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Psalms 132

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David's Vow to Find God's Dwelling 1–5

1
Jehovah, remember for David All his affliction; ​
2
How he sware unto Jehovah, And vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: ​
3
Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, Nor go up into my bed;
4
I will not give sleep to mine eyes, Or slumber to mine eyelids;
5
Until I find out a place for Jehovah, A tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob. ​

The Search for the Ark and the Prayer for Rest 6–10

6
Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah: We found it in the field of the wood. ​
7
We will go into his tabernacles; We will worship at his footstool.
8
Arise, O Jehovah, into thy resting-place; Thou, and the ark of thy strength. ​
9
Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; And let thy saints shout for joy.
10
For thy servant David’s sake Turn not away the face of thine anointed. ​

God's Eternal Oath to David and Zion 11–18

11
Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. ​
12
If thy children will keep my covenant And my testimony that I shall teach them, Their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore. ​
13
For Jehovah hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for his habitation. ​
14
This is my resting-place for ever: Here will I dwell; for I have desired it. ​
15
I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. ​
16
Her priests also will I clothe with salvation; And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. ​
17
There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. ​
18
His enemies will I clothe with shame; But upon himself shall his crown flourish.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 132

Verse 1

remember David, and all his afflictions — Zakar, to remember, is the word of 'God remembered Noah' (Gen 8:1), where he then acted for him. 'Afflictions' (anah) are the hardships David bore for his purpose, which vv.3–5 state: no rest until he had found a place for the LORD. The prayer asks that God act for the sake of that purpose.

Verse 2

sware unto the LORD, and vowed — Two verbs, shaba, to swear, and nadar, to vow, are used of David's pledge. 'The mighty God of Jacob' is abir Yaaqov, the title first given in Jacob's blessing of Joseph (Gen 49:24); it recurs in Isa 49:26 and 60:16. Stephen says David 'desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob' (Acts 7:46).

Verse 5

Until I find out a place for the LORD — Mishkan, 'habitation', is the word for the tabernacle, so David asks for a fixed dwelling in place of the tent. Stephen recalls it in Acts 7:46, then adds the LORD's own word: 'Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me?' (Acts 7:49).

Verse 6

we heard of it at Ephratah — Ephratah is read as Bethlehem (Gen 35:19; Mic 5:2), David's own town, or as Ephraim's country, where the ark had stood at Shiloh. 'The fields of the wood' (sede yaar) point to Kirjath-jearim (Josh 15:60), a name meaning 'city of woods', where the ark stayed 'twenty years' in Abinadab's house (1 Sam 7:1–2) before David brought it up.

Verse 8

Arise, O LORD, into thy rest — Menuchah, rest, is the word of the LORD's own 'rest' in Ps 95:11 and v.14, a resting place. The cry echoes the words of Moses when the ark set out, 'Rise up, LORD' (Num 10:35). Solomon prays it at the temple's dedication: 'arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength' (2 Chr 6:41).

Verse 10

turn not away the face of thine anointed — Mashiach, anointed, is here the reigning king of David's line, for whom Solomon prays in 2 Chr 6:42, 'turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant'. To turn away the face is to refuse a request. The plea rests on David's name, 'for thy servant David's sake'.

Verse 11

Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne — The LORD answers David's oath with his own, 'sworn in truth' (emet). 'Fruit of thy body' is the 'fruit of the womb' of Ps 127:3. Peter quotes the promise at Pentecost: 'that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne' (Acts 2:30).

Verse 12

If thy children will keep my covenant — The throne is promised 'for evermore', yet each son's place on it depends on keeping the covenant ('testimony', edut), as David charged Solomon: 'If thy children take heed to their way… there shall not fail thee… a man on the throne of Israel' (1 Kgs 2:4). Of Christ it is said 'of his kingdom there shall be no end' (Luke 1:33).

Verse 13

the LORD hath chosen Zion — Bachar, to choose, is the verb of election; 'desired' (avah) states his wish, and 'habitation' (moshab) is a seat. Zion is 'the hill which God desireth to dwell in' (Ps 68:16), and he 'chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved' (Ps 78:68). David's search for a place in v.5 is answered here.

Verse 14

This is my rest for ever — The LORD takes up the 'rest' (menuchah) of David's prayer in v.8 and answers it in the first person: 'here will I dwell; for I have desired it.' Menuchah is the word for the rest the LORD gave Israel in the land (Deut 12:9) and for the 'place of my rest' of Isa 66:1

Verse 15

abundantly bless her provision — The Hebrew repeats the verb: 'blessing I will bless'. Tsayid is food, supplies; 'poor' (ebyon) are those in need. Ps 147:14 says of Zion that the LORD 'filleth thee with the finest of the wheat', and Leviticus promises that 'ye shall eat your bread to the full' (Lev 26:5) to those who keep his statutes.

Verse 16

clothe her priests with salvation — This answers David's prayer in v.9, 'Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness'; the LORD gives yesha, salvation, and Solomon repeats it in 2 Chr 6:41. The saints (chasidim) 'shout aloud for joy' (ranan). Isaiah speaks the same garment: 'he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation' (Isa 61:10).

Verse 17

the horn of David to bud — Tsamach, to sprout, is the root of Tsemach, 'Branch', the title in Jer 23:5, 'I will raise unto David a righteous Branch'. The 'horn' (qeren) is strength, the 'lamp' (ner) the light promised David: 'that David my servant may have a light alway before me' (1 Kgs 11:36). Zacharias calls Christ 'an horn of salvation' (Luke 1:69).