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Psalm 131 · a question people ask

What are the "great matters" and the "things too wonderful for me" (131:1)?

In the text

The psalm doesn't say. In Hebrew they are two words, gedolot, great things, and nifla'ot, wonderful things (tap great, wonderful). The same two words, in these forms, stand together in four other verses of the Hebrew Bible (Job 5:9, 9:10, 37:5, Psalm 136:4), and each time they are said of what God does. Job says of God, "He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number" (Job 9:10), and Psalm 136 gives thanks "to him who alone does great wonders" (Psalm 136:4). Psalm 131 doesn't name its great matters, and these notes don't name them for it.

The verses

“A Song of Ascents. By David. LORD, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.”
Psalm 131:1 · World English Bible
“who does great things that can’t be fathomed, marvelous things without number;”
Job 5:9 · World English Bible
“Then Job answered,”
Job 9:1 · World English Bible
“He does great things past finding out; yes, marvelous things without number.”
Job 9:10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 131

Psalm 131: Like a weaned child

Psalm 131 says the heart and the eyes are not high, with two Hebrew verbs for high, and its concern myself (131:1) is the verb for walking. Then it is the soul, not the speaker, that is "like a weaned child" (131:2), stilled and quieted. And it ends by turning to all Israel: "Israel, hope in the LORD" (131:3).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions