Psalm 131
Psalm 131 | |
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"Lord, my heart is not haughty" | |
Song of Ascents | |
Other name |
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Language | Hebrew (original) |
Psalm 131 is the 131st psalm of the
The psalm is one of the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Shir Hama'alot), and one of three psalms consisting of only three verses.[2] It is attributed to David and is classified among the psalms of confidence.
The psalm forms a regular part of
Background
Psalm 131 is one of the shortest chapters in the
Text
Hebrew
The following table shows the Hebrew text[6][7] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) |
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1 | שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ | A Song of Ascents; of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; Neither do I exercise myself in things too great, or in things too wonderful for me. |
2 | אִם־לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀ וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child with his mother; My soul is with me like a weaned child. |
3 | יַחֵ֣ל יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ | O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and for ever. |
King James Version
- 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.
- Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
- Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
Themes
Charles Spurgeon notes that this psalm is both by and about David, expressing his humility, his confidence, and his commitment to perform the will of God.[8] The Midrash pairs the phrases in verse 1 with specific events in David's life that he could certainly have bragged about, yet he retained his humility. These events were:[9]
- "My heart was not haughty" – when Samuel anointed me king
- "nor were my eyes lofty" – when I slew Goliath
- "neither did I swagger about" – when I was restored to my kingship
- "nor did I accept as my due things too high for me" – when I had the Ark of God brought up out of Philistine captivity
When asked what it means to trust in God, the Vilna Gaon quoted verse 2 of this psalm. He explained that just as a nursing baby that is satiated doesn't worry whether there will be more milk for him when he is hungry again, one who trusts in God does not worry about the future.[10]
The Jerusalem Bible notes a parallel with the words of the prophet Isaiah:
- Your salvation lay in conversion and tranquility, your strength in complete trust;
- and you would have none of it.[11]
Uses
Judaism
Psalm 131 is one of the 15 Songs of Ascents recited after the Shabbat afternoon prayer in the period between Sukkot and Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat prior to Passover).[12]
Catholicism
Since the
Currently, in the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 131 is in the Office of Readings on Saturday of the first week and vespers on Tuesday of the third week of the four weekly cycle of liturgical prayers. In the liturgy of the Mass, it is recited in the 31st week on Sunday A8, and in the 31st week on Mondays in even years and Tuesdays in odd years.
Musical settings
The psalm in Hebrew is the text of the final movement of Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, an extended work for choir and orchestra, with verse 1 of Psalm 133 added.[15]
The English composer David Bednall composed a choral anthem titled "O Lord, I am not haughty" using Psalm 131 that was sung by The Queen's College, Oxford choir on their 2018 recording, The House of the Mind.
References
- ^ "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 130 (131)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
- ^ Samet, Rav Elchanan (2018). "Shiur #08: Psalm 117 - 'O Praise The Lord, All You Nations' The Shortest Psalm in the Book of Tehillim". Yeshivat Har Etzion. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ISBN 9781575678467.
- JSTOR 42614069.
- ISBN 9780830817832.
- ^ "Psalms – Chapter 131". Mechon Mamre.
- ^ "Psalms 131 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
- ^ Spurgeon, Charles (2013). "Psalm 131:1". Bible Study Tools. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- ^ "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 131" (PDF). matsati.com. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- ISBN 9780873066570.
- ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), Isaiah 30:15 and footnote a to Psalm 131
- ISBN 978-0899066509.
- Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, reprinted 2007) p. 46.
- ^ Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique, (1938/2003) p. 499.
- ^ "Chichester Psalms (III. Psalm 131 [complete] and Psalm 133 [verse 1])". BBC. 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
External links
- Pieces with text from Psalm 131: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Psalm 131: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Psalms Chapter 131 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
- Psalm 131 – David’s Humble, Learned Contentment in the LORD text and detailed commentary, enduringword.com
- A song of ascents. Of David. "LORD, my heart is not proud" text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Psalm 131:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
- Psalm 131 / Refrain: O Israel, trust in the Lord. Church of England
- Psalm 131 at biblegateway.com
- Hymnary.org, Hymns for Psalm 131