Psalms 78:69

69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever.

Psalms 78:69 in Other Translations

69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded forever.

69 There he built his sanctuary as high as the heavens, as solid and enduring as the earth.

69 He built his sanctuary there, resplendent, solid and lasting as the earth itself.

69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that He established forever.

Psalms 78:69 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:69

And he built his sanctuary like high palaces
The temple at Jerusalem, called a sanctuary, or holy place, because separated and dedicated to holy use and service; where the holy God had his residence, and was worshipped, and was a figure of the holy place not made with hands: this is said to be built by the Lord, because the materials provided for it, and which David and his people so willingly offered, were his own; "of his own" they gave him; as well as the pattern after which it was made was had from the Spirit of God; and it was the Lord that put it into the heart of David to set such a work afoot, and encouraged Solomon to begin and finish it, and gave wisdom, health, and strength, to the workmen to accomplish it; and in reference to this are the words in ( Psalms 127:1 ) , "except the Lord build the house", &c. and this he built not like the "high places", where idolatry was committed; the temple was not built in imitation of them; but like what high and eminent men, like such buildings as: they erect; like stately palaces, so Aben Ezra and Kimchi, built for kings and great personages; and such a building was the temple, the most magnificent in all the world, as built by Solomon, and even as rebuilt by Zerubbabel, and repaired by Herod; see ( Mark 13:1 ) or it was built "on high", as the Syriac version, on a high hill, Mount Moriah: the Targum is,

``as the horn of the unicorn;''

and so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions. Jarchi interprets it as the high heavens, of which it was a figure; it was like them for magnificence and glory, and like the earth for stability, as follows:

like the earth, which he hath established for ever;
as to the substance of it; though as to the qualities of it, it will be done away, and a new one arise; otherwise it will abide for ever, ( Ecclesiastes 1:4 ) , this respects the continuance of the temple during the Jewish dispensation, when the Gospel temple, or Gospel church, should take place, which will continue to the end of the world: this is opposed to the frequent moves of the tabernacle and ark before the temple was built, when there was no abiding habitation provided for it.

Psalms 78:69 In-Context

67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;

68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved.

69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever.

70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens;

71 from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 15:1