Psalm 132 explained: A Home for God, a Line for David

David's restless vow (vv. 1-5)

The singer asks God to remember David's hardships and his vow not to rest until he had found a fitting place for the ark, the sacred chest that stood for God's presence. Elsewhere David is troubled that he lives in a fine house while the ark sits in a tent.

Bringing the ark home (vv. 6-9)

This recalls tracking the ark down to a place in the fields or woods, most likely Kiriath-jearim (whose name means 'town of the woods'), where it had stayed for years before David brought it to Jerusalem. Scholars are unsure what Ephrathah refers to here, and the 'footstool' is the ark, pictured as the footrest of God's unseen throne.

A prayer for the king (v. 10)

The people ask God not to reject the 'anointed one' for David's sake. Many take this to mean the reigning king from David's family, while some older readers see Solomon at the temple's dedication, since these lines closely echo the prayer recorded there.

God's oath to David (vv. 11-12)

David had sworn an oath to God, and now God swears one back, promising that David's descendants will rule. The promise comes with a condition: they must keep the covenant, the binding agreement God made with them.

God chooses Zion (vv. 13-16)

Zion is the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood, and God now calls it a permanent resting place. God's reply echoes the earlier prayer and goes beyond it: the priests are clothed with salvation where the prayer asked for righteousness, and God adds a promise to feed the poor.

A horn and a lamp (vv. 17-18)

A horn was a picture of strength, and a lamp kept burning meant the family line would not die out. Christians read this promised king from David's line as pointing to Jesus, whose title Christ means 'anointed one'.

Key verse: Psalm 132:11

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether God's promises to dwell in Zion forever are now fulfilled only spiritually in Jesus and the church, or still include a future role for the physical city of Jerusalem.

Something to think about

David would not rest until he had made room for something he held sacred, so what, if anything, would you set aside your own comfort for?