The Meaning of Psalms 131:2 Explained

Psalms 131:2

KJV: Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

YLT: Have I not compared, and kept silent my soul, As a weaned one by its mother? As a weaned one by me is my soul.

Darby: Surely I have restrained and composed my soul, like a weaned child with its mother: my soul within me is as a weaned child.

ASV: Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Surely I have behaved  and quieted  myself,  as a child that is weaned  of his mother:  my soul  [is] even as a weaned child. 

What does Psalms 131:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

David had stopped being self-assertive and restless. Rather than constantly seeking self-gratification, he now rested in his lot. The ability to rest and be quiet, rather than struggling for what we want, is a sign of maturity as well as humility.

Context Summary

Psalm 131:1-3 - "out Of The Depths"
The cry, Psalms 130:1-2. The word Lord occurs as often as there are verses. The soul in trouble repeats again and again that precious Name, in which comfort and help are summed up. The chief cause of anguish, Psalms 130:3-4, is the memory of our sins. But our iniquities are not marked save by the jewels of forgiveness, like the pearls of an oyster that are set in the place where it was wounded. The soul's attitude, Psalms 130:5-6. It waits! He will surely come though He seems to tarry. Plenteous redemption, Psalms 130:7. It is not enough for God to forgive. He will abundantly pardon.
Psalms 131:1-3
The cry of the child-heart. The psalmist said this in all simplicity. He did not exercise himself (literally "walk to and fro") in things beyond his powers, but left God to reveal them to him, as he was able to receive them. We are reminded of Matthew 11:25. Clearly he had not reached this position without effort. He had found it necessary to still and quiet himself, as a nurse quiets a fretful babe. There had been a time when he was fed at the breast of the world's consolations. The weaning had been hard, but he had learned to get all from God and to draw on His sustaining grace. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 131

1  David professing his humility
3  Exhorts Israel to trust in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 131:2 mean?

Surely not I have calmed and quieted my soul Like a weaned child with his mother Like a weaned child within me [is] my soul
אִם־ לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀ וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי

אִם־  Surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀  I  have  calmed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁוָה 
Sense: to agree with, be or become like, level, resemble.
וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי  and  quieted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּמַם 
Sense: to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb.
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
כְּ֭גָמֻל  Like  a  weaned  child 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
אִמּ֑וֹ  his  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
כַּגָּמֻ֖ל  Like  a  weaned  child 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
עָלַ֣י  within  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
נַפְשִֽׁי  [is]  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.