Psalm 131

The Unfashionable Virtue

“If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”  (Luke 18.14 - MESSAGE)

The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, chief rabbi of England, writes:  “How virtues change. Moses, the greatest hero of Jewish tradition, is described by the Bible as "a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."

By today's standards he was clearly wrongly advised. He should have hired an agent, sharpened up his image, let slip some calculated indiscretions about his conversations with the Almighty and sold his story to the press for a six-figure sum.

Humility is the orphaned virtue of our age. Charles Dickens dealt it a mortal blow in his portrayal of the unctuous Uriah Heep, the man who kept saying, "I am the 'umblest person going." Its demise, though, came a century later with the threatening anonymity of mass culture alongside the loss of neighbourhoods and congregations. A community is a place of friends. Urban society is a landscape of strangers.”

Commentators cannot praise psalm 131 too highly: It is ‘a pearl in the psalter.’  ‘A sigh.’  ‘The loveliest little lyric … we have received.’  It is the second shortest psalm after 117 and yet, as Charles Spurgeon says, ‘its few words take a lifetime to learn.’   [Spurgeon – The Treasury of David].

In just a few short lines the psalmist paints a deeply moving picture of the contentment, security, and peace that flow from humble, unreserved trust in            Yahweh.  Humble trust, in fact, is the whole theme of the psalm.  There is a total refusal of pride and ambition.  In the NT Jesus will bless this posture and call it ‘meekness.’ 

Verse 2 strongly suggests the writer of this psalm is a woman.  She paints an intimate picture of the weaned child settling comfortably on to her lap where it experiences complete contentment and security.

We readers of the Gospels are reminded of the mother’s role Jesus modeled when he took the children into his arms and blessed them as models for entrance into the kingdom of God (Matthew 18.1-4).

So what might humility look like?  Anabaptist author, David Augsburger suggests the following:

Humour helps foster humility.  Humility is more easily practiced when we don’t take ourselves too seriously!  He quotes pastor Ryan Ahlgrim who writes that ‘humility is very tricky – it easily turns into another form of pride.  But taking ourselves less seriously can keep our humility true.’

‘Do you know how many true Christians there are in this church?’ one judgmental deacon asked his pastor.  ‘No, I don’t,’ the pastor responded, ‘but I suspect it may be one fewer than you’re thinking.’

Humility takes courage.  In the ancient world of Jesus’ and Paul’s time humility was not a prized virtue.  It designated a lowly social position or your status as a slave.  Humility was the disposition of insignificant people.

The bible has another view.  In the OT, God takes the side of the lowly and downtrodden.  And in the NT Jesus calls to his followers, ‘Come to me all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy, and I will give you rest, for I am gentle and humble-hearted.’  (Matthew 11.28-30).

Humility is wise foolishness.  Menno Simons, a Dutch leader of the Mennonites wrote, ‘I do not refuse to be the whole world’s fool,’ referring to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians.  Menno described his risky life and ministry as humility, well-meant boldness and folly.  ‘I know well that Christ and his apostles promoted the same foolishness.’

Finally, Augsburger concludes, humility is a spirituality of imperfection.  We, as followers of Christ realize our limitations but seek to live more fully into the way of Christ.

Augsburger suggests many of Jesus’ parables hint at true humility.  He playfully paraphrases Luke 18.10-13 as an aide to meditation.  [1]

Pharisee

in front pew,

billing God

credit due.

 

‘I’m unlike

common men,

note how I

disdain sin.’

 

‘Never stole

cent of pound,

never once

fooled around.’

 

‘See how I

tithe and fast?

I’m not like

that outcast!’

 

Taxman kneels,

humbly pleads,

‘Mercy please,

for my deeds.’

 

Jesus asks,

‘Can you guess

which of these

God will bless?’


[1]  David Augsburger – Dissident Discipleship (‘The practice of habitual humility,’ p.99ff).