Like a Weaned Child

My Heart Is Not Haughty

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Paul said, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Long before Paul, a psalm writer sang about a heart that is at rest with God.

A prayer (131:1). The song begins by talking to God: “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty.”

Haughty and lofty. Haughty means proud, thinking you are better than others. Lofty eyes look down on people.

Not looking down. The writer told God that he did not look down on others. A humble heart treats everyone with kindness.

Too great for me. “Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.” Some things are too deep and hard for us to understand.

Things only God knows. Many questions are too big for us, like why hard things happen or what tomorrow will bring. The psalm writer did not try to carry those things by himself.

Big questions. It is good to ask questions and to learn. But we can leave the things we cannot understand in God’s hands.

Letting God be God. A proud heart wants to be in charge of everything. A humble heart trusts God to be in charge.

Humble, not ashamed. Being humble does not mean thinking you are worthless. God made you and loves you. A humble heart simply knows that God is great and trusts Him.

Jesus was humble. Jesus is God the Son, yet He came to serve. He was never proud or unkind.

Our sin. Pride is one kind of sin. All of us have sinned, and we cannot make our hearts humble and clean by ourselves.

The cross. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Trust Him. Everyone who trusts Jesus is forgiven. He gives His children a new heart that can rest in Him.

What this means for you. When a big question bothers you this week, tell God that it is too big for you, but not for Him. Then talk about it with a parent or a grown-up you trust.

Paul wrote, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11). A psalm writer described the same settled heart long before.

The prayer (131:1). “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty.” The writer speaks straight to God. A haughty heart is lifted up in pride; lofty eyes look down on others.

Honest, not boastful. Is the writer bragging about his humility? No. He is telling God where his heart has come to rest, and that rest is a gift from God.

Great matters (131:1). “Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.” Some questions belong to God alone: the timing of events, the reasons behind suffering, what the future holds.

Still asking. Does this mean we should stop asking hard questions? No. Scripture invites us to seek wisdom. The psalm writer does not demand answers that God has not given.

Pride and control. Pride often shows up as a need to control outcomes. Humility trusts God with what lies outside our control.

Humility rightly understood. Humility is not thinking badly of yourself. It is thinking rightly about God, and then about yourself in His light.

Christ’s example. Jesus, the eternal Son, did not cling to His rights but humbled Himself all the way to the cross. Humility marked His whole life.

Pride as sin. Pride puts self in God’s place. Every person has sinned this way, and no one can cure pride by effort.

The cure. Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He took the judgment our pride deserved.

Received by faith. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Trusting Christ begins with admitting we cannot save ourselves.

A heart at rest. Those who belong to Christ learn, over time, to rest their great questions in God’s hands.

Bring the questions. Big questions can be prayed instead of carried alone. Tell God, and talk with a parent, a pastor or another grown-up you trust.

Application. Write down one question you cannot answer right now. Pray over it, and tell God you trust Him with it.

Calmed and Quieted

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Calm and quiet (131:2). “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

A weaned child. A baby drinks milk from its mother. A weaned child is a little older and eats other food now. When a weaned child comes to its mother, it is not crying to be fed. It simply wants to be close to her.

Resting, not grabbing. The writer’s soul was like that child. He did not come to God only to get things. He came to be near God, and he was at peace.

Little by little. The writer said, “I have calmed and quieted my soul.” Learning to rest in God takes time. Trust grows little by little.

Feelings are welcome. Does a calm soul never feel upset? No. Children still feel scared and sad sometimes. Feeling worried or sad is not a sin. You can tell God, and tell a parent or a grown-up you trust.

A faithful love. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15). God’s love is even more faithful than a loving mother’s.

Hope (131:3). “O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever.” The writer turned from his own heart to all of God’s people. To hope in the Lord is to wait for Him with trust, sure that He is good.

A hope that lasts. This hope begins today and never runs out, because the Lord never changes.

Like Paul. Paul learned to be content in plenty and in need. The writer learned to rest in God like a child with its mother. Both found their peace in God, not in what they had.

Our sin. Our sin separated us from God, and we could not fix it by ourselves.

Jesus brings us home. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven and welcomed into God’s family.

Children of God. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Resting in Him. God’s children can come to Him just to be near Him, like a child resting with its mother.

What this means for you. Take a quiet minute each day this week. Sit still, breathe slowly and tell God that you trust Him.

A quieted soul (131:2). “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

Quieted. Quieted is damam (say: dah-MAHM), to be still and silent. The writer has stilled the noise inside him before God, the way muddy water settles and clears.

The weaned child. A nursing infant comes to its mother restless and demanding. A weaned child can rest against her without demanding anything. The picture is a soul that seeks God for Himself, not only for what He gives.

Learned over time. Weaning takes time and often tears. Contentment is learned in the same way, just as Paul said he had learned it.

Not numbness. Does a quieted soul mean feelings are wrong? No. Feeling worried or sad is not a sin. Bring those feelings to God, and talk with a parent or a grown-up you trust.

A faithful love. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15). The Lord’s care is steadier than the most loving parent’s.

Waiting silently. Another psalm says, “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation” (Psalm 62:1). Quietness before God is trust, not emptiness.

Hope (131:3). “O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever.” Hope is yachal (say: yah-KHAL), to wait with confident expectation. The writer’s own peace becomes a call to all of God’s people.

Forever. This hope has no end date. It rests on the Lord, who does not change.

The barrier. Every person has sinned, and sin leaves us far from God. No one can quiet guilt by effort.

Peace made. Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Through Him, believers are forgiven and brought near.

By faith. This peace is received by trusting Christ, not achieved by calming ourselves down.

Content in God. Paul’s contentment and the psalm writer’s quiet soul come from the same place: God Himself is enough.

Application. Spend five unhurried minutes with God each day this week with no requests at all. Thank Him and rest in His presence.

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Complete all sections to finish!

Read each section and answer the questions correctly.