“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,

“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Ps. 131:2.

What is the psalmist saying here? It sounds unbelievable! Nevertheless, we should believe him of whom God said that he was a man after His own heart.

Could he, in the old covenant, before the work of Christ was finished, before the new and living way was consecrated through Christ’s flesh, and before the Holy Spirit was sent to be an indwelling, heavenly power, get his soul to be as quiet as a weaned child? Could he bring his soul to the place of a weaned child that has forever given up its noisy, desperate will ever to be laid upon its mother’s breast again—the best and most precious thing it knew? How much more shall we be able to achieve in this area with all the grace and supernatural power that has been put at our disposal in the new covenant? Please give me an answer to this, you who are now reading these lines! Just think, to be like a weaned child lying there sweetly smiling, in spite of the fact that it will never be laid upon its mother’s breast again.

This was in the old covenant—without the Word that tells us that our old man was crucified with Him, without Hebrews 4, without the many precious words of Scripture, and without all the exceedingly precious power that we now have at our disposal!

Dear soul, you who have been redeemed at such a great price, how is it with you? Have you, by God’s grace and power and by a living faith, brought your soul to be perfectly quiet in all the various difficulties of life, whether married or single, in the home or away from home, in the church or in the world, among believers or among the unconverted?

There is absolutely no excuse—ever—for anything other than perfect rest! James tells us, “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:20. On the contrary! It only makes matters worse, no matters what the situation. Just be quiet. The Lord Himself will fight for you if it is necessary. And He will do it justly. Glory to His Name!

Our turbulent soul can be brought to eternal silence in Christ Jesus, whether you believe it or not.

And why not silence it? This restless soul has only caused trouble anyway. You can try and try again; you can build your castle in the air with your own vain imaginations about how you are going to straighten things out. “This time it will work out,” you say. Why not first read Psalm 131 from beginning to end, 10, 20, or 30 times so that you will no longer attempt to do and accomplish such great and high things. For without a doubt, what you do will certainly turn out to cause disorder and bring you shame and loss.

“For we who have believed do enter that rest.” Have you entered, my beloved friend?