David Honestly Looks at Himself

David Looks at Himself

Psalm 131

Introduction:

A Psalm of David

Another of the Psalms of Ascent

In this Psalm we see David doing to things

1.      Looking at himself

2.      Look at Israel

I.                   David takes an honest look at himself vv. 1-2

When was the last time that we really took an honest look at ourselves?

We need to examine:

·         our heart for pride

·         Our eyes for being lifted up

·         Our concern for things beyond ourselves

·         Our soul for calmness and peace

How often do we see these areas in the lives of others that need to be worked on and somehow miss them in our own lives?

1.      His heart is not haughty v. 1

Pride is one of those sins that is very easy to see in others but very hard to see in ourselves;  why is that?

Jeremiah 17:9

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

Yet pride is listed in Proverbs as one of the things that God hates

We are told that God resists the proud in James

Pride = rebellion

Pride refuses to depend on God and be subject to Him, but attributes to self the honor due to Him.  It is at the very root and essence of sin. (New Bible Dictionary)

Pride is always condemned by God:

·         National Pride

o       Moab Isaiah 16:6-7

We have heard of the pride of Moab—  He is very proud— Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath;  Buthis lies shall not be so. Therefore Moab shall wail for Moab; Everyone shall wail. For the foundations of Kir Hareseth you shall mourn; Surely they are stricken.

o       Judah Jeremiah 13:1-11 turn and read

o       Israel Hosea 5:5-6

The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;  Judah also stumbles with them.  “ With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the LORD,  But they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

·         Personal pride

o       Lucifer

o       Nebuchadnezzar

2.      His eyes are not lofty v. 1

Goes along with pride

He did not look with envy on those above him or with scorn on those below him

Pride/humility is expressed with our eyes:  how we look at others

There certainly were times in David’s life that he expressed this

·         With Bathsheba’s husband—negative

·         With King Saul trying to take his life—positive

3.      He is not concerned with great matters v. 1

Great matters = matters beyond his control or ability

He did not worry about things he could do nothing about

See Matthew 6:25-34

4.      His soul is calmed and quieted v. 2

Interesting to me how there is a connection here

He is not proud therefore he looks at other correctly

He is not concerned with matters beyond his ability therefore his soul is calmed and quieted (he is at peace!)

My how people long for that even today

      *Yet we struggle to get beyond worrying about things beyond our control!!

Just like Jesus said we need to seek first God’s kingdom!!

5.      He is like a weaned child v. 2

When I think of a weaned child I think of:

·         The struggle that went into the weaning process

·         The growth that is taking place within that child

·         The independence that is slowly overcoming the child

When I think of David being like that weaned child I think of:

·         The struggle that went into his overcoming pride, etc.

·         The growth that was taking place in him

·         Yet David was not becoming more independent but instead more dependent on his God!!

II.                 A look at Israel v. 3

David’s desire was for all of Israel to do as he had done

He set the example for them to follow just like we saw in Psalm 130