To minimize oneself
He was humble. He underestimated his own worth.
("David was small, and was he not the head of the kings of Judah, and from him came the Messiah and all the kings together? But from him who humbled himself he was exalted and received greatness and kingdom" - Ozar Hamidrashim (Eisenstein) Heikhalot Amud, 111)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הִקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
הִצְטַנֵּעַ. הִמְעִיט מֵעֵרֶךְ עַצְמוֹ.
("דָּוִד קָטָן הָיָה וְהַלֹּא רֹאשׁ לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה הָיָה וְיָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ מָשִׁיחַ וְכָל הַמְּלָכִים כֻּלָּם? אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהִקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ זָכָה וְנַחַל גְּדֻלָּה וּמַלְכוּת"- אוֹצַר הַמִּדְרָשִׁים (אַיְזֶנְשְׁטֵיְן) הֵיכָלוֹת עַמּוּד, 111)