Walk Of Life – Day 17, February 2023 – Thoughts From The Book of Psalms

Psalm 132

The psalm divides into three sections. The first section tells us about David’s promise to God, the second section tells us about God’s promise to David, and then the third section tells us about God’s promise to us.

I. David’s promise to God (1-9)

So let’s begin with David’s promise to God.

A. David’s hardships

In verse 1: “O Lord, remember David and all the hardships he endured.” David had to run for his life from Saul, and even when he finally became king after Saul died, he had to flee Jerusalem when his own son tried to take the throne away from him. However, the hardships here more likely refer to David getting the ark to Jerusalem after the first terribly failed attempt and gathering all the materials for the temple. Once the ark was safely brought to Jerusalem, David then spent years making plans and gathering the materials for the temple. And so the psalm begins by asking God to remember David and all these hardships he endured.

The Bible tells us that God also remembers all the trials and hardships you go through for him. Hebrews 6:10 says: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

B. David’s promise to find a dwelling place for the Lord (2-5)
– Genesis 28:16-22; 2 Samuel 7:1-2

Initially David brought the ark to Jerusalem and placed it inside a tent or tabernacle that he had prepared for it. (2 Samuel 6:17) But eventually he felt a tent was not enough. We read in 2 Samuel that after David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he expressed dissatisfaction that he was living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remained in a tent. (2 Samuel 7:1-2)

David proposed building a temple for the ark, but God told him no, that David’s son would build the temple. And so David began making preparations for the temple instead. God had given David rest, but David was determined not to rest until he found a place for God to rest. And so instead of enjoying his rest after so many years of conflict, he devoted his final years to making all the preparations for the temple. David was determined to build a house for God.

C. David’s fulfillment of his promise to God – the temple! (6-9)

This promise was fulfilled initially when David brought the ark to Jerusalem and then more fully when Solomon brought the ark into the newly completed and dedicated temple. Back to Psalm 132 now, looking at verses 6-9: “We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar: 7 ‘Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool – 8 arise, O Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. 9 May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy.’” (Psalm 132:6-9)

This is one of those parts where it helps to know some of the Old Testament background. “Ephrathah” is another name for Bethlehem, the town where Christ would eventually be born. “The fields of Jaar” refers to Kiriath Jearim where the ark remained for twenty years during the days of Samuel. (1 Samuel 7:1-2) The call, “Arise, O lord, and come to your resting place,” comes from the words Moses spoke over the ark in the wilderness. (Numbers 10:35-36)

It’s interesting, when we come to Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple in 2 Chronicles, he closes his prayer with these same words from Psalm 132. “Now arise, O Lord God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness.” (2 Chronicles 6:41)

And so in Psalm 132 we find not just the pilgrims coming home to Jerusalem, but we see the ark coming home as well. After many years of wandering in the wilderness and then being moved around from place to place, the ark finally found its permanent resting place at the temple in Jerusalem. And as the pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem to worship the Lord for the feasts, they would remember how the ark followed that same path so many years before them.