THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

CXXXII: Confirmation Of God's Fulfillment Of The Davidic Covenant

(Psalm 132:1-18)

I. Introduction

A. After Israel and Judah had been in captivity and Jerusalem and the temple lay in ruins, returning exiles needed assurance that God's covenant with David and in turn His temple was sure, that their nation had a future.

B. Psalm 132:1-18 is a psalm that confirms that covenant. We view it for our insight and application as follows:

II. Confirmation Of God's Fulfillment Of The Davidic Covenant, Psalm 132:1-18.

A. The introductory remarks are part of verse one, so the numbering system in the Hebrew text matches that of the English Bible (Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1091). We thus stay with the English Bible's numbering system.

B. We then translate Psalm 132:1-18 (as follows):

1. "A song of ascents. Remember, O Jahweh, for the benefit of David, all of his afflictions" (Psalm 132:1)

2. "which [he had in that] he swore an oath to Jahweh and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:" (v. 2)

3. "'I will not enter my house or go to my bed -- " (Psalm 132:3)

4. "I will give no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids," Psalm 132:4.

5. "until I have found a place for Jahweh, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob,'" Psalm 132:5.

6. "Behold! We have heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:" (Psalm 132:6)

7. "Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool --" (Psalm 132:7)

8. "Arise, O Jahweh, and come to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might," Psalm 132:8.

9. "May Your priests be clothed with righteousness; may Your saints sing for joy," Psalm 132:9.

10. "For the sake of David Your servant, do not reject Your anointed one," Psalm 132:10.

11. "Jahweh swore an oath to David, a sure oath He will not revoke: 'One of your descendants will I place on your throne;'" (Psalm 132:11)

12. "'if your sons keep My covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever,'" Psalm 132:12.

13. "For Jahweh has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling:" (Psalm 132:13)

14. "'This is My resting place for ever and ever; here will I sit enthroned, for I have desired it -- '" (Ps. 132:14)

15. "'I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food,'" Psalm 132:15.

16. "'I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy,'" Psalm 132:16.

17. "'Here will I make a horn [symbol of a strong one, the king; NIV ftn.] grow for David and set up a lamp for My anointed one,'" Psalm 132:17.

18. "'I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent,'" Psalm 132:18.

C. We note significant observations regarding this psalm (as follows):

1. Seeking God's assurance that they had a future as a nation despite the ruins of their temple and Davidic palace and capital, the retuning exiles urged the Lord to recall the afflictions of David His servant when he swore and vowed to God not to enter his house or go to bed, not to give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eyelids until he had found a place for Jahweh, a dwelling for the Mighty God of Jacob, Psalm 132:1-5.

2. The returning exiles then asserted the encouraging word they had heard of the Davidic Covenant, that they had [poetically] heard of it in Ephrathah, the ancient name of David's hometown of Bethlehem, and they had come upon the ark of God in Jaar, a [poetic] reference to Kiriath Jearim where the ark had rested for 20 years until David moved it to Zion (1 Sam. 7:1-2; 2 Sam. 6), Psalm 132:6; B. K. C., O.T., p. 887.

3. Accordingly, they called themselves as a group to go to God's dwelling place, to worship at His footstool in Zion, and for God to restore the worship established under the Davidic Covenant at Jerusalem, v. 7-10.

4. The returning exiles then recalled God's oath to David that He would "make his horn grow" (v. 17), that He would not revoke His Davidic Covenant and keep Zion His resting place for Israel's future blessings, v. 11-18. The term "grow," samah, lit. "sprout," is related to the noun semah, "branch," a messianic title (Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12) and promises the coming Anointed One, the Messiah! (Ibid., p. 888)

Lesson: For assurance their nation and temple would be rebuilt and permanently last, the returning exiles recalled the Davidic Covenant and God's promises to David's seed to establish the temple site as His permanent dwelling.

Application: In times of insecurity and hardship, may we trust in God's sure Scripture promises for confidence!