Psalm 132

1 Lord, remember David, and all his meekness:

2 how he sware to the Lord, and vowed to the God of Jacob, saying,

3 I will not go into the tabernacle of my house; I will not go up to the couch of my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids, nor rest to my temples,

5 until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephratha; we found it in the fields of the wood.

7 Let us enter into his tabernacles: let us worship at the place where his feet stood.

8 Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thine holiness.

9 Thy priests shall clothe themselves with righteousness; and thy saints shall exult.

10 For the sake of thy servant David turn not away the face of thine anointed.

11 The Lord sware in truth to David, and he will not annul it, saying, Of the fruit of thy body will I set a king upon thy throne.

12 If thy children will deep my covenant, and these my testimonies which I shall teach them, their children also shall sit upon thy throne for ever.

13 For the Lord has elected Sion, he has chosen her for a habitation for himself, saying,

14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have chosen it.

15 I will surely bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall greatly exult.

17 There will I cause to spring up a horn to David: I have prepared a lamp for mine anointed.

18 His enemies will I clothe with a shame; but upon himself shall my holiness flourish.

Psalm 132 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 132

\\<>\\. Some think this psalm was written by Solomon, since Ps 132:8,10, are much the same with which he concluded his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 2Ch 6:41,42; on account of which it is supposed to be written; though he might borrow these words from hence, as he sometimes did recite the words of his father, Pr 4:4,5. Others are of opinion that it was written by David, either when he brought the ark from Baale or Kirjathjearim to the house of Obededom, and from thence to Zion, 2Sa 6:1-23; or when he had that conversation with Nathan the prophet, in which he expressed such a strong desire to build a house for God, 2Sa 7:1-17; or, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi think, after he had numbered the people, which brought the pestilence on them; and when he and the elders of Israel were in distress on that account, and he was ordered to build an altar in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, 1Ch 21:18; by which it appeared to him that this was the place for the house of the Lord God he had been so desirous of building, 1Ch 22:1. It seems by Ps 132:6,7, that more persons than one were concerned in this psalm, at least the psalmist represents more; and Theodoret takes it to be a prayer of the captives in Babylon, and a prophecy of the Saviour of the world; and this is favoured by the Syriac inscription, which is, ``an anonymous psalm, when they would build the house of the Lord of hosts; and a prayer of David, and a revelation of Christ.'' And certain it is that Christ is spoken of in it, if not principally designed.