Humility
Psalm 131 is a very short Psalm, but it has rich truths. It can be divided into three parts. Today’s little study will look at the first part – Humility. This Psalm is another of the Songs of Degrees and is attributed to David. It begins thus, “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.” (verse 1) David, though a great man and a king and ruler of a kingdom, humbled himself before God. He did not think that he knew everything or try to question God about the things he could not understand.
There are some things known only to God, and we must simply submit and trust that God knows them. God knows about us. He knows what we have done and what we are going to do; He knows whether we are working, playing, traveling, or lying down to rest; He knows every word in our tongue. David said to God, “5) Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” (Psalm 139:6) This is one of the things too high for us to understand.
When God revealed to Job many amazing things about creation, He also showed Job that there were many things Job could not understand. He asked Job questions which showed him that there were many things, even in the physical creation all round him that were too high for him. Therefore, the hidden things in the spiritual realm are far beyond what our minds and hearts need to know. Job answered the Lord, “2) I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3) Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” (Job 42:2,3) Then Job humbled himself before the Lord, “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (verse 6)
Our own lives and habits and how we are inside and out and what makes us function the way we do each day are things too high for us. God knows them all before they happen. We cannot even figure many of those things out when they do happen. Many of the wonders of creation and the mysteries of the spiritual world are also beyond and above our understanding. Romans 11:33-36 talks about more things that are too high and too wonderful for us, “33) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” God’s judgments, God’s ways, God’s mind, God’s counsels – all these are past what we can find out. Everything exists and subsists through Him. Therefore, to Him be glory forever. Amen.