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Psalm 132

The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion

A Song of Ascents.

1

O L ord, remember in David’s favor

all the hardships he endured;

2

how he swore to the L ord

and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

3

“I will not enter my house

or get into my bed;

4

I will not give sleep to my eyes

or slumber to my eyelids,

5

until I find a place for the L ord,

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

 

6

We heard of it in Ephrathah;

we found it in the fields of Jaar.

7

“Let us go to his dwelling place;

let us worship at his footstool.”

 

8

Rise up, O L ord, and go to your resting place,

you and the ark of your might.

9

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,

and let your faithful shout for joy.

10

For your servant David’s sake

do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

 

11

The L ord swore to David a sure oath

from which he will not turn back:

“One of the sons of your body

I will set on your throne.

12

If your sons keep my covenant

and my decrees that I shall teach them,

their sons also, forevermore,

shall sit on your throne.”

 

13

For the L ord has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his habitation:

14

“This is my resting place forever;

here I will reside, for I have desired it.

15

I will abundantly bless its provisions;

I will satisfy its poor with bread.

16

Its priests I will clothe with salvation,

and its faithful will shout for joy.

17

There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.

18

His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,

but on him, his crown will gleam.”


11. Jehovah sware unto David. 135135     Compare Psalm 89:48. The sacred histories make no mention of such an oath, but a promise to the same effect is recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12; 2 Kings 8:25. Here he brings out the idea still more clearly, that the only thing he had respect to in David was the free promise which God had made to him. He takes notice of the fact, as confirmatory to his faith, that God had ratified the promise by oath. As to the particular words used, he speaks of God having sworn in truth, that is, not fallaciously, but in good faith, so that no doubt could be entertained of his departing from his word. The thing promised was a successor to David of his own seed; for though he did not want children, he had already almost despaired of the regular succession, from the fatal confusions which prevailed in his family, and the discord which internally rent his household, and might eventually ruin it. Solomon was particularly marked out, but the promise extended to a continuous line of successors. This arrangement affected the welfare of the whole Church, and not of David only, and the people of Godare encouraged by the assurance, that the kingdom which he had established amongst them was possessed of a sacred and enduring stability. Both king and people needed to be reminded of this divine foundation upon which it rested. We see how insolently the sovereigns of this world often deport themselves ­ filled with pride, though in words they may acknowledge that they reign by the grace of God. How often, besides, do they violently usurp the throne; how rarely do they come to it in a regular manner. A distinction is therefore drawn between the kingdoms of this world and that which David held by the sacred tenure of God’s own oracle.


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