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Psalm 131

Psa. 131:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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1
<<A Song
shiyr (Hebrew #7892)
from 7891; a song; abstractly, singing
KJV usage: musical(-ick), X sing(-er, -ing), song.
Pronounce: sheer
Origin: or feminine shiyrah {shee-raw'}
of degrees
ma`alah (Hebrew #4609)
elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grade-mark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)
KJV usage: things that come up, (high) degree, deal, go up, stair, step, story.
Pronounce: mah-al-aw'
Origin: feminine of 4608
of David
David (Hebrew #1732)
Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse
KJV usage: David.
Pronounce: daw-veed'
Origin: rarely (fully)
.>> Lord
Yhovah (Hebrew #3068)
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
KJV usage: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
Pronounce: yeh-ho-vaw'
Origin: from 1961
, my heart
leb (Hebrew #3820)
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
KJV usage: + care for, comfortably, consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly, wisdom.
Pronounce: labe
Origin: a form of 3824
is not haughty
gabahh (Hebrew #1361)
to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty
KJV usage: exalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward.
Pronounce: gaw-bah'
Origin: a primitive root
, nor mine eyes
`ayin (Hebrew #5869)
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
KJV usage: affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
Pronounce: ah'-yin
Origin: probably a primitive word
lofty
ruwm (Hebrew #7311)
to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: bring up, exalt (self), extol, give, go up, haughty, heave (up), (be, lift up on, make on, set up on, too) high(-er, one), hold up, levy, lift(-er) up, (be) lofty, (X a-)loud, mount up, offer (up), + presumptuously, (be) promote(-ion), proud, set up, tall(-er), take (away, off, up), breed worms.
Pronounce: room
Origin: a primitive root
: neither do I δexercise
halak (Hebrew #1980)
a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
KJV usage: (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread, still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.
Pronounce: haw-lak'
Origin: akin to 3212
myself in great matters
gadowl (Hebrew #1419)
from 1431; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
KJV usage: + aloud, elder(-est), + exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
Pronounce: gaw-dole'
Origin: or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}
, or in things too ηhigh
pala' (Hebrew #6381)
properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful
KJV usage: accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).
Pronounce: paw-law'
Origin: a primitive root
for me.
δ
walk.
η
wonderful,
Job 42:3• 3Who is he that obscureth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered what I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. (Job 42:3)
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More on:

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David,
Heart,
Songs of Degrees

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-2:  David, professing his humility,
3:  exhorts Israel to trust in God.
(Title.)
A Song of degrees.Some think that this Psalm was composed by David when accused by Saul and his courtiers that he affected the crown; though others refer it to the time of the captivity; and consider it as containing a fair account of the manner in which the captives behaved themselves.
Psa. 122:1• 1A Song of degrees. Of David. I rejoiced when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Jehovah. (Psa. 122:1)
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Psa. 124:1• 1A Song of degrees. Of David. If it had not been Jehovah who was for us--oh let Israel say-- (Psa. 124:1)
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Psa. 133:1• 1A Song of degrees. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psa. 133:1)
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Psa. 133•  (Psa. 133)
:*titles
my heart.
Num. 12:3• 3But the man Moses was very meek, above all men that were upon the face of the earth. (Num. 12:3)
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Deut. 17:20• 20that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his sons, in the midst of Israel. (Deut. 17:20)
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1 Sam. 16:13,18,22• 13And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
 18And one of the young men answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing, and he is a valiant man and a man of war, and skilled in speech, and of good presence, and Jehovah is with him.
 22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he has found favour in my sight. (1 Sam. 16:13,18,22)
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1 Sam. 17:15,28‑29• 15But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
 28And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard while he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why art thou come down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
 29And David said, What have I now done? Was it not laid upon me? (1 Sam. 17:15,28‑29)
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1 Sam. 18:23• 23And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? (1 Sam. 18:23)
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Matt. 11:29• 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls; (Matt. 11:29)
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Acts 20:19• 19serving the Lord with all lowliness, and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews; (Acts 20:19)
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1 Thess. 2:6‑7,10• 6nor seeking glory from men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have been a charge as Christ's apostles;
 7but have been gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse would cherish her own children.
 10*Ye* are witnesses, and God, how piously and righteously and blamelessly we have conducted ourselves with you that believe: (1 Thess. 2:6‑7,10)
neither.
Psa. 78:70‑72• 70And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
 71From following the suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
 72And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands. (Psa. 78:70‑72)
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Jer. 17:16• 16But as for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd in following thee, neither have I desired the fatal day, thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face. (Jer. 17:16)
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Jer. 45:5• 5And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not; for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith Jehovah; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou shalt go. (Jer. 45:5)
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Amos 7:14‑15• 14And Amos answered and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.
 15And Jehovah took me as I followed the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. (Amos 7:14‑15)
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Rom. 12:16• 16Have the same respect one for another, not minding high things, but going along with the lowly: be not wise in your own eyes: (Rom. 12:16)
exercise.
Heb. walk.
high for me.
Heb. wonderful for me.
Psa. 139:6• 6O knowledge too wonderful for me! it is high, I cannot attain unto it. (Psa. 139:6)
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Job 42:3• 3Who is he that obscureth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered what I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. (Job 42:3)
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Rom. 11:33• 33O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! (Rom. 11:33)
• Psa. 131 is the humility of heart that will be manifest in the twelve tribes of Israel resulting from their deep soul searching and self-judgment in the preceding psalm. Zeph. 3:11-13. (“Book 5.” by B. Anstey)
• Psalms 130 describes the anguish of soul before the Lord on account of iniquities. Psalms 131 depicts the chastened spirit that results from the realization of the grace of the Lord when in the depths of anguish on account of sins. (“Psalms 131” by H. Smith)
• Through the exercises of his soul the godly man becomes marked by lowliness that makes nothing of self, and meekness that gives place to others. Thus the natural haughtiness of the heart, that makes everything self, is judged, and the lofty eyes that look down upon others are condemned. With a chastened spirit the soul ceases to exercise itself with things unrevealed by God, and therefore too wonderful for its comprehension. (“Psalms 131” by H. Smith)
• Psa. 131 gives us another character of the returning soul—the soul right with God. It is not speculative or haughty in mind, does not reason about matters. (“Practical Reflections on the Psalms: Psalms 120-131” by J.N. Darby)

J. N. Darby Translation

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

JND Translation Notes

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d
Lit. "have I walked."