Psa 132:4-6 | KingComments | STEP | Now that the foundation of fellowship with the LORD has been laid on the basis of the day of atonement (Psalm 131), the remnant has the proper mind to draw near to the LORD (Psalm 132). As a result, attention is drawn to the place the LORD has chosen to establish His Name there ( ). The faithful remnant of the twelve tribes now also has the right mind to ask the LORD to fulfill the desires of David. The temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt (Ezekiel 40-43). The shechina , the cloud of God’s presence, the visible symbol of His presence, returns to Jerusalem ( ). Then what Haggai prophesied about is fulfilled: “’The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts” ( ). After Psalm 131, the pilgrim is no longer concerned with himself, but only with the house of God (Psalm 132), fellowship with his fellow pilgrims (Psalm 133), and the worship of God in His house (Psalm 134). He thinks in Psalm 132 of the origin of the house, where he wants to be because the LORD dwells there. Psalm 132 shows Christ, the Son of David, as the King Who will build the house of God. Psalm 133 shows Christ as the Priest Who lets the Holy Spirit work in the remnant, with the result that the enmity between the two tribes realm and the ten tribes realm is over forever. The building of the house of God is connected with two kings who jointly point to Christ: David, a picture of the suffering Christ, and Solomon, a picture of the glorified Christ. David had the desire to build the house for the LORD; Solomon was commissioned and empowered to do so. Division of the psalm The division of Psalm 132 is remarkable. Namely, the second half of the psalm is exactly the counterpart of its first part: A David swore to the LORD ( ) --B What David has sworn ( ) ----C Place for the ark sought ( ) ------D Prayer for a resting place ( ) --------E Prayer for priests and godly ones ( ) ----------F Prayer for the anointed ( ) A The LORD swore to David ( ) --B What the LORD has sworn ( ) ----C Place for the ark chosen ( ) ------D Resting place established ( ) --------E Promise to priests and godly ones ( ) ----------F Promises to the anointed ( ) speak of what David wanted to do for the LORD; speak of what the LORD will do for David. Everything that is prayed for in the first half based on David’s oath is answered in the second half based on the LORD’s oath. It brings to mind the LORD’s promise to David concerning the building of the temple. David wanted to build a house for the LORD, but the LORD answered that He will build a house for David. This promise is so important that the LORD confirmed it with the swearing of an oath ( ; ; ). The psalm is most likely of Solomon. Namely, correspond to some verses from the prayer Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple ( ). Solomon, the son of David, is a foreshadowing of the great Son of David, Who said: “Behold, more than Solomon is here!” ( ). He is the Son of David Who will be King in the realm of peace. We hear here the voice of the Spirit of prophecy Who is at work in the believing remnant in the end time. They are looking forward to the fulfillment of the promises of God to David. Those promises especially include the everlasting reign of the lineage of David, which is Christ, and the worship of God in righteousness in Zion. In this psalm, the kingship and the priesthood of the Lord Jesus are thus linked in a special way. In the Messiah everything of this psalm will be fulfilled. We see the remnant of the twelve tribes heading for the house of God. Thereby they take to their lips the words of this psalm. These are the days that herald the restoration of the people as God’s people. They also expect a speedy fulfillment of the promise that God in the Messiah will take His place among them in the place He has chosen to establish His Name there. This “Song of Ascents”, the thirteenth, begins with the prayer to the LORD to “remember … on David’s behalf, all his affliction” ( ). The Hebrew word for “remember” is not merely ‘remember something’, but “act because of thinking of something”. Remembering is an activity of the whole person. The one who prays is not thinking of the toilsome ways David went, but of all his efforts to build a dwelling place for God ( ). This is evident in the following verses. In all his wanderings and all his struggles, he always had this goal in mind. As a man after God’s heart ( ), he always sought to please the LORD. Therefore, he also had the strong desire to build a house for Him. The same desire that King David had, all the returned tribes, that is the remnant of Israel, have. This is perfectly true of the great Son of David, the Lord Jesus, Who through His suffering brought about the church in which He and God now dwell. The suffering of the Lord Jesus may also be the occasion for us to beseech God for what is now His house: the church of the living God ( ). Our prayer may be that He will find a place of rest with those who gather as His house. David, with a view to a dwelling place for God, “swore to the LORD” and made a “vow” to “the Mighty One of Jacob” ( ). Jacob speaks of “the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob” in the blessing he pronounces on Joseph ( ; cf. ). It is one of the three titles of the LORD in connection with the patriarchs: He is the shield of Abraham ( ), the fear of Isaac ( ) – that is, Isaac feared God or was in awe of Him ( ) – and here the Mighty One of Jacob. By this name, the mighty God connects Himself with the weakness of Jacob, in whom here the whole people, all twelve tribes, are represented in their weakness. This name is also mentioned again in . It emphasizes that all this striving to find a place for God to dwell is done in weakness, but through His power leads to results. It also points out that His power eliminates any opposition that would seek to hinder this purpose. At what point in his life David swore his oath is not recorded in Scripture. It is possible that he did so during the period when he became king. He then built a magnificent palace for himself, while the ark of the LORD stood in a simple tent ( ). David in his commitment to seek a dwelling place for God is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who says of Himself, that zeal for God’s house has consumed Him ( ; ). The strength of his desire is evident in what he says: “Surely I will not enter my house, nor lie on my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, until …” ( ). That is, David does not allow himself the luxury of rest and comfort until the ark of the LORD has been given its place of rest. He will not be satisfied to lay his head to rest anywhere until he has accomplished this desire. This corresponds to the desire of God Himself to have a place where He establishes His Name and of which He wants His people to ask for and seek that place ( ). God designates David that place ( ; ). The expression “place” in is parallel to “dwelling place” in , that is, it is a place to dwell there. In the days of Saul, the ark was not asked for ( ). Twenty years the ark is in Kiriath-jearim, in the house of Abinadab ( ). David begins to ask for it. When he and his men, “we”, are in Ephrathah, “in the field of Jaar”, they hear about “it” ( ). The ark is not mentioned by name. The psalmist speaks of “it” on the assumption that everyone will know what he is talking about. The return of the ark of the covenant after the “Ikabod” period (cf. ) is a reference to the return of the shechinah , which is the cloud of God’s presence, the visible symbol of His presence, to Jerusalem ( ). When David is king, he goes to pick up the ark from the house of Abinadab ( ). At first he doesn’t do this the right way. Then the ark comes into the house of Obed-edom. After three months, he picks up the ark there and brings it to Zion in the way God has prescribed ( ). At the place where David brought the ark, which is in “His dwelling place” ( ), the dwelling place of God, the people want to enter to worship God ( ). Historically, this happens when David and the people bring the ark to the tent he has pitched for it ( ). The ark as “His footstool” indicates that God has His rest on the ark. The footstool is a part of the throne on which the feet of the king rest. It is a sign of his great power ( ). It is also the place to come close to the king and bow down to Him. Getting closer to a king is not possible. When we remember that the ark is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus, we see that God’s people seek and find a place of rest for the Lord Jesus. That place of rest in our day is there, where the church meets as the house of God. This happens wherever believers gathers, even if only two or three, to the Name of the Lord Jesus ( ; ). At the same time, the Lord Jesus is also the “place” of rest for God ( ). Nowhere else can God find rest on earth but in the Lord Jesus alone. All rest on earth is united in Him and passed on by Him to those who trust in Him.

‏ Psalms 132:4-6

Introduction

Now that the foundation of fellowship with the LORD has been laid on the basis of the day of atonement (Psalm 131), the remnant has the proper mind to draw near to the LORD (Psalm 132). As a result, attention is drawn to the place the LORD has chosen to establish His Name there (Deu 12:5).

The faithful remnant of the twelve tribes now also has the right mind to ask the LORD to fulfill the desires of David. The temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt (Ezekiel 40-43). The shechina, the cloud of God’s presence, the visible symbol of His presence, returns to Jerusalem (Eze 43:1-5). Then what Haggai prophesied about is fulfilled: “’The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Hag 2:9).

After Psalm 131, the pilgrim is no longer concerned with himself, but only with the house of God (Psalm 132), fellowship with his fellow pilgrims (Psalm 133), and the worship of God in His house (Psalm 134). He thinks in Psalm 132 of the origin of the house, where he wants to be because the LORD dwells there.

Psalm 132 shows Christ, the Son of David, as the King Who will build the house of God. Psalm 133 shows Christ as the Priest Who lets the Holy Spirit work in the remnant, with the result that the enmity between the two tribes realm and the ten tribes realm is over forever.

The building of the house of God is connected with two kings who jointly point to Christ: David, a picture of the suffering Christ, and Solomon, a picture of the glorified Christ. David had the desire to build the house for the LORD; Solomon was commissioned and empowered to do so.

Division of the psalm

The division of Psalm 132 is remarkable. Namely, the second half of the psalm is exactly the counterpart of its first part:

A David swore to the LORD (Psa 132:2)

--B What David has sworn (Psa 132:3-5)

----C Place for the ark sought (Psa 132:6-7)

------D Prayer for a resting place (Psa 132:8)

--------E Prayer for priests and godly ones (Psa 132:9)

----------F Prayer for the anointed (Psa 132:10)

A The LORD swore to David (Psa 132:11a)

--B What the LORD has sworn (Psa 132:11b-12)

----C Place for the ark chosen (Psa 132:13)

------D Resting place established (Psa 132:14-15)

--------E Promise to priests and godly ones (Psa 132:16)

----------F Promises to the anointed (Psa 132:17-18)

Psa 132:2-10 speak of what David wanted to do for the LORD; Psa 132:11-18 speak of what the LORD will do for David. Everything that is prayed for in the first half based on David’s oath is answered in the second half based on the LORD’s oath.

It brings to mind the LORD’s promise to David concerning the building of the temple. David wanted to build a house for the LORD, but the LORD answered that He will build a house for David. This promise is so important that the LORD confirmed it with the swearing of an oath (Psa 132:11; Psa 89:3-4; 2Sam 7:11).

The psalm is most likely of Solomon. Namely, Psa 132:8-10 correspond to some verses from the prayer Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple (2Chr 6:41-42). Solomon, the son of David, is a foreshadowing of the great Son of David, Who said: “Behold, more than Solomon is here!” (Mt 12:42). He is the Son of David Who will be King in the realm of peace.

We hear here the voice of the Spirit of prophecy Who is at work in the believing remnant in the end time. They are looking forward to the fulfillment of the promises of God to David. Those promises especially include the everlasting reign of the lineage of David, which is Christ, and the worship of God in righteousness in Zion. In this psalm, the kingship and the priesthood of the Lord Jesus are thus linked in a special way. In the Messiah everything of this psalm will be fulfilled.

We see the remnant of the twelve tribes heading for the house of God. Thereby they take to their lips the words of this psalm. These are the days that herald the restoration of the people as God’s people. They also expect a speedy fulfillment of the promise that God in the Messiah will take His place among them in the place He has chosen to establish His Name there.

A Dwelling Place for God

This “Song of Ascents”, the thirteenth, begins with the prayer to the LORD to “remember … on David’s behalf, all his affliction” (Psa 132:1). The Hebrew word for “remember” is not merely ‘remember something’, but “act because of thinking of something”. Remembering is an activity of the whole person.

The one who prays is not thinking of the toilsome ways David went, but of all his efforts to build a dwelling place for God (1Chr 22:14). This is evident in the following verses. In all his wanderings and all his struggles, he always had this goal in mind. As a man after God’s heart (1Sam 13:14), he always sought to please the LORD. Therefore, he also had the strong desire to build a house for Him. The same desire that King David had, all the returned tribes, that is the remnant of Israel, have.

This is perfectly true of the great Son of David, the Lord Jesus, Who through His suffering brought about the church in which He and God now dwell. The suffering of the Lord Jesus may also be the occasion for us to beseech God for what is now His house: the church of the living God (1Tim 3:15). Our prayer may be that He will find a place of rest with those who gather as His house.

David, with a view to a dwelling place for God, “swore to the LORD” and made a “vow” to “the Mighty One of Jacob” (Psa 132:2). Jacob speaks of “the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob” in the blessing he pronounces on Joseph (Gen 49:24; cf. Isa 49:26 ; Isa 60:16). It is one of the three titles of the LORD in connection with the patriarchs: He is the shield of Abraham (Gen 15:1), the fear of Isaac (Gen 31:42 ; 53) – that is, Isaac feared God or was in awe of Him (Gen 27:33) – and here the Mighty One of Jacob.

By this name, the mighty God connects Himself with the weakness of Jacob, in whom here the whole people, all twelve tribes, are represented in their weakness. This name is also mentioned again in Psa 132:5. It emphasizes that all this striving to find a place for God to dwell is done in weakness, but through His power leads to results. It also points out that His power eliminates any opposition that would seek to hinder this purpose.

At what point in his life David swore his oath is not recorded in Scripture. It is possible that he did so during the period when he became king. He then built a magnificent palace for himself, while the ark of the LORD stood in a simple tent (2Sam 7:2). David in his commitment to seek a dwelling place for God is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who says of Himself, that zeal for God’s house has consumed Him (Jn 2:17; Psa 69:9).

The strength of his desire is evident in what he says: “Surely I will not enter my house, nor lie on my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, until …” (Psa 132:3-5). That is, David does not allow himself the luxury of rest and comfort until the ark of the LORD has been given its place of rest.

He will not be satisfied to lay his head to rest anywhere until he has accomplished this desire. This corresponds to the desire of God Himself to have a place where He establishes His Name and of which He wants His people to ask for and seek that place (Deu 12:5 ; 11 ; 14 ; 18 ; 21 ; 26). God designates David that place (2Sam 24:18-25; 1Chr 22:1). The expression “place” in Psa 132:5a is parallel to “dwelling place” in Psa 132:5b, that is, it is a place to dwell there.

In the days of Saul, the ark was not asked for (1Chr 13:3). Twenty years the ark is in Kiriath-jearim, in the house of Abinadab (1Sam 7:1-2). David begins to ask for it. When he and his men, “we”, are in Ephrathah, “in the field of Jaar”, they hear about “it” (Psa 132:6). The ark is not mentioned by name. The psalmist speaks of “it” on the assumption that everyone will know what he is talking about. The return of the ark of the covenant after the “Ikabod” period (cf. 1Sam 4:21-22) is a reference to the return of the shechinah, which is the cloud of God’s presence, the visible symbol of His presence, to Jerusalem (Eze 43:1-7).

When David is king, he goes to pick up the ark from the house of Abinadab (2Sam 6:2-3). At first he doesn’t do this the right way. Then the ark comes into the house of Obed-edom. After three months, he picks up the ark there and brings it to Zion in the way God has prescribed (2Sam 6:4-17).

At the place where David brought the ark, which is in “His dwelling place” (Psa 74:7 ; Psa 76:2 ; Psa 84:1b ; Psa 132:5 ; 13), the dwelling place of God, the people want to enter to worship God (Psa 132:7). Historically, this happens when David and the people bring the ark to the tent he has pitched for it (2Sam 6:17). The ark as “His footstool” indicates that God has His rest on the ark. The footstool is a part of the throne on which the feet of the king rest. It is a sign of his great power (Psa 110:1). It is also the place to come close to the king and bow down to Him. Getting closer to a king is not possible.

When we remember that the ark is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus, we see that God’s people seek and find a place of rest for the Lord Jesus. That place of rest in our day is there, where the church meets as the house of God. This happens wherever believers gathers, even if only two or three, to the Name of the Lord Jesus (Mt 18:20; 1Tim 3:15). At the same time, the Lord Jesus is also the “place” of rest for God (Col 2:9). Nowhere else can God find rest on earth but in the Lord Jesus alone. All rest on earth is united in Him and passed on by Him to those who trust in Him.