This psalm speaks of denying selfish ambition and pride, growing from a child into a spiritual adult. I found a great quote regarding this Psalm: “It is one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn. It speaks of a young child, but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” (Charles Spurgeon)
“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. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.” (v1-3)
Rejecting pride and self is extremely difficult (especially in this day and age). The world wants us to promote our selves – everything is self driven and self-sufficient. Self care, self help, self esteem, bettering my self, self learning, treating my self, etc. The world sometimes uses phrases like “you deserve it” or “you’ve earned it” to inflate this sense of entitlement/pride.
There are many scriptures on pride, too many to quote here, though here’s a favorite passage: “Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (Jas 4:6b-8,10)
James, like the author of this psalm, encourages us to root ourselves and our identities in God – God will promote us as He sees fit, we are not to promote ourselves.
That doesn’t mean we can’t be truthful about the blessings God has given, it means when we talk about the blessings of God, we give God the glory, not our selves. It’s pride and self-glorification God abhors.
For example, for the last few years God has gifted and called me to lead the set construction for TMP’s Christmas production. I need to give Him the glory, and praise Him for the people who are drawn closer to Christ through this production. I am not to become puffed up and brag about “the amazing job ‘I’ did”. It is God who has gifted me, and God gets the glory, and God reaches people through my service – I need to deny my self and praise God, for any ability that is good within me is from Him.
Father God, all honor and glory are Yours alone, for You alone are worthy of praise. May the gifts, abilities and blessings You give us be indicators of Your love and generosity. Father please teach us to direct all glory to You, even when others observe the works of Your hands and words of Your mouth through us. Please help us to give all credit where credit is due. Jesus, please teach us how to do this, so we may follow in Your footsteps, just as You gave all glory to the Father, so should we. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training