Psalms132
New Living Translation
1 Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.
2 He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
3 “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.
4 I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber
5 until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”
6 We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
7 Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.
8 Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
9 May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
12 If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home.
14 “This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.
15 I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food.
16 I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy.
17 Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.”
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Psalms 132Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 132. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David's care for the ark. (1–10). The promises of God. (11–18).
vv1-10
David bound himself to find a place for the Lord, for the ark, the token of God's presence. When work is to be done for the Lord, it is good to tie ourselves to a time. It is good in the morning to fix upon work for the day, with submission to Providence, for we know not what a day may bring forth. And we should first, and without delay, seek to have our own hearts made a habitation of God through the Spirit. He prays that God would take up his dwelling in the habitation he had built; that he would give grace to the ministers of the sanctuary to do their duty. David pleads that he was the anointed of the Lord, and this he pleads as a type of Christ, the great Anointed. We have no merit of our own to plead; but, for His sake, in whom there is a fulness of merit, let us find favour. And every true believer in Christ, is an anointed one, and has received from the Holy One the oil of true grace. The request is, that God would not turn away, but hear and answer their petitions for his Son's sake.
vv11-18
The Lord never turns from us when we plead the covenant with his anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. How vast is the love of God to man, that he should speak thus concerning his church! It is his desire to dwell with us; yet how little do we desire to dwell with him! He abode in Zion till the sins of Israel caused him to give them up to the spoilers. Forsake us not, O God, and deliver us not in like manner, sinful though we are. God's people have a special blessing on common enjoyments, and that blessing puts peculiar sweetness into them. Zion's poor have reason to be content with a little of this world, because they have better things prepared for them. God will abundantly bless the nourishment of the new man, and satisfy the poor in spirit with the bread of life. He gives more than we ask, and when he gives salvation, he will give abundant joy. God would bring to nothing every design formed to destroy the house of David, until King Messiah should arise out of it, to sit upon the throne of his Father. In him all the promises centre. His enemies, who will not have him to reign over them, shall at the last day be clothed with shame and confusion for ever.
Key Words
שִׁיר: a song; abstractly, singing
מַעֲלָה: elevation, i.e. the act (literally, a journey to a higher place, figuratively, a thought arising), or (concretely) the condition (literally, a step or grademark, figuratively, a superiority of station); specifically a climactic progression (in certain Psalms)
זָכַר: properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
עָנָה: to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)
שָׁבַע: to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
נָדַר: to promise (pos., to do or give something to God)
אָבִיר: mighty (spoken of God)
יַעֲקֹב: Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Cross References
Psalms 132Solomon's prayer at the temple dedication uses these exact words to summon God to His rest.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Peter quotes this verse directly as David's prophetic foresight of Christ's resurrection and ascension.
Supported by JFB
Solomon's dedication prayer concludes by pleading the mercies of David and God's anointed.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The foundational covenant promise that God will establish David's offspring on the throne forever.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Stephen's speech recounts David's request to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical finding of the ark at Kirjath-jearim, the 'fields of the wood' (Jaar).
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God preserves a 'lamp' for David's line in Jerusalem, foreshadowing Messiah's coming power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Zacharias celebrates the fulfillment of God raising up a 'horn of salvation' in David's house.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
David refers to building a house for the ark of the covenant as God's footstool.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The angel Gabriel announces that Jesus will receive the throne of His father David.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God's historical command to worship exclusively at the place He chose for His habitation.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallels God's rejection of Ephraim's Shiloh in favor of choosing Mount Zion.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historic, patriarchal name 'the mighty God of Jacob' first appears in Jacob's blessing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The beautiful parallel of being clothed with the garments of salvation and righteousness.
Supported by Matthew Henry