A Song of Ascents
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter my house
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 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, saying,
8 ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.’”
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.
16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”
Studying Psalm 132
Psalm 132 is a Royal Psalm. Royal Psalms focus on the kings of Israel, especially David and his descendants.
The first half of Psalm 132 reflects David’s desire for the LORD’s presence to dwell in Jerusalem, which would be fulfilled by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the city.
2 Samuel 6:12-15 “Now King David was told, ‘The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the Ark of God.’ So David went to bring up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the Ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”
David danced and rejoiced when his prayer was answered, but the best was yet to come.
The Ark of the Covenant
Who Had Access to the Ark of the Covenant?
- Only the high priest was allowed direct access to the Ark.
- He could enter the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) where the Ark was kept.
How Often Was the Ark Accessed?
- The high priest entered the Holy of Holies only once a year on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:2)
- He sprinkled blood from a sacrificed animal on the Ark’s mercy seat to atone for Israel’s sins.
The Direction of Psalm 132
What is the Direction of verse 10-18? Draw the corresponding shape. _________
- Our Words to God
- God’s Words to Us
- Our Words to Each Other (Often About God)
- Our Words to Ourselves
The Lord Speaks
In Zephaniah, the LORD first encourages His people to sing
Zephaniah 3:14 “Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!”
Zephaniah 3:17 says that the LORD will rejoice and sing over His people.
“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
The Anointed One
Many Royal Psalms, including 132, point ahead to Jesus,
the ultimate King who fulfills God’s promise to David.
Psalm 132:10 “The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath He will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.”
The LORD made this promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16
2 Samuel 2:16, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before Me; your throne will be established forever.”
- In the first half of Psalm 132 David prayed for the Ark to come to Jerusalem, so the people of Israel could have access to His presence once a year.
James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
The LORD promised something far greater than what David had asked—through His Son, the Anointed One. After His ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, ensuring that His presence would be with us forever.
Psalm 132:11 “If your sons keep My covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne forever and ever.”
Q: Did David’s sons keep the LORD’s covenant and His statues?
- Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, The LORD was faithful in sending His Son.
“Even When I’m not Your Faithful” “Great is thy faithfulness.”
Psalm 132: 14 – “I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food.”
John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.’”
- Those spiritually poor will be satisfied and content forever with Jesus, the bread of life.
Psalm 132: 15 “I will clothe her priests with salvation. “
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”
- Those in Christ are a royal priesthood clothed in “salvation.”
Psalm 132:15 “and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
- Both now and forevermore we will sing the praise of the Lamb, The Anointed One:
Revelation 5:12: “In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!'”
Psalm 132: 16 “Here I will make a horn grow for David”
In the Bible, a horn symbolizes strength, authority, and victory.
Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Zechariah (John the Baptist’s Father) connected Psalm 132 to Jesus and sang about its fulfillment.
Luke 1:66-79) 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Promise 1 – Psalm 132:17 “I will clothe his enemies with shame.”
Jesus As the Answer to the Promise: Luke 1:74 “To rescue us from the hand of our enemies.”
The Promise Fulfilled: Colossians 2:15 – “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Promise 2: Psalm 132:16 “Set up a Lamp for my Anointed One”
Jesus as the Answer to the Promise: Luke 1:79 “ to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
The Promise Fulfilled: John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
Ultimate Fulfillment: Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Charles Spurgeon: “What a lamp is our Lord Jesus! A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel. As the anointed—the true Christ, he shall be the light of heaven itself.”
Q: How does knowing Jesus is the Bread of Life and the Light of the World help you be truly content, no matter what challenges you face?
Prayer
Psalm 132 : We are a Royal Priesthood
LORD, you’ve placed it in my heart to serve You.
We remember King David, who served You and was established as a king before you.
We rejoice that Jesus is the fulfillment of this perpetual kingdom and that we are residents of it.
We are grafted in, a royal priesthood, clothed with salvation.
Please bless us to serve faithfully before You, all our lives, and so receive the crown of blessing.
Spiritual Practices
Psalm 132 Royal Priesthood: Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest
Read the following passages:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” I Peter 2:9-10
“For the LORD has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His dwelling, saying, “This is My resting place forever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.” Psalm 132: 12-15
Reflect. What have you learned about the passages? What really struck you? What did you see in a new way? What would you like to spend more time reflecting on?
Respond. Pray to the LORD in response to your reflection. Examples:
LORD, I am so thankful that we are a chosen people and that You call us Your special possession. Or,
Father, I am so humbled to learn of the ways that You dwelled with Your people in the past, today, and that You plan to in the future. Please sit enthroned in my heart, in my life, and in this world. May Your kingdom come.
Rest. Sit quietly before the LORD thinking about what you prayed and resting in the good things you have learned of the LORD.
