Biblion Bible Commentary
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Remember David and All His Affliction
Psalms 132:1-18
1 A Song of Ascents. Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction, · WEB
A man's vow to find God a house is answered by God choosing a house of his own and promising a lamp.
Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction, how he swore to Yahweh Psalms 132:1–2.
The longest of the Songs of Ascents, and it is built on two oaths — one sworn by a man and one sworn by God in reply.
"Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes... until I find out a place for Yahweh" Psalms 132:3–5.
David's vow. He will not sleep in his own house until God has one — and the point is the contrast that troubled him: he was living in a palace of cedar while the ark was in a tent 2 Samuel 7:2.
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar Psalms 132:6.
The search for the ark, which had been left in a farming village for twenty years after the Philistines returned it. Nobody had come for it.
Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength Psalms 132:8.
The words spoken when the ark was carried up, and the same sentence Solomon prayed at the temple's dedication 2 Chronicles 6:41.
Yahweh has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne" Psalms 132:11.
The answering oath. Peter quotes this verse at Pentecost as the promise David knew would be kept in the resurrection Acts 2:30.
If your children will keep my covenant... their children also will sit on your throne forever more Psalms 132:12.
The condition attached, as in the eighty-ninth psalm.
For Yahweh has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation. "This is my resting place forever. I will live here, for I have desired it" Psalms 132:13–14.
The reversal at the center of the psalm. David swore to find God a resting place; God announces that he has chosen one himself, and the reason given twice is desire. The verb is not obligation.
I will satisfy her poor with bread Psalms 132:15.
The first thing promised to the chosen city is that its poor will eat.
I will make the horn of David to bud there. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed Psalms 132:17.
A horn budding is growth from what looked finished. The lamp is the phrase used repeatedly of David's line surviving when it should not have — a light kept burning in Jerusalem for his sake 1 Kings 11:36.
settled What this mark means