Psalms 131:2

“Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, etc.] Or “my soul”f1786; behaved quietly and peaceably towards all men, even his inferiors in Saul’s court and elsewhere, and had given no tokens of a restless, turbulent, and ambitious spirit; as well as behaved patiently under all his troubles and afflictions, reproaches and calumnies: or “if I have not”f1787, being in the form of an oath or imprecation, as Kimchi and Aben Ezra observe; if I have not thus behaved, let it come to me so and so, or let me be as a weaned child. Noldius renders it by way of interrogation, “have I not composed and quieted myself?” etc. The Targum is, “if I have not put the hand to the mouth, and caused my soul to be…”

“Surely I have behaved and quieted myself - Margin, as in Hebrew, my soul. The Hebrew is, “If I have not soothed and quieted my soul.” This is a strong mode of affirming that he had done it. The negative form is often thus used to denote a strong affirmation. The full form would be, “God knows if I have not done this;” or, “If I have not done this, then let me bear the consequences; let me be punished.” The idea is that he was conscious he had done this. Instead of being arrogant, proud, and ambitious - instead of meddling with matters above him, and which did not belong to him, he had known his proper place. He had been gentle, calm, retiring. The word rendered behaved means properly to be…”

“Surely - When my mind was provoked. Weaned - Wholly depending upon God's providence, as the poor helpless infant, relies upon its mother for support. Next: Psalms Chapter 132”

“131:2 The psalmist calmed and quieted himself, surrendering his ambitions and taming his ego (Gal 2:20). • like a weaned child: The psalmist sees himself as a contented child.”

“quieted: Psa 42:5, Psa 42:11, Psa 43:5, Psa 62:1 \*marg. Sa1 24:10, Sa1 25:32, Sa1 25:33, Sa1 30:6; Sa2 15:25, Sa2 15:26, Sa2 16:11, Sa2 16:12; Isa 30:15; Lam 3:26 myself: Heb. my soul, Luk 21:19; Joh 14:1, Joh 14:2 as a child: Mat 18:3, Mat 18:4; Mar 10:15; Co1 14:20 Psalms 131:3”