Like a Weaned Child

“A song of ascents - Of David. My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.” Psalm 131

Recently I have been greatly ministered to by the Lord in Psalm 131. The central message of this Psalm is that we can rest in God’s care and love and sovereignty, even when we don’t have the answers to the complex issues of life. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), considered by many the “Prince of Preachers,” said that if the Psalms were a gem Psalm 131 would be a pearl.

In my ministry I constantly find people struggling with the “why” questions of life: “Why did my relative die in the car accident? Why did I get cancer? Why was my friend not healed? Why did this tragedy occur? Why do bad things happen to good people?” Perhaps you have some “why” questions. I know I do, especially at this period of my life. Perhaps your “why” questions are creating distance between you and God. If so, this is not what God would want. Psalm 131 provides some help!

This is a “song of ascents,” meaning that it was one of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134) used as the people of God would go up to Jerusalem and “ascend” to the Temple. There is some historical data indicating the people of God would actually chant these psalms as they made their way to the Temple for worship. I think it is safe to say that for us this psalm gives us insight in how we might “ascend” to greater heights with God.

Ascending to greater heights is not easy. It will involve some barriers and hardships. Climbing a mountain is not easy. I have hiked with my father on the Appalachian Trail and know from experience that the climb is hard, but the view from the top is worth it. This is true in our relationship with God.

In climbing with God, we have to get past the questions that we may never have answers to. God tells us that we will encounter difficulty (John 16:33). God tells us that our lives will be filled with all kinds of trials (1 Peter 1). Jesus said that good things happen to good and bad people, and that bad things happen to good and bad people (Matthew 5:44). God’s Word assures us that all things can work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). However, this still does not fully answer the “why” questions that we ask.

We need to get to the point where we stop asking “why” and simply trust God’s character and goodness. When I have wrestled with God over unanswered questions, sometimes God has said to me, “David, you need to file that question in the 29:29 file.” The 29:29 file is based on Deuteronomy 29:29. It says, “The secret things belong to the Lord but the things revealed belong to man.” Some things God keeps secret from us, while other things He reveals to us. We must learn to be content with those things that He chooses not to reveal to us. In Psalm 131 David says, “I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me” (v. 1). He is choosing here to be OK with not knowing all the answers. He is letting God carry the answers to the questions. He realizes that he is not God and therefore has limitations. This is called humility.

The next step in the journey is the key. In v. 2 David puts his total trust in the Lord. He says, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (v. 2). Two times he mentions a weaned child. Why this reference to a weaned child? Because a weaned child does not come to its mom for milk. It has been weaned. Instead, it comes simply for strength, love, and comfort. The child is totally content to simply be in the presence of the mother.

Our soul will be quieted and still when we learn to come to God, not so much to get answers, but rather to just be in His presence and transformed into His image. This is what it means to “seek His face” and not His hands. We must seek Him for who He is and not so much to get something from Him. Someone once said that the highest level of faith is when we trust God when there is no apparent reason to do so, except that He is God. In other words, we trust Him just because of who He is, even if things do not go like we want them to. This seems to be why this short psalm ends with: “Put your hope in the Lord” (Psalm 131:3)!

Are you putting your hope in the Lord? Are you content to simply be in the presence of the Lord? What is that you need to bring to the foot of the cross? What do you need to file in the 29:29 file?

It is OK to ask questions and wrestle with God over things, as long as at the end of the day you crawl up in God’s lap and just be still and quiet in His presence. I encourage you to meditate on these 3 verses and see what additional insights God gives you. Let us be as a weaned child with God!