Psalm 131: Lessons for Walking With God During Uncertain Times
Introduction: This is the twelfth Song of Ascents (Ps. 120–134). After Psalm 117, Psalms 131, 133 and 134 are all tied as the second shortest psalms, each with only three verses. “A Song of Ascents, of David. 1 Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes arrogant; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. 2 I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child resting against his mother, my soul within me is like a weaned child. 3 Israel, wait for the Lord from this time on and forever.” (Ps. 131:1-3).
Here, the psalmist most likely sought to encourage the Jews to trust in God’s plans following their return from Babylonian Captivity, even though God did not reveal the details of His plans. Although short in length, Psalm 131 is rich in meaning. The famous British preacher Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) once remarked, “Comparing all the Psalms to gems, we should liken this to a pearl: how beautifully it will adorn the neck of patience. 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. Lowliness and humility are here seen in connection with a sanctified heart, a will subdued to the mind of God, and a hope looking to the Lord alone happy is the man who can without falsehood use these words as his own;”.1 Through this Psalm, God reveals seven lessons for your walk with Him during uncertain times. These include: (1) humility, (2) contentment, (3) patience, (4) seeking His guidance, (5) patience, (6) loving Him, and (7) faithful hope.
First, as an example to others, the psalmist declared his attempt to remove pride from his walk with God. Your walk with God should also include humility. Second, at a time when God’s specific plans for fully restoring Israel remained a mystery, the psalmist stated that he would not concern himself with things that were too difficult for him to understand. Being content with God’s provision and the lack of detailed explanations for you is also a sign of a Spirit-led walk with Him. Third, during a time of uncertainty, the psalmist stated that he would quiet his anxious soul to wait for God’s timing. Being patient is also a sign of a Spirit-led walk with God. Fourth, the psalmist implied that he would quiet his soul to allow God to guide him. Quieting the noise in your life to hear God’s guidance is also a sign of a Spirit-led walk with Him. Fifth, the psalmist viewed himself like a weaned child in his relationship with God. His relationship was based upon love, not just the provision of things he needed for survival. Your love for God is also the foundation for a Spirit-led walk with Him. Sixth, the psalmist’s description of himself as being like a weaned child before God also conveyed his dependence and trust in Him. Having a child-like dependence on God also shows your Spirit-led walk with Him. Finally, in Israel’s uncertain times under Persian rule, the psalmist encouraged Israel to put its unending hope and trust in Him. Your enduring faith and hope in God is also a sign of a Spirit-led walk with Him.
1. Humility: Your Walk With God Should Always Include Humility. Ps. 131:a.
Seek to remove pride and walk humbly with God. As an example to others, the psalmist declared his attempt to remove pride in his heart and walk with humility. “A Song of Ascents, of David. 1 Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes arrogant;” (Ps. 131:a). Some believe this psalm was David’s answer to his wife Michal’s mocking when danced with great joy before the returning Ark in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:21).2 But the rest of this psalm contains a much broader encouragement for Israel to have a child-like faith and trust in God during uncertain times. Indeed, the words “of David” do not appear in the Greek Septuagint.3 Most of the Songs of Ascent were further meant to encourage the Jews as they struggled to rebuild their recreated nation and restore the Davidic kingship.
Don’t take pride in what God has done in your life. Every good and perfect thing that you have comes from God (Jam. 1:17). Your acts of righteousness are but filthy rags before Him (Is. 64:6). All have sinned before Him (Ro. 3:23; 1 Pet. 2:22; Ps. 14:3). If your righteousness came through keeping the law or your good works, then Jesus’ death was unnecessary (Gal. 2:21). God wants to show you mercy and grace so that you can serve Him. But He cannot use you if you are filled with pride: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Prov. 16:18; 18:12; 11:2; 29:23).
God exalts those who humble themselves before Him. Israel wanted to be exalted among the nations as it once was under King David and King Solomon. But God will humble His people before He exalts them: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.” (Lk. 1:52). God also wants you to humble yourself so that He can exalt you: “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble … Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (Jam. 4:6, 10). “So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.” (Job 5:11). Thus, if you want to be called great in heaven, humble yourself in your walk with God. “So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:4).
Do not act out of selfish ambition. Walking with humility also requires that you examine your motives. The Apostle Paul warns: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;” (Phil. 2:3).
Treat others with humility. God also warns against being prideful in how you interact with other people. Instead, treat others with love and humility. “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.” (1 Cor. 13:4). “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.” (Ro. 12:16). “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble;” (1 Pet. 3:8).
God can also exalt a nation that humbles itself before Him. God’s promises apply equally to both individuals and to a nation that repents and turns to Him: “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chr. 7:14). Are you praying for your leaders and nation to repent?
2. Contentment: Be Content With God’s Provision in Your Walk. Ps. 131:b.
Be content with God’s provision in your life. While under Persian rule, the details of Israel’s promised restoration remained a mystery. But the psalmist stated that he would not concern himself with questions that God had chosen not to reveal to him, “nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.” (Ps. 131:b). “The psalmist aimed at nothing high or great, but to be content in every condition God allotted. Humble saints cannot think so well of themselves as others think of them. The love of God reigning in the heart, will subdue self-love.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 131).4
Be content with what God provides and with what He chooses to reveal to you5
Be content with what God chooses to reveal to you. At a time when Israel waited for the restoration of the Davidic kingdom, many wanted God to spell out when and how this would happen. But God’s people needed to trust Him, even if He chose not to reveal all the details of His plans to fulfill His promises. “Psalm 131 calls to mind Deut 29:29 (MT 29:28), where Moses declares that the secret things belong to Yahweh, but the things revealed belong to Israel that they might obey.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 131).6 Job also needed to learn that God had a purpose in his suffering. Job demanded to argue his case to God, “But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God.” (Job 13:3). But he later repented of his demand for God to explain the reasons for his suffering (Job 42:1-6). Believers must also trust in God’s greater plans, even if He does not spell out these plans. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Ro. 8:28),
Be content with God’s provision, and He will bless you. Paul also learned to be content with God’s provision and whatever God chose to reveal to him: “Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. . . .And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:11, 19). “And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” (2 Cor. 9:8). Jesus also calls upon you to be content with your circumstances: “And soldiers also were questioning him, saying, ‘What are we to do, we as well?’ And he said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone, nor harass anyone, and be content with your wages.”’ (Lk. 3:14). Are you content with God’s provision and His revelation in your life?
If you delight yourself in God, He will give you your heart’s desires. God will fill your heart with contentment if your greatest desire is your relationship with Him: “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4). “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and He has filled the hungry soul with what is good.” (Ps. 107:9). “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6). “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.” (Ps. 94:19). Do you love most things of God or the world?
God will provide for your needs, not necessarily your wants. David praised God as his Good Shepherd, who would always provide for his needs: “A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I will not be in need.” (Ps. 23:1). “Fear the LORD, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything. The young lions do without and suffer hunger; but they who seek the LORD will not lack any good thing.” (Ps. 34:9-10). “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and He has filled the hungry soul with what is good.” (Ps. 107:9). Jesus will also provide for you: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19).
Spirit-led gratitude requires contentment. David was grateful because he was willing to be content with whatever God gave him. Paul also revealed that Jesus will strengthen you when you are content: “I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:12-13). Are you content with what God has given you in life? Or, are you ungrateful and constantly striving for something else?
3. Patience: Being Patient is Also Evidence of Spirit-Led Walk. Ps. 131:2a.
God is faithful to act in His perfect timing and according to His will. The psalmist was patient for God to act in His timing, and he found peace by waiting for God’s timing. “2 I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul;” (Ps. 13:1:2a). “Instead of fretting after what is too great for him, he quiets his ambition, and his spirit lies calm and gentle, like a child in its mother’s arms, that after the first trouble of weaning is over is soothed and lulled by the maternal caress.” (Charles Ellicott’s Commentary on Ps. 131:2).7
God calls upon you to be patient as He molds you for His greater plans. True faith also requires patience. The Bible is filled with examples of believers having to wait before God would fulfill His promises. For example, Sarah and Abraham waited 25 years in the Promised Land before He transformed her 90-year-old womb to allow her to conceive Isaac (Gen. 17:17). David also had to wait to become king as God molded Him as a servant within Saul’s court. He would then suffer under Saul’s rule. If we are patient, God uses suffering to mold believers for His greater glory: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Is. 48:10; Ps. 66:10; Zech. 13:9(a); Dt. 8:2-3). God also wants you to be patient as He molds you: “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” (Ps. 37:7). “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” (Ps. 40:1(b)). “I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.” (Ps. 130:5). Even when you don’t know God’s plan for you, will you patiently wait for God and His timing?
4. Seeking God: Calming Your Mind and Emotions to Seek Out and Follow God’s Guidance is Also Evidence of Spirit-Led Walk With Him. Ps. 131:2a.
Calm your mind and emotions to hear God’s guidance. In times of certainty when he could become overwhelmed with emotions and anxious thoughts, the psalmist said that he would quiet his soul. “2 I have certainly soothed and quieted my soul;” (Ps. 13:1:2a). “I have levelled my mind to an equality with my condition; and resolved to acquiesce in the present state of things, committing myself wholly to thy care, being content to be disposed of as thou pleasest.” (Joseph Benson’s Commentary on Ps. 131:2).8
Seek God with all your heart and soul. In order to seek out God’s will, you must also remove the distractions in your life. As our example, David declared: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘I shall seek Your face, LORD.”’ (Ps. 27:8). If you quiet your mind and search after God, you will find Him: “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13). Jesus also promises that if you seek after Him, you will find Him: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8). Are you removing your distractions to hear God’s guidance?
Seek God to strengthen you for His glory. When you seek after God and seek to do His will, He will give you the strength to succeed: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Eph. 6:10). “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13). “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 2:1). “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.” (2 Tim. 4:17). “But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of armies.” (Hag. 2:4). If you are struggling with depression, fear or anxiety, turn to Jesus and let Him strengthen and encourage you.
Seek God’s will, and He will fulfill your desires. Even if you are suffering, God promises to fulfill your desires if you desire for His will to be fulfilled in your life: “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4). “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.” (Ps. 94:19). Are you content to merely ask for God’s will to be done in your life?
Jesus offers the living water that will quench your soul. God offers living water to quench His people’s thirsty souls: “You there! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Is. 55:1). “And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” (Is. 58:11). This all foreshadowed Jesus. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, He offered: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” (Jo. 7:37-39). “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” (Jo. 4:14). “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6). If you are in need, remove your distractions to hear Jesus.
Jesus will also give wisdom when you seek Him in prayer. If you diligently seek Jesus’ will in prayer, He also promises to give you wisdom: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (Jam. 1:5). “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” (Ps. 51:6). “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. 2:6). If, like David, you feel all alone, are you seeking Jesus’ wisdom and His direction in all that you do?
Let God’s Word and His Spirit guide you. Today, God has left each believer with His Word to guide you and protect you: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105). Before Jesus left, He also promised that He would leave us with “a helper” – the Holy Spirit – to teach us His will (John 14:26). But we cannot see Him directly. We instead need to trust God and know that He is there. Jesus explained that many see without seeing and hear without hearing (Matt. 13:13; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10). The Holy Spirit guides using God’s Word: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26). Yet, in order for the Spirit to bring you into “remembrance of all that [Christ] said to you”, you need to first study and know God’s Word. Have you given the Holy Spirit many verses to help you remember? If you know only a few verses, there is little He can use for your remembrance during a crisis.
5. Love: A Spirit-Led Walk With God is Based on a Love For Him. Ps. 131:2b.
Love the foundation of a Spirit-led walk with God. The psalmist loved God like a child loves his or her mother. He was “like a weaned child resting against his mother, my soul within me is like a weaned child.” (Ps. 131:2b). “A child not-yet weaned embraces his mother with the thought of food and immediate satisfaction. A weaned child embraces his mother out of a desire for love, closeness, and companionship. Such was David’s humble desire to draw near to God.” (David Guzik on Ps. 131:2) (emphasis original).9
Let your love for God be the foundation of your walk with Him10
God loves you the way good parents love their children. The Bible frequently uses the parent child analogy as a metaphor to show how God loves His people. “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” (Ps. 103:13). “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Is. 66:13). ‘“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.”’ (Is. 49:15). Thus, you can trust God the way a child can trust a loving parent.
God also desires for believers to follow Him out of love, not obligation. When Moses gave God’s Law, he advised that their obedience needed to be rooted in a love for God or it would not last. “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Dt. 6:5). “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” (Dt. 10:12). “You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His directive, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.” (Dt. 11:1). The Jews drifted from following God’s Law because they obeyed out of obligation, not love. The same improper motivation will also cause believers today to drift away in their walk.
Loving God is the greatest commandment. When asked to identify the greatest of the Ten Commandments, Jesus revealed that it is to love God: ‘“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” (Matt. 22:36-37; Mk. 12:28-31; Lk. 10:26-27). If you love Jesus, you will desire to obey Him out of devotion, not obligation. Conversely, your disobedience is also a sign that your love for Him has grown cold. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (Jo. 14:15).
6. Dependent Trust: Having Child-Like Dependent Trust on God Also Shows a a Spirit-led Walk With Him. Ps. 131:2b.
Trust God the way a young child can trust a good parent. The parent-child analogy also conveyed a dependent trust on God, “like a weaned child resting against his mother, my soul within me is like a weaned child.” (Ps. 131:2b). “The emblem, ‘like a weaned child upon his mother,’ is meant to illustrate the kind of quiet and safe trust the psalmist has in the LORD.” (Allen Ross on Ps. 131:2).11 “The weaned child is quiet and content; the suckling always impatient and restless.” (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 131:2).12
At all times, have a child-like trust and dependence on God13
Depend upon God with a child-like faith. Jesus’ message on the importance of having a child-like faith, trust, and dependence on God is so important that it is quoted in three Gospels. “and [He] said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”’ (Matt. 18:3; Mk. 10:15; Lk. 18:17). Thus, God also wants you to have a child-like faith in depending upon and trusting Him.
Depend upon God when you face a trial. God saved Israel from its many rebellions to teach it an important lesson. Israel could only survive by depending upon God. God also wants you to depend upon Him and trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5). “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Ps. 37:5). “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Ps. 62:8). When you face a trial, don’t rely upon yourself. Instead, you should depend upon God.
7. Faithful Hope: Your Enduring Faith and Hope in God Also Shows a Spirit- Led Walk With Him. Ps. 131:3.
In times of uncertainty, maintain your faith and hope in God. With Israel facing uncertainty while it waited for God’s promises to be fulfilled, the psalmist encouraged the Jews to maintain a never-ending faith and trust in Him. “3 Israel, wait for the Lord from this time on and forever.” (Ps. 131:3). “The Hebrew word for ‘hope’ is ‘יָחַל’ (yachal), which conveys a sense of waiting with expectation and trust. This is not a passive waiting but an active, confident expectation of God's faithfulness and intervention. In the biblical context, hope is deeply rooted in the character of God, who is trustworthy and unchanging. The call to ‘put your hope’ is an invitation to rely on God’s promises and His sovereign plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain or challenging. The term ‘LORD’ in all capital letters represents the divine name ‘YHWH’ (Yahweh), the covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). This name signifies God's eternal existence, faithfulness, and unchanging nature. To place hope "in the LORD" is to trust in His character, His promises, and His ability to fulfill His word. It is a call to recognize God as the ultimate source of security and salvation, transcending human understanding and limitations.” (Berean Study Bible on Ps. 131:3).14
In times of uncertainty, never give up your faith and hope in God15
Place your hope in Jesus’ eternal promises. There were many times when the psalmists had no answer to their conflicts. All they could do was place their hope in God. “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” (Ps. 39:7). “For You are my hope; Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.” (Ps. 71:5). “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”’ (Jer. 29:11). When your adversary refuses to reconcile, Jesus wants you to place your hope in Him. He will then encourage you. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Pet. 1:3). “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil,” (Heb. 6:19). “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Ro. 15:4).
Place your hope in God’s plans for you. Even your darkest trials, you can trust in God’s greater plans for you: “11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11). “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil,” (Heb. 6:19). During your trials, do you place your hope in Jesus?
Jesus will come to restore the eternal throne of justice promised to David. God promised David an eternal covenant. “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Sam. 7:13). “So I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Ps. 89:29). David later told Solomon that his descendants would forever be on the throne to bring justice to God’s people if they obeyed Him. “so that the LORD may fulfill His promise which He spoke regarding me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and all their soul, you shall not be deprived of a man to occupy the throne of Israel.”’ (1 Kgs. 2:4). For a time, David’s descendants lost their right to rule because of their disobedience. But Jesus will return and restore the promise that God made to David. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” (Lk. 1:32-33).
Have faith in Jesus Christ, and you will live with Him forever. Jesus is the promised Advocate and Redeemer who makes eternal life possible. All that is required is faith in Him as Lord and Savior. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jo. 3:16). “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (Jo. 6:40). “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,”’ (Jo. 11:25). Thus, Jesus is worthy of a lifetime of faith and commitment to Him.
Without faith your works are meaningless. Without faith, nothing that you do for Jesus has any real value: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6). Thus, your service should be the fruit of your faith.
Persevere in your faith. When you encounter oppression, pray for God’s strength to persevere. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Gal. 6:9). “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” (2 Thess. 3:13). “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22). Every believer will experience loss and setbacks because we live in a fallen world. But you must never allow your setbacks to cause you to give up. Instead, you must persevere in your faith.
Jesus also wants you to share your testimony and evangelize others. Like the psalmist, Jesus also wants you to share your testimony to let others know what He has done for you: “And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.” (Mk. 5:20). When you accept Jesus, His light shines within you as a beacon for others: “14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). As part of Jesus’ Great Commission, He urges believers to share His offer of salvation: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20). Are your testimony and Jesus’ hope with others?
James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 415.↩︎
Image credit: Psalm 131_2↩︎
Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3(90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 723.↩︎
Image credit: July 23, 2020 – The Peanut Gallery↩︎