Psa 132:8-10 | TDavid | STEP | EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS Verse 8 . In these three verses we see the finders of the ark removing it to its appointed place , using a formula somewhat like to that used by Moses when he said, "Rise up, Lord", and again, "Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." The ark had been long upon the move, and no fit place had been found for it in Canaan, but now devout men have prepared a temple, and they sing, Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. They hoped that now the covenant symbol had found a permanent abode -- a rest, and they trusted that Jehovah would now abide with it for ever. Vain would it be for the ark to be settled if the Lord did not continue with it, and perpetually shine forth from between the cherubim. Unless the Lord shall rest with us there is no rest for us; unless the ark of his strength abide with us we are ourselves without strength. The ark of the covenant is here mentioned by a name which it well deserved; for in its captivity it smote its captors, and broke their gods, and when it was brought back it guarded its own honour by the death of those who dared to treat it with disrespect. The power of God was thus connected with the sacred chest. Reverently, therefore, did Solomon pray concerning it as he besought the living God to consecrate the temple by his presence. It is the Lord and the covenant, or rather say the covenant Jehovah whose presence we desire in our assemblies, and this presence is the strength of his people. Oh that the Lord would indeed abide in all the churches, and cause his power to be revealed in Zion. EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS Verse 8 . Arise , O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Whenever the camp was about to move, Moses used the language found in the first part of this verse. "Arise (or rise up), O Jehovah." -- William Swan Plumer. Verse 8 . Thou , and the ark of thy strength. "Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one" . Now Christ, our Great High Priest, is gone up into the holy resting place. Of him it is said, "Arise": for he arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. And to his "ark", the church, it is said, "Arise": because he lives, all in him shall live also. --Edward Simms, in "A Spiritual Commentary on the Book of Psalms", 1882. Verse 8 . The ark of thy strength . The historical records of the ark are numerous, and deeply interesting. Miracles were often wrought at its presence. At the passage of the Jordan, no sooner were the feet of the priests which bare this holy vessel dipped in the brim of the river, than the waters rose up upon an heap, and the people of God passed over on dry ground -- "clean over Jordan": . At the siege of Jericho, the ark occupied a most prominent position in the daily procession of the tribes around the doomed city ... It was, however, captured by the Philistines, and Hophni and Phineas, Eli's wicked sons, in whose care it was placed, slain. Thus the Lord "delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemy's hand": . --Frank H. White, in "Christ in the Tabernacle", 1877. HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS Verse 8-9 . The Presence of God desired -- That it may be signally manifested: "Arise" and enter. b) That it may be gracious: "Thou and the ark" -- that he may be present on the mercyseat. c) That it may be felt: accompanied with power: "The ark of thy strength." d) That it may be abiding: "Arise into thy rest." The reasons for this desire. With respect to the priests or ministers: "Let thy priests", etc.: not their own righteousness, but as a clothing: let them speak of "garments of salvation" and "robes of righteousness." b) With respect to the worshippers: "And let thy saints", etc. Let ministers preach the gift of righteousness; not that which grows out of man's nature, but that which is "unto all and upon all them that believe", and saints will shout for joy. --G. R.

Psalms 132:8-10

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 8. In these three verses we see the finders of the ark removing it to its appointed place, using a formula somewhat like to that used by Moses when he said, "Rise up, Lord", and again, "Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." The ark had been long upon the move, and no fit place had been found for it in Canaan, but now devout men have prepared a temple, and they sing, Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. They hoped that now the covenant symbol had found a permanent abode -- a rest, and they trusted that Jehovah would now abide with it for ever. Vain would it be for the ark to be settled if the Lord did not continue with it, and perpetually shine forth from between the cherubim. Unless the Lord shall rest with us there is no rest for us; unless the ark of his strength abide with us we are ourselves without strength. The ark of the covenant is here mentioned by a name which it well deserved; for in its captivity it smote its captors, and broke their gods, and when it was brought back it guarded its own honour by the death of those who dared to treat it with disrespect. The power of God was thus connected with the sacred chest. Reverently, therefore, did Solomon pray concerning it as he besought the living God to consecrate the temple by his presence. It is the Lord and the covenant, or rather say the covenant Jehovah whose presence we desire in our assemblies, and this presence is the strength of his people. Oh that the Lord would indeed abide in all the churches, and cause his power to be revealed in Zion.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 8. Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Whenever the camp was about to move, Moses used the language found in the first part of this verse. "Arise (or rise up), O Jehovah." -- William Swan Plumer.

Verse 8. Thou, and the ark of thy strength. "Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one" Hebrews 2:11. Now Christ, our Great High Priest, is gone up into the holy resting place. Of him it is said, "Arise": for he arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. And to his "ark", the church, it is said, "Arise": because he lives, all in him shall live also. --Edward Simms, in "A Spiritual Commentary on the Book of Psalms", 1882.

Verse 8. The ark of thy strength. The historical records of the ark are numerous, and deeply interesting. Miracles were often wrought at its presence. At the passage of the Jordan, no sooner were the feet of the priests which bare this holy vessel dipped in the brim of the river, than the waters rose up upon an heap, and the people of God passed over on dry ground -- "clean over Jordan": Joshua 3:14-17. At the siege of Jericho, the ark occupied a most prominent position in the daily procession of the tribes around the doomed city ... It was, however, captured by the Philistines, and Hophni and Phineas, Eli's wicked sons, in whose care it was placed, slain. Thus the Lord "delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemy's hand": Psalms 78:61. --Frank H. White, in "Christ in the Tabernacle", 1877.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 8-9.

b) That it may be gracious: "Thou and the ark" -- that he may be present on the mercyseat.

c) That it may be felt: accompanied with power: "The ark of thy strength."

d) That it may be abiding: "Arise into thy rest."

b) With respect to the worshippers: "And let thy saints", etc. Let ministers preach the gift of righteousness; not that which grows out of man's nature, but that which is "unto all and upon all them that believe", and saints will shout for joy. --G. R.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness. No garment is so resplendent as that of a holy character. In this glorious robe our great High priest is evermore strayed, and he would have all his people adorned in the same manner. Then only are priests fit to appear before the Lord, and to minister for the profit of the people, when their lives are dignified with goodness. They must ever remember that they are God's priests, and should therefore wear the livery of their Lord, which is holiness: they are not only to have righteousness, but to bc clothed with it, so that upon every part of them righteousness shall be conspicuous. Whoever looks upon God's servants should see holiness if they see nothing else. Now, this righteousness of the ministers of the temple is prayed for in connection with the presence of the Lord; and this instructs us that holiness is only to be found among those who commune with God, and only comes to them through his visitation of their spirits. God will dwell among a holy people; and on the other hand, where God is the people become holy.

And let thy saints shout for joy. Holiness and happiness go together; where the one is found, the other ought never to be far away. Holy persons have a right to great and demonstrative joy: they may shout because of it. Since they are saints, and thy saints, and thou hast come to dwell with them, O Lord, thou hast made it their duty to rejoice, and to let others know of their joy. The sentence, while it may read as a permit, is also a precept: saints are commanded to rejoice in the Lord. Happy religion which makes it a duty to be glad! Where righteousness is the clothing, joy may well be the occupation.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 9. (first clause). The chief badge and cognizance of the Lord's minister is the true doctrine of justification and obedience of faith in a holy conversation: Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness. --David Dickson.

Verse 9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness. Holiness on the head,

Light and perfections on the breast,

Harmonious bells below, raising the dead

To lead them unto life and rest.

Thus are true Aarons drear, etc.

--George Herbert, 1593-1633.

Verse 9. Saints. If the very names given by God's prophets to his people are such as saints, gracious ones, merciful ones, surely his professed people ought to see to it that they are not cruel, not tender, or unholy. --William Swan Plumer.

Verse 9, 16. Let us notice the prayer, Psalms 132:9, with the answer, Psalms 132:16. The prayer asks in behalf of the priests righteousness: the answer is, "I will clothe her priests with salvation", i.e., with what shows forth God's gracious character. Caring for the interest of God, the worshipper finds his own interest fully cared for. And now, after spreading the Lord's pledged word (Psalms 132:11-12) before him, the worshipper hears the Lord himself utter the reply, q.d., "I will do all that has been sought." --A. A. Bonar.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 9. Consider,

Verse 9. (second clause).

Verse 9. (second clause). -- The connection between holiness and joy.

Verse 9,16. The Spiritual Vestry.

b) Salvation: learning, oratory, etc., of small account in comparison.

b) Earnest prayer should constantly arise from all saints.

b) Their beauty and power who are so invested.

c) The persons are "thy priests." --W. B. H.

Verse 9,16.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 10. For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed. King Solomon was praying, and here the people pray for him that his face may not be turned away, or that he may not be refused an audience. It is a dreadful thing to have our face turned away from God, or to have his face turned away from us. If we are anointed of the Spirit the Lord will look upon us with favour. Specially is this true of Him who represents us, and is on our behalf the Christ -- the truly anointed of the Lord. Jesus is both our David and God's anointed; in him is found in fulness that which David received in measure. For his sake all those who are anointed in him are accepted. God blessed Solomon and succeeding kings, for David's sake; and he will bless us for Jesus' sake. How condescending was the Son of the Highest to take upon himself the form of a servant, to be anointed for us, and to go in before the mercyseat to plead on our behalf! The Psalm sings of the ark, and it may well remind us of the going in of the anointed priest within the veil: all depended upon his acceptance, and therefore well do the people pray, "Turn not away the face of thine anointed."

Thus, in these three verses, we have a prayer for the temple, the ark, the priests, the Levites, the people, and the king: in each petition there is a fulness of meaning well worthy of careful thought. We cannot plead too much in detail; the fault of most prayers is their indefiniteness. In God's house and worship everything needs a blessing, and every person connected therewith needs it continually. As David vowed and prayed when he was minded to house the ark, so now the prayer is continued when the temple is consecrated, and the Lord deigns to fill it with his glory. We shall never have done praying till we have done needing.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 10. For thy servant David's sake. Solomon's plea for the divine blessing to rest upon him as king, "For thy servant David's sake", was justified in its use by God: Isaiah 37:35. It gives no countenance to the idea of intercession on the part of deceased saints; for it is not a prayer to David, but a pleading with God for the sake of David. Nor does it support the idea of works of supererogation on the part of David; it only implies a special divine delight in David, on account of which God was pleased to honour David's name during succeeding generations; and if the delight itself is pure grace, the expression of it, in any way, must be grace. Nor does it even give countenance to the idea that God's converting and saving grace may be expected by any man because his parents or ancestors were delighted in by God; for a plea of this character is in Scripture strictly confined to two instances, Abraham and David, with both of whom a special covenant was made, including their descendants, and it was just this covenant that authorised the use of the plea by those who by promise were specially interested, and by none others, and for the ends contemplated by the covenant. But it did prefigure the great Christian plea, "For Christ Jesus' sake"; just as God's selection of individual men and making them centres of revelation and religion, in the old time; prefigured "The man Christ Jesus" as the centre and basis of religion for all time. Hence in the plea, "For Christ's sake", the old pleas referred to are abolished, as the Jewish ritual is abolished. Christ bids us use His name: John 16:13-14,20, etc. To believe the false notions mentioned above, or to trust in any other name for divine, gracious favour, is to dishonour the name of Christ. "For Christ's sake" is effective on account of the great covenant, the merits of Christ, and his session in heaven. --John Field (of Sevenoaks), 1883.

Verse 10. For thy servant David's sake. The frequency with which God is urged to hear and answer prayer for David's sake (1 Kings 11:12-13 15:4 2 Kings 8:19, etc.), is not to be explained by making David mean the promise to David, nor from the personal favour of which he was the object, but for his historical position as the great theocratic model, in whom it pleased God that the old economy should reach its culminating point, and who is always held up as the type and representative of the Messiah, so that all the intervening kings are mere connecting links, and their reigns mere repetitions and continuations of the reign of David, with more or less resemblance as they happened to be good or bad. Hence the frequency with which his name appears in the later Scriptures, compared with even the last of his successors, and the otherwise inexplicable transfer of that name to the Messiah himself. --Joseph Addison Alexander.

Verse 10. For thy servant David's sake. When Sennacherib's army lay around Jerusalem besieging it, God brought deliverance for Israel partly out of regard to the prayer of the devout Hezekiah, but partly also out of respect for the pious memory of David, the hero king, the man after God's own heart. The message sent through Isaiah to the king concluded thus: "Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, he shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake": 2 Kings 19:32-34. What a respect is shown to David's name by its being thus put on a level with God! Mine own sake, and David's sake. --Alexander Balmain Bruce, in "The Galilean Gospel", 1882.

Verse 10. Turn not away the face, etc. As if in displeasure, or in forgetfulness. -- Albert Barnes.

Verse 10. Thine anointed. What is meant by "thine anointed"? Is it David himself; or some definite king among his merely human descendants; or does it apply to each or any of them as they come into office to bear the responsibilities of this line of anointed kings? I incline to the latter construction, under which the petition is applicable to any one or to all the anointed successors of David. For David's sake let every one of them be admitted to free audience before thee, and his prayer be evermore availing. The context contemplates a long line of kings descended from David. It was pertinent to make them all the subjects of this prayer. --Henry Cowles.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 10.