The Meaning of Psalms 131:1 Explained

Psalms 131:1

KJV: {A Song of degrees of David.} 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.

YLT: A Song of the Ascents, by David. Jehovah, my heart hath not been haughty, Nor have mine eyes been high, Nor have I walked in great things, And in things too wonderful for me.

Darby: {A Song of degrees. Of David.} Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, and in things too wonderful for me.

ASV: Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, Or in things too wonderful for me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{A Song  of degrees  of David.  }} 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. 

What does Psalms 131:1 Mean?

Study Notes

A Song of degrees of David
See title note; .
A Song of degrees
Literally, "of ascents." Perhaps chanted by the people as they went up to Jerusalem to the feasts. See, e.g. Psalms 112:1 ; Psalms 112:2 .

Verse Meaning

David claimed that he had not been proud. Pride is essentially a belief that one does not need God but is self-sufficient. Haughty or lofty looks with the eyes betray a proud attitude because they look down on other people with a feeling of superiority (cf. Psalm 18:27; Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 6:17; Proverbs 30:13). Pride also manifests itself in taking on projects for which one is not capable and thinking that one can handle them. The proud person overestimates his own abilities as well as his own importance. The humble person, however, has a realistic understanding of his or her capabilities and limitations (cf. Romans 12:3).
"The godly knows that true godliness begins in the "heart" that is not proud (cf. Proverbs 18:12), with eyes that do not envy (cf. Psalm 18:27; Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 16:5), and with a walk of life ( Matthew , "I do not walk" for NIV, "I do not concern myself") that is not preoccupied with "greatness" (cf. Jeremiah 45:5) and with accomplishments ("wonderful," i.e, "difficult" or "arduous"; cf. Deuteronomy 17:8; Deuteronomy 30:11)." [1]

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 131

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

What do the individual words in Psalms 131:1 mean?

A Song of Ascents of David Yahweh not is haughty my heart nor lofty my eyes and neither do I concern myself with great matters nor with things too profound for me
שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־ גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־ רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־ הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי

שִׁ֥יר  A  Song 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת  of  Ascents 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַעֲלָה 
Sense: what comes up, thoughts.
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
יְהוָ֤ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
גָבַ֣הּ  is  haughty 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּבַהּ  
Sense: to be high, be exalted.
לִ֭בִּי  my  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
וְלֹא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
רָמ֣וּ  lofty 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
עֵינַ֑י  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְלֹֽא־  and  neither 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀  do  I  concern  myself 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת  with  great  matters 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, feminine plural
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת  nor  with  things  too  profound 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: פָּלָא  
Sense: to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action.
מִמֶּֽנִּי  for  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.