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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms CXXXI].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM CXXXI.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm is David's profession of humility, humbly made, with
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thankfulness to God for his grace, and not in vain-glory. It is
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probable enough that (as most interpreters suggest) David made this
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protestation in answer to the calumnies of Saul and his courtiers, who
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represented David as an ambitious aspiring man, who, under pretence of
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a divine appointment, sought the kingdom, in the pride of his heart.
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But he appeals to God, that, on the contrary,
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I. He aimed at nothing high nor great,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+131:1">ver. 1</A>.
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II. He was very easy in every condition which God allotted him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+131:2">ver. 2</A>);
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and therefore,
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III. He encourages all good people to trust in God as he did,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+131:3">ver. 3</A>.
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Some have made it an objection against singing David's psalms that
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there are many who cannot say, "My heart is not haughty," &c. It is
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true there are; but we may sing it for the same purpose that we read
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it, to teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, what we ought to
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be, with repentance that we have come short of being so, and humble
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prayer to God for his grace to make us so.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps131_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps131_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps131_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Humble Confidence.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song of degrees of David.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, my heart is not
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haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in
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great matters, or in things too high for me.
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2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is
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weaned of his mother: my soul <I>is</I> even as a weaned child.
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3 Let Israel hope in the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> from henceforth and for ever.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here are two things which will be comforts to us:--</P>
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<P>
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I. Consciousness of our integrity. This was David's rejoicing, that his
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heart could witness for him that he had walked humbly with his God,
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notwithstanding the censures he was under and the temptations he was
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in.</P>
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<P>
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1. He aimed not at a high condition, nor was he desirous of making a
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figure in the world, but, if God had so ordered, could have been well
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content to spend all his days, as he did in the beginning of them, in
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the sheep-folds. His own brother, in a passion, charged him with pride
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+17:28">1 Sam. xvii. 28</A>),
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but the charge was groundless and unjust. God, who searches the heart,
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knew,
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(1.) That he had no conceited opinion of himself, or his own merits:
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<I>Lord, my heart is not haughty.</I> Humble saints cannot think so
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well of themselves as others think of them, are not in love with their
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own shadow, nor do they magnify their own attainments or achievements.
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The love of God reigning in the heart will subdue all inordinate
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self-love.
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(2.) That he had neither a scornful nor an aspiring look: "<I>My eyes
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are not lofty,</I> either to look with envy upon those that are above
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me or to look with disdain upon those that are below me." Where there
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is a proud heart there is commonly a proud look
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+6:17">Prov. vi. 17</A>),
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but the humble publican will not so much as lift up his eyes.
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(3.) That he did not employ himself in things above his station, <I>in
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things too great or too high for</I> him. He did not employ himself in
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studies too high; he made God's word his meditation, and did not amuse
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himself with matters of nice speculation or doubtful disputation, or
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covet to be wise above what is written. To know God and our duty is
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learning sufficiently high for us. He did not employ himself in affairs
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too great; he followed his ewes, and never set up for a politician; no,
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nor for a soldier; for, when his brethren went to the wars, he staid at
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home to keep the sheep. It is our wisdom, and will be our praise, to
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keep within our sphere, and not to intrude into things which we have
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not seen, or meddle with that which does not belong to us. Princes and
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scholars must not exercise themselves in matters too great, too high,
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for men: and those in a low station, and of ordinary capacities, must
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not pretend to that which is out of their reach, and which they were
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not cut out for. Those will fall under due shame that affect undue
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honours.</P>
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<P>
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2. He was well reconciled to every condition that God placed him in
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+131:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>):
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<I>I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his
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mother.</I> As he had not proudly aimed at the kingdom, so, since God
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had appointed him to it, he had not behaved insolently towards any, nor
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been restless in his attempts to get the crown before the time set;
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but,
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(1.) He had been as humble as a little child about the age of a
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weanling, as manageable and governable, and as far from aiming at high
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things; as entirely at God's disposal as the child at the disposal of
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the mother or nurse; as far from taking state upon him, though anointed
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to be king, or valuing himself upon the prospect of his future
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advancement, as a child in the arms. Our Saviour has taught us humility
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by this comparison
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+18:3">Matt. xviii. 3</A>);
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we must <I>become as little children.</I>
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(2.) He had been as indifferent to the wealth and honour of this world
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as a child is to the breast when it is thoroughly weaned from it. <I>I
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have levelled and quieted myself</I> (so Dr. Hammond reads it) <I>as a
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child that is weaned.</I> This intimates that our hearts are naturally
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as desirous of worldly things as the babe is of the breast, and in like
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manner relish them, cry for them, are fond of them, play with them, and
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cannot live without them. But, by the grace of God, a soul that is
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sanctified, is weaned from those things. Providence puts wormwood upon
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the breast, and that helps to wean us. The child is perhaps cross and
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fretful while it is in the weaning and thinks itself undone when it has
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lost the breast. But in a day or two it is forgotten; the fret is over,
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and it accommodates itself well enough to a new way of feeding, cares
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no longer for milk, but can bear strong meat. Thus does a gracious soul
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quiet itself under the loss of that which it loved and disappointment
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in that which it hoped for, and is easy whatever happens, lives, and
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lives comfortably, upon God and the covenant-grace, when creatures
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prove dry breasts. When our condition is not to our mind we must bring
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our mind to our condition; and then we are easy to ourselves and all
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about us; then our souls are <I>as a weaned child.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. Confidence in God; and this David recommends to all Israel of God,
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no doubt from his own experience of the benefit of it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+131:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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<I>Let Israel hope in the Lord,</I> and let them continue to do so
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<I>henceforth and for ever.</I> Though David could himself wait
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patiently and quietly for the crown designed him, yet perhaps Israel,
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the people whose darling he was, would be ready to attempt something in
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favour of him before the time; and therefore endeavours to quiet them
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too, and bids them <I>hope in the Lord</I> that they should see a happy
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change of the face of affairs in due time. <I>Thus it is good to hope
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and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord.</I></P>
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<!-- (End Body) -->
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[<A HREF="MHC19130.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC19132.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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