We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below.Read Psalm 131  Listen to Psalm 131

I was once helped to see that I could be proud and self-centred when one of my church leadership team said to me, “Roger, be more of a servant and put the chairs out.” The man was a true servant, I needed to heed this comment. This psalm is about having a humble dependence on God and not being ‘me centred’. In verse 1, David points out two areas that we need to watch if we are to be humble and not me centred.

First our heart. When our heart is proud, we take the credit that belongs to God, we also look down on other people. Jesus could have claimed his status, yet ‘he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross!’ (Philippians 2:8). Will we humble ourselves?

Second our eyes. The Bible says, ‘For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world’ (1 John 2:16). The world offers us so many enticing things which we see and go after. Let us be careful not to let our culture feed our appetites.

Taking note of these will help us not to be me centred, but to trust in God like a small child (verse 2).

Jesus, help me to deny myself, take up my cross and to follow you. I want my life not to be about me, but about you.