Psalm 131 - 1.1.26

Scripture:

“My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭131‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation: 

I believe David writes in this psalm to testify about the importance of where we find our contentment and where we focus our minds.

He uses this metaphor of a weened child to help us visualize what it means to know the source of our life. A child knows that their mother is what brought them into this world and lives in dependence. This psalm invites us to rid ourselves of dependence on anything else and live humbly dependent on our abba father.

As I read this psalm, I was so thankful that this was going to be offered to us to read as a church on the 1st day of 2026. So often, the first day of a new year brings us to feel like we have to add so much to our lives in order to change them into our ideal lives.

David is testifying to us of what it looks like to be people who live letting go of what is futile and what clutters our minds. To care for this world by not consuming it to the point of destroying ourselves, rather consuming Christ and finding hope and contentment fully in Him, in order to love this world and God’s people well. In order to walk into this new year and strongly represent Jesus as His disciples and His children, we must be strengthened by the things we consume and what we focus our minds and hearts on. This psalm offers us a chance to declutter our minds and souls by fixating on what brings true contentment to our lives always—resting our hope in the Lord and living to prioritize His presence. We must see that in order for 2026 to be the year that God has for us, finding all our hope in the Lord and living to prioritize His presence will be the pathway there.

Like a weened child, 2026 can be the year of knowing we need a beautiful relationship with the source of all peace, all hope, all joy, all love, and all life. We will undoubtably find that if we daily and moment-to-moment choose to fixate our eyes and whole lives on our ultimate comfort rather than temporary comforts or distractions found on our phones, in the media, and in this world.

Application:

* Today, a way you can tangibly apply this scripture is to physically set aside your phone and any media for the first day of 2026. Put your phone in a drawer for an hour or the whole day to help you notice the noise and eliminate it. I love this quote from John Mark Comer:

“This new epidemic of distraction is our civilization’s specific weakness. And its threat is not so much to our minds, even as they shape-shift under the pressure. The threat is to our souls. At this rate, if the noise does not relent, we might even forget we have any.” - John Mark Comer from Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

By setting aside distraction for the first day of 2026, you may recognize how much your mind is consumed with noise and weight that is not yours to carry. In this time pick up time in the beautify and presence of the Lord. 

* As our church heads into 28 days of prayer and fasting, print this psalm out and put it somewhere you can continually see it - do this to remind yourself that letting go of what is not meant for you and handing it to God, who is meant to hold it for us, and is worth it in the long run. 

Prayer:

Abba father,

Thank you for being the father who cares to carry us and all we try to hold on our own, even when it is not ours to hold. Thank you for your patience with us as we navigate living in this world while not becoming it. Lord teach us the way David lived. Show us the fruit that comes from setting aside the things that consume our minds when they are not supposed to be carried by us. Teach us to lay things down and find contentment in being dependent on you, rather than comforts of this world.  Help me not concern myself with what is too great for my arms to hold, help me learn to hand this off and into your arms and strength.  I love you so much Lord, I love you and all you are. In your name, Amen.

- Tess Schrupp