King David addresses God with a super short song about his contentment and yet his hymnlett is chuck full of apparent paradox that are easy to miss. A song both far shorter than the Priates of Penzance song on paradox and far far more subtle. King David is, after all, the poet of the ages. Psalm 131. Three verses long, making it one of the shortest psalms. A song of contentment of only three verses emphasizing contentment. There is more than meets the eye as the verses are laden with apparent paradox designed to stretch the hearts and minds of the singers.

1. Discussion Guide
week 7 - Psalm 131
King David addresses God with a short song of contentment
A hymnlett of paradox

2. Psalm 131: A song of paradoxical contentment
A Psalm of David
David addresses the Lord on how he has come
to a point of contentment and David encourages others
to grow to a stage of contentment as well. His short
song will contain a surprising number of paradox
given it is only 3 verses long.

3. Psalm 131: A song of paradoxical contentment
A Psalm of David
Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame
of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and
fatherly disposal in every condition.
from “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” by Jeremiah Buroughs

4. A Psalm of David
Psalm 131English Standard Version (ESV)
I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
131
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3
O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 131: A song of paradoxical contentment

5. Ponder the paradox
I do not lift up my eyes
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high
Psalm 131:1a
Earlier in the Psalms of ascent the Psalmist
sings ‘I lift my eyes to the hills’ , yet here
the song is ‘I don’t lift up my eyes.’

6. Think and discuss
1. In what sense do you lift up your eyes
to the hills and see past them to God
that is good?
2.In what sense can the looking be
haughty or proud and something to
avoid?
3.What makes for a puffed look of self
sufficiency?
4.What makes for a humble look of
dependence toward God?

7. Ponder the paradox
I do not concern myself with things too
wonderful for me. Wonder at the lack of
wonder.
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
Psalm 131:1b
God is the one who’s name is wonderful,
His deeds are wonderful. Additionally,
this is King David speaking as we know
from the inscription that this is a Psalm of
David. Why is the king and this king in
particular, saying he doesn’t do things too
difficult or ponder things too wonderful?

8. Think and discuss
1.God is incomprehensible but God is
knowable. What things are examples of
each?
2.We cannot even in heaven plumb the
depths of God, some saying it will take
forever, but there are things we can know
here and now.
3.How might we strive to know God?
4.What areas might we rest in not knowing
something about God or His plans?
5.Is it better to ask ‘how long’ than ‘why’?
What practical difference might not
obsessing over what you don’t know and
resting in what you do?

9. A baby before being weaned
Wants what he wants
Wants it now

10. Ponder the paradox
My soul is like a weaned child
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Psalm 131:2
David is a man’s man and a warrior.
Why is King David comparing himself
to a baby? Additionally, this psalm
serves as a short prelude to the very
long psalm following that calls the
hearers to ‘remember the sufferings of
David.’ A life with sufferings yet content
and calm? How so?

11. A baby after being weaned
Content to be with mom

12. Think and discuss
1.What sorts of problems may have led
to David not wanting to deal with things
too wonderful and to find rest in God
2.How might a believer be like a non
weaned child who’s main concern is
immediate fulfillment of hunger and
cannot wait even a moment.
3. What importance is conveyed in the
image? The weaned child image is
repeated and an oath construct is used
for purpose of emphasis.
4.How might a believer grow to just find
contentment with God and not what
God supplies, trusting in who God is,
resting in it and enjoying it.

14. Ponder the paradox
I have calmed my soul
Having sung about trust in God,
the writer speak of calming his own soul.
A paradox?

16. Think and discuss
1. What work does God do
2. What works do we cooperate with God
in doing
3. What might we do?

18. Ponder the paradox
Peace upon Israel
O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 131:3
The king goes from singing about being like
a baby to a blessing on Israel. Why the jump?

19. Think and discuss
1. What role do we have in blessing?
2. How should a believer move from the
colicky phase of a pre-weaned nursed
child to a peaceful child
3. The child being weaned may not
understand at first but is eventually more
peaceful. Is that a good analogy to a
believer growing through problems of
life?
4.What connection does all this have to
having peace within yourself?

20. How this psalm fits
bigger picture
This little song of contentment serves as
both a prelude and a highlight for the much longer
Psalm that follows. Psalm 132 if a psalm saying to
‘remember the sufferings of David’ with 18 verses.
The sufferings of David compares and contrasts with
the contentment of David. The longer psalm 132 is
surrounded by 3 psalm-lings of only 3 verses each for
emphasis. Psalms 131, 133 and 134. A fitting ending
of the journey of the 15 Psalms of ascents

21. fin’
discussion guide Psalm 131 on contentment