Psalms 132

Psalms 132:1

Psalm 132: Prayer and PromiseThere is considerable disagreement as to the author and occasion of this Psalm. One of the possible viewpoints is that it was composed by Solomon when he brought the ark of the covenant to its proper place in the newly-constructed temple in Jerusalem. In that case, the first ten verses are Solomon’s prayer that the Lord will descend in the Shekinah (the glory cloud) and dwell above the ark. Verses 11 and 12 reaffirm the covenant God made with David. And the last six verses contain specific promises from God corresponding to Solomon’s specific requests. 132:1-5 The opening request that the LORD should remember in David’s favor all the afflictions that he endured does not refer to the general hardships which dogged his steps throughout his life, but rather to the deep emotional and physical experiences he passed through in order to have the temple erected as God’s dwelling place on earth. This is explained in the next three verses. On an occasion not otherwise recorded in the Scriptures, David had made a solemn contract with Jehovah that he would not enter his own house, lie down in his own bed, or go to sleep until he had arranged a house for the LORD, a place where the Mighty One of Jacob might dwell. The vow must not be understood with precise literalness. It is David’s figurative way of saying that he would not rest contentedly until he had established a permanent place for the ark of God. We know that David was not permitted to build the temple because he was a man of war, but he was enabled to make important contributions of materials to Solomon, and God rewarded him for his desire. 132:6 These verses seem to be a reminiscence concerning the location of the ark in Kirjath, and the expressed determination of David’s men to bring it to Jerusalem. Verse 6 is especially difficult because it seems to connect the ark with Ephrathah (Bethlehem), yet there is no record of the ark’s ever having been there. The following are the common attempts to solve the difficulty.

1. The king and his men first heard of the ark’s whereabouts when they were in Bethlehem, but they finally located it in Jaar, i.e., Kirjath-Jearim.
2. Ephrathah may stand for Ephraim, and refer to the residence of the ark in Shiloh.
3. Ephrathah may mean Caleb Ephrathah (see 1Ch_2:24) and not Bethlehem. According to this view, Caleb Ephrathah is the same as Jaar (wood) of Kirjath-Jearim, which means “the city of the woods.” If this is so, then the two clauses of verse 6 form a parallelism in which the meaning of both is the same. Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods.132:7 As the procession moves with the sacred chest to Jerusalem, the people rejoice that they are going to God’s tabernacle to worship at His footstool. The ark itself is conceived as being God’s footstool since His presence was in the glory cloud above it. 132:8-10 Next we hear Solomon’s prayer when he was dedicating the temple (vv. 8-10; cf. 2Ch_6:41-42). He is asking God to come to dwell in the Sanctuary and thus make real the symbolism of the ark. Also he asks for a godly line of priests, for a people who are overflowing with joy, and for God’s continued favor on the king. The phrase “Your Anointed” may be understood to refer to Solomon himself, but also ultimately to the Messiah. 132:11-13 The LORD answers the prayer first by making brief reference to the Davidic covenant. This covenant was unconditional as far as David was concerned; it promised him a throne forevermore and a descendant to sit upon it forever. But it was conditional as far as David’s offspring were concerned; it depended on their obedience. Thus although the Lord Jesus is a descendant of David, He is not physically a descendant of Solomon but of another son of David, Nathan (Luk_3:31). 132:14-18 Then specific answers are given to Solomon’s specific requests. This may be seen from the following comparisons:

Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place; You and the ark of Your strength (v. 8).This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it (v. 14).Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness (v. 9a).I will also clothe her priests with salvation (v. 16a).And let Your saints shout for joy (v. 9b).And her saints shall shout aloud for joy (v. 16b).For Your servant David’s sake, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed (v. 10).There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed . . . But upon Himself His crown shall flourish (vv. 17, 18b).Actually the Lord answers abundantly above all that Solomon requests. There is the added promise of plentiful provisions and of bread for the poor (v. 15). There is the promise that the priests will be clothed with salvation, not just with righteousness (v. 16a). There is the promise that the saints will shout aloud for joy (v. 16b). There is the promise that the enemies will be clothed with shame (v. 18a). The meaning of verse 17 is that in Jerusalem God will make a powerful King to come forth from David (see Luk_1:69) and has prepared a lamp or Son (see 1Ki_15:4) for David, His Anointed. These promises of a perpetual dynasty are fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. The enemies of Christ will be covered with shame, but His head will be crowned with glory and honor. The head that once was crowned with thorns Is crowned with glory now! Heaven’s royal diadem adorns The mighty Victor’s brow! Thomas Kelly