Psalms 132:1-18 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

CXXXII. David's Zeal and its Reward.

Psalms 132:1-5. David's oath to find a worthy abode for the Ark in which Yahweh dwelt.

Psalms 132:1 b. affliction: rather pains, i.e. the pains he took to find a dwelling for Yahweh. He had (1 Chronicles 21) made elaborate provision for the material of the Temple buildings and had desired himself to erect them. The oath mentioned here is an addition to the sacred legend.

Psalms 132:6-8. The finding and translation of the Ark.

Psalms 132:6. The exegesis is the merest guesswork. Ephrathah may mean Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2; Ruth 4:11); the field of the wood may mean Kiriath-jearim (= city of woods), where the Ark abode twenty years (1 Samuel 7:2).) Here the general sense would seem to be that David heard of the Ark in his native town and found it not at Shiloh where it used to be, but at Kiriath-jearim. Or, since Ephrathah is said in 1 Chronicles 2:50 to have been an ancestor of Kiriath-jearim, we may understand the verse to mean, We found the Ark in the district of Ephrathah and in the town of Kiriath-jearim.

Psalms 132:11 f. Yahweh's oath in return for David's piety. David's sons and sons'sons in endless succession are to sit on his throne, if they are faithful to Yahweh.

Psalms 132:13-18. The prosperity of Zion, the beloved of Yahweh.

Psalms 132:15. provision: read, Zion.

Psalms 132:17. A lamp is the figure of prosperity. David (2 Samuel 2:17) embodies the prosperity of Israel, and is therefore said to be its lamp or light (cf. also Job 29:3).

Psalms 132:18. flourish: rather shine.

Related Commentaries of Psalms 132:1

Psalms 132:1-18

1 A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:

2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;

3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitationa for the mighty God of Jacob.

6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.

7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.

8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

10 For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy bodyb will I set upon thy throne.

12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

15 I will abundantlyc bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lampd for mine anointed.

18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.