Songs from the Heart Day 43 Psalm 132
- Mandy Crow
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Read the Psalm
David and Zion Chosen
A song of ascents.
1 Lord, remember David
and all the hardships he endured,
2 and how he swore an oath to the Lord,
making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 We heard of the ark in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 Let’s go to his dwelling place;
let’s worship at his footstool.
8 Rise up, Lord, come to your resting place,
you and your powerful ark.
9 May your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and may your faithful people shout 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 promise he will not abandon:
“I will set one of your offspring
on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I will teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his home:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
I will make my home here
because I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless its food;
I will satisfy its needy with bread.
16 I will clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful people will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn grow for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but the crown he wears will be glorious.”
—Christian Standard Bible
Ponder Psalm 132
As we begin Holy Week, we’ll begin to close out our study of the Psalms of Ascents, ancient songs that have helped prepare our hearts for Easter. Today, take a few moments to meditate on what you’ve read in Psalm 132 and journal your response.
What does this psalm teach you about God’s character? About the psalmist’s posture toward or relationship with God?
Once again, the psalmist recounts memorable events from Israel’s history, namely God’s faithfulness to David. What are some of the key events you noted?
If you were writing a psalm celebrating how God has been faithful to you throughout your life, what events or circumstances would you include? Why?
Consider verses 1-5, which refer to David’s desire to build the temple to house the Ark off the Covenant. In 2 Samuel 7, David said that he had built a magnificent palace of cedar for himself but could not rest until the Ark of the Covenant had a permanent home, too. Have you ever felt that kind of restlessness to be obedient to God in a specific circumstance? Explain.
Reread verses 6-10. These verses recount how David moved the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence among his people, to Jerusalem and include snippets of Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple. Focusing on verse 9, why was the dedication of the temple such a joyous day for Israel? How do you think godliness and joy are related?
Look over verses 11-12, which reiterate God’s promise that one of David’s descendants would always sit on the throne (see 2 Sam. 7:8-29) as long as they followed God and David’s line would never end. How did God ultimately fulfill this promise?
Ultimately, Jesus, who reigns forever, fulfilled the second portion of this promise. Record your personal psalm of praise to Christ, who willingly laid down his life to defeat sin and death for us.
Finally, consider verses 13-18. What did God say he would do in these verses? What (if anything) did he say the people would do? Why is it important that God is the one who is acting to make everything possible in this section of the psalm?
What does that teach you about salvation and trying to earn it through your own merit or good works?
Why is it important as a believer to remember how God has worked in your past as you trust him to work in the future?
This psalm of ascent celebrated God’s faithfulness to the promises he had made his people. How have you experienced God’s faithfulness to keep his promises? Journal your prayerful response.
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