Are You Quiet Inside?

Author: Emily Dempster, ABC Certification Training Director

Category: Blog, Care For The Counselor, Counseling

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty.

I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me.

Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother;

my soul is like a weaned child.” – Psalm 131:1–2

Psalm 131 – Peace, Be Still

“Are you quiet inside?” That question from the late David Powlison, beloved theologian, educator, and biblical counselor, is both simple and deeply revealing.

Much of my own understanding of Psalm 131 was shaped by Powlison’s wonderful article “Peace, Be Still: Learning Psalm 131 by Heart”—required reading for Equipped to Counsel certification. My reflections below build upon many of the themes he develops.

“Are you quiet inside? Is Psalm 131 your experience too?”*

For many of us, the honest answer is no.

And that “no” opens the door to deeper questions:

What thoughts and fears keep your heart unsettled?
What tends to stir up anxiety or inner turmoil?
In what situations do you become consumed with worry, pressure, or distraction?
When are you most likely to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, exhausted, or discouraged?

Though short, Psalm 131 speaks powerfully to the restless striving that often fills our hearts. It invites us into a life of calm trust in God.

So, are you noisy inside?

The author, King David, begins this psalm by acknowledging circumstances beyond his control and understanding. Anxiety often grows when we try to carry responsibilities that belong to God alone.

Personally, I see this when I try to fix people’s problems or to keep everyone around me okay. Maybe for you it looks like controlling outcomes, seeking approval, fearing failure, or trying to manage others’ emotions and choices.

David Powlison vividly contrasts Psalm 131 with what he calls the “anti-psalm”—a picture of the anxious, unsettled soul:

“Self, my heart is proud (I’m absorbed in myself), and my eyes are haughty (I look down on other people), and I chase after things too great and too difficult for me. So of course, I’m noisy and restless inside…like a hungry infant, I’m restless with my demands and worries. I scatter my hopes onto anything and everybody all the time.”*

What a painfully accurate picture of the noisy human heart.

Anyone who has been near a hungry infant can picture the restless child as it seeks nourishment. We are much the same. Instead of resting quietly in God’s care, we live like spiritual infants—demanding, restless, preoccupied, and driven by fear or desire. We chase control, approval, comfort, certainty, and success, believing those things will finally settle our hearts.

Anxiety often reveals itself in subtle ways:

Fretting
Irritability
A racing mind
Exhaustion
Sighing
Resistance to difficult responsibilities
Constant mental noise

Which words and statements in Powlison’s “anti-psalm” do you identify with?

Learning from the Weaned Child

At the center of Psalm 131 is one of the most beautiful images in Scripture:

“I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother.”

A weaned child no longer anxiously demands to be fed. The child simply rests in mom’s presence—safe, settled, and secure.

What a contrast to our anxious hearts.

But quiet trust does not come naturally. Notice David’s part: “I have calmed and quieted…” How? Through surrender, humility, and repeated dependence on God.

Moving Toward Hope

We all want the peace of the weaned child. But how do we actually get there?

The answer comes in verse 3:

“Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forever.”

Our hearts were created to hope. The problem is not lack of hope, but where we place it. We often scatter our hopes among people, circumstances, achievements, or desired outcomes rather than anchoring them in the Lord and His desires.

But biblical hope is different.

Hope is a confident expectation of God’s promises fulfilled.

Go back one chapter to Psalm 130 which helps define that hope:

“I wait and put my hope in His word… Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for there is faithful love with the Lord, and with Him is redemption in abundance.”— Psalm 130:5, 7

Putting our hope in God means anchoring ourselves in His Word, His character, and His promises:

His faithful love — He will not fail us.
His abundant redemption — He is always working for His glory and our good, even in the mess.
His redeeming work in us — He is transforming us through our struggles and weaknesses.

Living the Word Practically

As you think about Psalm 131 and the “anti-psalm” personally, or for use in counseling, here are a few practical next steps:

1. Memorize Psalm 131.

Hide these words in your heart. Return to them when anxiety rises.

2. Identify the “noise.”

Ask yourself:

What am I trying to control?
What burden am I carrying that belongs to God?
Where am I striving for something “too great” for me?

3. Practice surrender moment-by-moment.

Peace rarely comes all at once. Often, it comes through repeated surrender:

Catching anxious thoughts
Redirecting them to truth
Remembering God’s promises

For me, this remains a daily fight. Anxiety does not disappear overnight. But Psalm 131 continually reminds me:

God’s faithful love is enough, even in a noisy heart.
He redeems abundantly, even in a struggling heart.
He is at work, even in an anxious heart.

The Christian life is not the absence of storms. It is learning to rest in the arms of our faithful Father while the storm still rages.

And that is the quiet peace Psalm 131 invites us into.

*Portions of this article—including the opening question, the “anti-psalm,” and several key themes—are adapted from “Peace, Be Still: Learning Psalm 131 by Heart” by David Powlison, Journal of Biblical Counseling 18, no. 3 (2000): 2–14, and are used with appreciation while expanding upon the article with additional exposition and personal application.

Posted on July 7, 2026