— Psalm 131 (Hebrew / English)
Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of humility and interior stillness, rejecting ambition and self-assertion in favour of quiet trust and emotional maturity.
3 verses total
VERSUS 1–3 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei; neque ambulavi in magnis, neque in mirabilibus super me.
O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, nor are my eyes raised; I have not walked in great things, nor in wonders beyond me.
Word Notes:
- sum, esse, fui, futurus — to be
- exalto, exaltare, exaltavi, exaltatum — to lift up, exalt
- cor, cordis n. — heart, inner self
- elatus, elata, elatum — lifted up, proud (PPP of effero)
- oculus, oculi m. — eye
- ambulo, ambulare, ambulavi, ambulatum — to walk
- magnus, magna, magnum — great
- mirabilis, mirabile — wonderful, marvellous
- super — beyond, above
2
Si non humiliter sentiebam, sed exaltavi animam meam; sicut ablactatus est super matre sua, ita retributio in anima mea.
If I was not humble in my thinking, but exalted my soul; like a weaned child upon its mother, so is calm within my soul.
Word Notes:
- humiliter — humbly
- sentio, sentire, sensi, sensum — to think, perceive
- sed — but
- anima, animae f. — soul, inner life
- ablacto, ablactare, ablactavi, ablactatum — to wean
- mater, matris f. — mother
- retributio, retributionis f. — return, calm recompense (Vulgate nuance)
3
Speret Israel in Domino, ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.
Let Israel hope in the Lord, from now and forever.
Word Notes:
- spero, sperare, speravi, speratum — to hope
- Israel — Israel (indeclinable)
- saeculum, saeculi n. — age, forever
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- est exaltatum
- elati sunt
- ambulavi
- sentiebam
- speret
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
- est exaltatum
- Verb: exalto, exaltare, exaltavi, exaltatum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: passive
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: has been lifted up
- elati sunt
- Verb: effero, efferre, extuli, elatum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: passive
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: have been lifted up
- ambulavi
- Verb: ambulo, ambulare, ambulavi, ambulatum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: I walked
- sentiebam
- Verb: sentio, sentire, sensi, sensum
- Tense: imperfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: I was thinking / feeling
- speret
- Verb: spero, sperare, speravi, speratum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (jussive)
- Meaning: let … hope
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- My heart is not lifted up.
- I have not walked in great things.
- My soul is calm like a weaned child.
- Let Israel hope in the Lord.
- From now and forever.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Cor meum non est exaltatum.
- Neque ambulavi in magnis.
- Anima mea sicut ablactatus est.
- Speret Israel in Domino.
- Ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.
SUMMARY (≈100 words)
Psalm 130 is a disciplined renunciation of false transcendence. The psalmist disclaims ambition, curiosity beyond measure, and the restless elevation of the self. Instead, the governing image is one of emotional maturity: the weaned child, no longer demanding, yet still close. Trust is neither naïve nor dependent, but settled. The psalm does not reject thought or aspiration, only disproportion. It suggests that peace arises when the self ceases to strain beyond its proper limits. Humility here is not abasement, but alignment — a quiet readiness that can be extended from the individual to the whole community.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Where in your own life has peace come not from achievement or explanation, but from relinquishing the need to exceed your proper measure?