The big picture
Psalms 131 opens in verse 1 with “LORD , my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 2 with “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my…”, and closes in verse 3 with “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.” Repeated or prominent terms include child, LORD, myself, weaned, behaved. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 3Psalms 131:1-3
1–3: LORD , my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I…
Psalms 131:1–3 opens with “LORD , my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great…” and reaches “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by child, LORD, myself.
Psalms 131:1-3
King James Version1LORD , my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 131:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 131:2 forms a natural hinge: “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.”
The final note
Psalms 131:3 leaves the reader with “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words child, LORD, myself, weaned, behaved, exercise help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.