Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 132
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 132
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 132
"Jehovah, remember for David All his affliction; How he sware unto Jehovah, And vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, Nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, Or slumber to mine eyelids; Until I find out a place for Jehovah, A tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob. Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah: We found it in the field of the wood. We will go into his tabernacles; We will worship at his footstool. Arise, O Jehovah, into thy resting-place; Thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priest be clothed with righteousness; And let thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant David`s sake Turn not away the face of thine anointed." — Psalms 132:1-10 (ASV)
David bound himself to find a place for the Lord, for the ark, the symbol of God's presence. When work is to be done for the Lord, it is good to commit ourselves to a schedule. It is good in the morning to plan our work for the day, with submission to Providence, for we do not know what a day may bring forth.
And we should first, and without delay, seek to have our own hearts made a dwelling place of God through the Spirit. He prays that God would make His dwelling in the place he had built; that He would give grace to the ministers of the sanctuary to do their duty. David pleads that he was the anointed of the Lord, and this he pleads as a type of Christ, the great Anointed.
We have no merit of our own to plead; but, for His sake, in whom there is a fullness of merit, let us find favor. And every true believer in Christ is an anointed one, and has received from the Holy One the oil of true grace. The request is that God would not turn away, but hear and answer their petitions for His Son's sake.
"Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant And my testimony that I shall teach them, Their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore. For Jehovah hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my resting-place for ever: Here will I dwell; for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests also will I clothe with salvation; And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame; But upon himself shall his crown flourish. " — Psalms 132:11-18 (ASV)
The Lord never turns from us when we plead the covenant with his anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. How vast is the love of God to man, that he should speak so concerning his church! It is his desire to dwell with us; yet how little do we desire to dwell with him! He dwelt in Zion until the sins of Israel caused him to give them up to their plunderers.
Do not forsake us, O God, and do not deliver us in the same way, sinful though we are. God's people have a special blessing on common enjoyments, and that blessing puts distinctive sweetness into them. Zion's poor have reason to be content with a little of this world, because they have better things prepared for them. God will abundantly bless the nourishment of the new man, and satisfy the poor in spirit with the bread of life.
He gives more than we ask, and when he gives salvation, he will give abundant joy. God would bring to nothing every design formed to destroy the house of David, until King Messiah should arise out of it, to sit upon the throne of his Father. In him all the promises center.
His enemies, who will not have him to reign over them, shall at the last day be clothed with shame and confusion forever.
Jump to: