Psalms 131 is my favorite psalm. It is only three verses long. It grabs my gut because, at least the way I read the psalm, it addresses this fundamental of human existence: inner peace.
This theme is concentrated in a single word of Psalms 131, “shiviti,” which I translate: “I reached equilibrium.”
Inner peace: people praise me or condemn me, life enriches me or impoverishes me, I succeed or fail, things go right or go wrong — either way, shiviti, my equilibrium is undisturbed. I am at peace.
Psalms 131 is also my most frustrating psalm. Those three short verses are difficult to grasp. One way to test if I grasp them is to translate them. Can I do it? What if the act of translation is also difficult?
The Hebrew in these verses seems multi-layered, defying ready understanding. Also, the link between the first two verses and the third is unclear. It’s almost as if there are two separate psalms: first, verses 1 and 2; then, verse 3.
My frustration grew as I looked at various translations. Many seemed to miss what I take to be the psalm’s main point: inner peace. So I had to translate the psalm myself. But then, I could not completely settle on my own translation.
What did these verses really say?
My frustration ended only when I realized where I went wrong: there is no single “right” translation. I may prefer some translations over others; I may prefer my own most of all; but, bottom line, do not pick and choose between translations. Embrace them all, or at least the best of them.
In the translations that follow, I boldface the two words that I think are keys to psalm: shiviti (“I reached equilibrium”) and domamti, “I stilled.”
Let us begin with the King James translation (1611):
L-rd, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
Let Israel hope in the L-rd from henceforth and for ever.
Here is a modern translation I like even though the translator deletes the third verse. Still, the way he explains the psalm, the place of the third verse in the psalm becomes clear. This is Laurence Dunlap’s explanation of Psalms 131:
“Psalm 131 expresses a contentment in G-d that goes beyond thought and understanding, a wordless enjoyment of security in him. It rejoices in the respite — perhaps shortlived — from seeking answers, explanations, systems.” On this spiritual trajectory, the third verse of Psalms 131 flows naturally: “Let Israel hope in the L-rd from henceforth and for ever.”
Here is Dunlap’s translation of the first two verses (1982):
[Tetragrammaton], my heart has no lofty ambitions
my eyes do not look too high.
I am not concerned with great affairs,
nor marvels beyond my scope.
Enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet
like a child in its mother’s arms,
as content as a child that has been weaned.
Here is the Artscroll translation (1988):
Hashem, my heart was not proud, and my eyes were not haughty, nor did I pursue matters too great and too wondrous for me.
I swear that I stilled and silenced my soul, like a suckling child at his mother’s side, like the suckling child is my soul.
Let Israel hope to Hashem, from this time and forever.
Here is my translation (2020):
L-rd, my heart did not puff up
nor did my gaze condescend.
I did not engage in matters
greater or more glorious than
my standing.
If only I had reached equilibrium and stilled my soul
to be like one weaned on his mother, weaned over my soul.
Hope in the L-rd, O Israel, now and forever.