1-5 O God, remember David, remember all his troubles!
And remember how he promised God, made a vow to the Strong God of Jacob,
“I’m not going home, and I’m not going to bed,
I’m not going to sleep, not even take time to rest,
Until I find a home for God, a house for the Strong God of Jacob.”
6-7 Remember how we got the news in Ephrathah, learned all about it at Jaar Meadows?
We shouted, “Let’s go to the shrine dedication! Let’s worship at God’s own footstool!”
8-10 Up, God, enjoy your new place of quiet repose, you and your mighty covenant ark;
Get your priests all dressed up in justice; prompt your worshipers to sing this prayer:
“Honor your servant David; don’t disdain your anointed one.”
11-18 God gave David his word, he won’t back out on this promise:
“One of your sons I will set on your throne;
If your sons stay true to my Covenant and learn to live the way I teach them,
Their sons will continue the line— always a son to sit on your throne.
Yes—I, God, chose Zion, the place I wanted for my shrine;
This will always be my home; this is what I want, and I’m here for good.
I’ll shower blessings on the pilgrims who come here, and give supper to those who arrive hungry;
I’ll dress my priests in salvation clothes; the holy people will sing their hearts out!
Oh, I’ll make the place radiant for David! I’ll fill it with light for my anointed!
I’ll dress his enemies in dirty rags, but I’ll make his crown sparkle with splendor.”
132:1–9 This section focuses on David fulfilling his vow to God to bring the tabernacle to rest in Jerusalem. – LONG before David’s time, the ark of the Lord had been almost forgotten by the children of Israel. It formed a most important part of the ceremonial which God had ordained; perhaps even the central portion of that pattern which was shown to Moses in the mountain. As a sign of His covenant He had the Israelites make a box according to His own design, in which to place the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. This box, or chest, was called an “ark” and was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. The Ark was to be housed in the inner sanctum of the tabernacle in the desert and eventually in the Temple when it was built in Jerusalem. This chest is known as the Ark of the Covenant. Interestingly, the most complete inventory of the contents of the ark of the covenant is found in the New Testament: Hebrews 9:4 says that the Most Holy Place had “the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.” The stone tablets were those on which Moses had written the Ten Commandments. The ark also was covered with the mercy seat, where blood was offered and sins forgiven – a foreshadowing of what? If you said Jesus, you’re right.
But the ark had been carried into captivity by the Philistines; and, afterwards, the terrible judgment worked upon the men of Beth-Shemesh may have made many afraid to go near it; so it remained a long time in Kirjath-Jearim, and there David found it, and, after leaving it for a while at the house of Obed-Edom, brought it up to Jerusalem with great rejoicing. David’s heart was so full of zeal for God that he desired that every part of the Lord’s worship should be carried out with due order and proper solemnity. He wished to see a sanctuary built, in which the ark of the Lord should rest in its place, and the worship of God should be carried out.
132:1 – Affliction – This seems to be inclusive from the times of being pursued by Saul
132:2 the Mighty One of Jacob. A title last used by Jacob in Gen. 49:24. This
132:3-5 – This specific vow is recorded nowhere else in Scripture – Charles Spurgeon says: David remembered that he had built himself a palace, but he wished even more to build a palace for God – a house for the celebration of his worship. But where can a worthy house be built for God? Where can there be made a fit dwelling place for the most high? He fills all things, yet all things cannot contain him.
132:6-9 – The ark was brought from Kirjath Jearim to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam. 6; 1 Chr. 13, 15).
132:10–18 This section focuses on God’s fulfilling His vow to David to perpetuate the Davidic Covenant…
132:10 A prayer that God’s promise and favor would not be withheld from David’s descendants, specifically the anointed one – the king
132:11, 12 God’s covenant with David (2 Sam. 23:5) is summarized here from 2 Sam. 7:11–16 and 1…
132:12 This conditional aspect could interrupt the occupation of the throne, but it would not…
132:13–18 This section looks forward prophetically to the day that Jesus Christ, the son of Man would enter the scene…
132:13 Zion. Refers to earthly Jerusalem.
We have studied the Psalm from an exegetical angle – had I two more hours, I could delve much deeper into the transfer of the ark, into Uzzah’s touching and David’s dancing. But the Bible is more than a history lesson and I want to spend some time seeing it from the perspective of the New Testament as we see everything in the Old Testament through the lens of the New. The OT has within it the NT now revealed.
One commentary, Feasting on the Word says – The Apostle Paul in the New Testament considers it his calling to proclaim to non-Jews the same access to God attested to in the Temple and His Kingdom through a direct connection to Jesus. Jesus sheds a light on the OT. And this Psalm is absolutely one of the places we see Jesus in the OT.
Back in the days before Jesus, God was in the temple – there was a temple mentality. We are covering the Psalms of ascent – the pilgrim psalms – the psalms of one on a journey – and where are they going? To the temple – to God.
Now, when we ask, “Where is God?” The answer is “everywhere.” God is everywhere. He is omnipresent. Isaiah 6:3 – “The whole earth is full of His glory”.
The Psalm was pointing toward God’s promises in the future – we are the result of this promise!
God has chosen US for his habitation!!!!
When the Psalm says He has chosen Zion for His dwelling place, we remember He has not abandoned Zion, but rather in a way EXPANDED Zion!
Miraculously, as only He could do – – in addition to Zion, He has made us his dwelling place. He is creating a Holy People!
Earlier I quoted Spurgeon who said:
God fills all things, yet all things cannot contain him.
God entered His creation,
He Promises His Presence, Provision, and Salvation
Presence – With you always, even to the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28:20
Provision – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:19
The good news for congregations weary of broken promises is that God’s promises are kept. He can no more break a promise as He can deny forgiveness to the sinner who confesses to Him through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Salvation –
132:13–18 This section looks forward prophetically to the day that Jesus Christ, the son of Man would enter the scene…
And He has. Where the Psalmist sees it as something to happen, we see it as something which DID happen. The Messiah entered the world. And we know why He came – He came to be given as a ransom for many. Where the mercy seat of the ark was the place of the blood sacrifice for forgiveness, Jesus on the cross becomes the ultimate sacrifice – the once and for all. And the Scriptures tell us that whosoever believeth in Him shall be saved. Everyone needs to be saved.
There ‘s an impasse in our society that only the Spirit of God can work out. On one hand is the evangelical Christian community who believe God compels them to show love by calling people to repent & seek forgiveness from Jesus. And on the other hand is a country full of people who have already decided they do not need to be forgiven and think it’s unloving and judgmental for the evangelicals to think they do (need to ask for forgiveness). And that’s where we’re at.
Today, I have taken you through the 132nd Psalm. We’ve looked at it from the time it was written and we’ve touched on it looking back through the lens on Jesus.
We, as they, remember God’s faithfulness in the past. Today, as it says in verse 16, we remember the saints who have gone before us who are shouting aloud for joy…. even as they now shout in the presence of God. We exalt Him in the present OUR present, just as they did in their present time, and we do that the best ways we can in this difficult time.
And now, just as they did… we race toward God’s promises. For those who are saved, we race to the promises of His presence with us always, his provision for us always, and His salvation available to us today and while today we only see it and understand it in part, we are racing to the promise that one day we will see Him face to face.
If you have already given your life to him…. you know you’re racing toward him – and I mean as in time is flying.
If you have yet to give your life to Him and have a personal relationship with Him, you are racing to your destination as well. And His promises are true. And without Him, you are not going where you think you’re going. Or maybe you are. “The Psalm says His enemies I will clothe with shame”. That’s a promise, too. Not one I want to see you live out. You need Him to save you. Will you ask Him today? Will you trust Him today? Will you change your eternal destination today?
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