Psalm 132:3

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

Psalm 132:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 132:3

Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house
The new house and palace David built for himself after he came to the throne, made of cedar, ( 2 Samuel 5:11 ) ( 7:2 ) ; not that he should never enter into it till he had found a dwelling for God, but that he should not go into it with pleasure till that was done; for this and what follows are hyperboles, as Kimchi observes, and signify that he should have no peace nor satisfaction of mind till this was accomplished. It may be applied to our Lord's ascension to heaven, which was not till after he had purchased the church with his blood, which is the temple and habitation of God;

nor go up into my bed;
or "the bed that made for me" ^F18; the royal bed, a bed of down, with soft pillows, fit for a person of such dignity to lie down on. Ainsworth renders it "the pallets of my bed"; the phrase of going up agrees with the custom of the eastern countries, who have galleries in their chambers where they are set; at one end of each chamber in their houses there is a little gallery raised three, four, or five feet above the floor, with a balustrade in the front of it, with a few steps likewise leading up to it; here they place their beds {s}; so that when they went to bed they might with great propriety be said to go up to it; but this David could not do with pleasure, so long as there was no place and habitation for God.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (yewuy vre) "lectum strati mei, vel stratorum meorum", Gejerus, Michaelis.
F19 Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 209. Ed. 2.

Psalm 132:3 In-Context

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.