the poor have bread. Physically, God does provide for our needs.
But this psalm has a spiritual bent to it as well. Spiritually, Jesus is
the bread that has come down from heaven. We poor sinners – all of us! –
can partake of the bread that is Jesus Christ. We can be clothed as
priests in His salvation – a salvation that in splendor is far better than
anyone could have ever dreamed!
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