Psalm 131:1
“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.”
This short psalm (just 3 verses) is labeled A Song of Ascents. Of David. It is one of a group of ascent psalms attributed to King David. There are several possibilities for the original use of these short psalms. Some suggest that they were sung by those making pilgrimage up to Jerusalem for the festivals, some suggest they were recited by the priests ascending the stairs into the temple courtyard. Either way, they can be seen as psalms to prepare the heart and mind for worship.
One of the elements of worship is humility – having the right perspective of who we are in relation to who God is. We are coming into the presence of the Most High. The more we focus on this truth, the more we remember our place. We are finite, He is infinite. We are fallen, He is perfection.
In our access to God through Christ, we are brought into the family and made co-heirs with Christ. However, we must make sure that the familiarity we are afforded through God’s mercy and grace is tempered with honor and respect.
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
- What do you think David meant by “my eyes are not raised too high?”
- Is this psalm suggesting we shouldn’t pursue the big questions in life?
- What are some things that you can do to prepare your heart for worship? List one or two in the comments below.
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you?
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
Photo by Alain Wong on Unsplash