Songs of Ascent - Humility (Psalm 131)

Pruning is required for many plants to bring forth fruitfulness. It redirects the nutrients of growth from more branches to more fruit – life giving results.

Psalm 131

Humble yourself before the Lord – prune away pride and infantile need, and trust with confidence the Lord who loves and holds you.

Our psalm, sung on the way to Jerusalem, is a pruning psalm. It brings the secateurs to our attitudes and values of our heart that drive us. Firstly, to the attitude of pride that can easily grow a hardheartedness towards God and others.

My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty.

In a culture that highly regards independence, being self-made, ambitious, successful and celebrity status, this pruning cuts back our pride to remember who we are before God. Humble, dependent and valued children of God.

The second attitude pruned is childish or infantile faith where we cringe at our shadow with a neurotic dependence on God. Rather, we are weaned children, growing in strength, courage, identity and trust in our faithful Father to lead us.

I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

The transition of being weaned is not easy, meeting resistance, and crying out in emotional pain. But the end result is confidence and contentment. A maturity that in the storms of life God holds my hand. Like the people of Israel, we can

Put your hope in the LORD both now and for evermore.

Where are you today? Humble yourself before the Lord – prune away pride and infantile need, and trust with confidence the Lord who loves and holds you.

God bless,

Pastor Stephen