STEVE WEBB - 0:00  
It can be very difficult not to harbor pride or arrogance.

INTRO S12E315 - 0:11  
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year and this episode is pre-recorded, but I should be back for tomorrow's show, Lord willing. Today is Psalms Wednesday. We'll read chapters 131 through 133, and, of course, I'll have an introduction before each chapter. And then at the end of the reading, I've got a few comments for you. I'm calling today's episode, “No Room for Pride”. The show notes page for today's episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. My email address is steve@lifespringmedia.com. Let's get going. 

INTRO TO PSALM 131 - 0:52  
Psalm 131 is also one of the Songs of Ascent and this is one of David's. Commentators think it may have been written when David was being hunted by King Saul or after David's wife, Michal, accused him of vulgar, undignified behavior when he danced in celebration, when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem. In this Psalm, David denies any pride or ambition. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “It is one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn. It speaks of a young child but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” 

PSALM 131 (ESV) - 1:27  
Psalms, chapter 131.

(1) O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
(2) But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
(3)  O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore. 

INTRO TO PSALM 132 - 1:56  
Psalm 132 was also a Song of Ascent, and even though no author is attributed in the title, a case for Solomon is the author can be made. James Montgomery Boice wrote, “Since Psalm 132, verses 8 through 10 are quoted in 2 Chronicles 6:41 and 42 as part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. This psalm probably dates from Solomon's reign, even though the title does not identify it as Solomon’s Psalm.” 

PSALM 132 (ESV) - 2:24  
Psalms, chapter 132.

(1) Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
(2) how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
(3) “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
(4) I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
(5) until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

(6) Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
(7) “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

(8) Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
(9) Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
(10) For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

(11) The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
(12) If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

(13) For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
(14) “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
(15) I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
(16) Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
(17) There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
(18) His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.” 

INTRO TO PSALM 133 - 4:01  
The title of Psalm 133 is A Song of Ascents of David, and this is the last of the series of fifteen to be written by him. We don't know the time or event of the writing, but perhaps it was when all of the tribes were once again reunited under David's rule. Boice wrote, “It could date from the crowning of David at Hebron when the leaders of the nation were, for a time at least, of one heart in mind. See 2 Samuel 5:1 and 1 Chronicles 12:38 through 40.”

PSALM 133 (ESV) - 4:32  
Psalms, chapter 133.

(1) Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
(2) It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
(3) It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

COMMENTS - 4:58  
Psalm 131 is David's song in which he declares that pride has no place in his heart. For someone with as many accomplishments as David had, it can be very difficult not to harbor pride or arrogance. And we know from Scripture that David had at least one bout with pride when he got into trouble with Bathsheba. To be sure lust was a big part of his sin, but pride was at the root of his fall. He thought that he could get away with his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent sin of the murder of her husband. But the cascading consequences of the first sin reverberated for many, many years. David learned the hard way that pride will inevitably wreak havoc on one's life. And in this psalm, he says that he has learned that it is much better to be content with God and the blessings he brings to a contrite heart.

Oh, Beloved, would that we would learn this lesson early in life instead of spending wasted years in pursuit of glory, riches and power. A heart in pursuit of a vital dynamic, deep relationship with God will always result in a life infinitely more fulfilled. It will be a life that leaves an eternal legacy. But even if we learned the lesson later in life as David did, we know from this psalm that our heart can find peace with God despite earlier failures. Coming to Christ, admitting that we need the forgiveness that only He can bring is but the first step in laying down our pride. And from that point on, he begins the work of making us a new person, the person he created us to be.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. Tomorrow is Poetry Thursday. We'll read Ecclesiastes 7 and 8.

Boost.

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY - 6:51  
On this date in church history, July 13, 1727, Count Nicholas Zinzendorf organized the Bohemian Protestant refugees on his land into the Moravian community of Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren.

CLOSING PRAYER - 7:14  
Let's pray, shall we? Our heavenly Father, Lord, like David, we ask that you give us a deep and lasting desire to be close to you, to follow you, to desire a true relationship with you. Show us how to prioritize time with you and make it our most important time of the day. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

Well, Beloved, if all goes according to plan, I'll be back in time to produce tomorrow's show for you. So go ahead and send in your prayer request or praise, if you want me to share it on the show. Go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

OUTRO S12E315 - 7:53  
If you have a comment on today's show, give it to me at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. Send me an email at steve@lifespringmedia.com. Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise, thank you for all you do.

And thank you, Beloved, for inviting me into your life today. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Support the show please at lifespringmedia.com/support.

And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai