Psalms 132:3

3 "Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

Psalms 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalms 132:3 In-Context

2 how he swore unto the LORD and vowed unto the Mighty God of Jacob:
3 "Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes or slumber to mine eyelids
5 until I find out a place for the LORD, a habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob."
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.