Psalms

Introduction
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PSALM 132^*

The Covenant Between David and God

1A song of ascents.

I

Remember, O LORD, for David

all his hardships;

2How he swore an oath to the LORD,

vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:^*

3“I will not enter the house where I live,^a

nor lie on the couch where I sleep;

4I will give my eyes no sleep,

my eyelids no rest,

5Till I find a place for the LORD,

a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6“We have heard of it in Ephrathah;^*

we have found it in the fields of Jaar.^*

7Let us enter his dwelling;

let us worship at his footstool.”^b

8“Arise, LORD, come to your resting place,^c

you and your mighty ark.

9Your priests will be clothed with justice;

your devout will shout for joy.”

10For the sake of David your servant,

do not reject your anointed.

II

11The LORD swore an oath to David in truth,

he will never turn back from it:^d

“Your own offspring^e I will set upon your throne.

12If your sons observe my covenant,

and my decrees I shall teach them,

Their sons, in turn,

shall sit forever on your throne.”

13Yes, the LORD has chosen Zion,

desired it for a dwelling:

14“This is my resting place forever;

here I will dwell, for I desire it.

15I will bless Zion with provisions;

its poor I will fill with bread.

16I will clothe its priests with salvation;

its devout shall shout for joy.^f

17There I will make a horn sprout for David;^*^g

I will set a lamp for my anointed.

18His foes I will clothe with shame,

but on him his crown shall shine.”

* [Psalm 132] A song for a liturgical ceremony in which the ark, the throne of Israel’s God, was carried in procession to the Temple. The singer asks that David’s care for the proper housing of the ark be regarded with favor (Ps 132:1–5), and tells how it was brought to Jerusalem (Ps 132:6–10). There follows God’s promise of favor to the Davidic dynasty (Ps 132:11–12) and to Zion (Ps 132:13–17). The transfer of the ark to the tent in Jerusalem is described in 2 Sm 6.

* [132:2, 132:5] Mighty One of Jacob: one of the titles of Israel’s God, cf. Gn 49:24; Is 49:26; 60:16.

* [132:6] Ephrathah: the homeland of David, cf. Ru 4:11. The fields of Jaar: poetic for Kiriath-jearim, a town west of Jerusalem, where the ark remained for several generations, cf. 1 Sm 7:1–2; 2 Sm 6:2; 1 Chr 13:5–6.

* [132:17] A horn sprout for David: the image of the horn, a symbol of strength, is combined with that of a “sprout,” a term used for the Davidic descendant (cf. Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zec 3:8; 6:12). Early Christians referred the latter designation to Christ as son of David (Lk 1:69).

a. [132:3] 2 Sm 7; 1 Chr 28:2.

b. [132:7] Ps 99:5.

c. [132:8–10] Ps 2:2; 89:21; 95:11; Nm 10:35; 2 Chr 6:41–42; Sir 24:7.

d. [132:11–14] Ps 68:17; 1 Kgs 8:13; Sir 24:7.

e. [132:11] Ps 110:4; 2 Sm 7:12.

f. [132:16] 2 Chr 6:41; Is 61:10.

g. [132:17] Is 11:1; Jer 33:15; Ez 29:21; Zec 3:8; Lk 1:69.