“Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy” (Ps 132:9).
Psalm 131 was by David, but Psalm 132 is about David. It’s the longest of the Songs of Ascent, and shares with us the historic importance of David’s taking Jerusalem and making it both the civil and religious capital of the nation. God by the Spirit inspired all the psalms, but He speaks directly in this one. The first part (vv 1-10) is an appeal to the Lord to remember His covenant with David. The second part (vv 11-18) is the Lord’s response. There are two great themes: the Throne and the Temple. These may seem of little import to us, relating to long ago and far away. But on these two ancient details hang the fate of the world. We’ll see why soon. The first comment in the psalm links David to the pattern of suffering before glory. This was true throughout history. Remember the question Jesus asked the two on the Emmaus Road? “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?” (Lk 24:26, BSB). So it was with Hannah and Ruth, Joseph and Daniel, David and Jesus—and you and me. But we must, as David did, look on to the coming glory. He looked to the day when God’s glory would reside in his hometown! “I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord” (vv 4-5). In his day, the people said, “Let us go into His tabernacle” (v 7). But in the days of Solomon they would cry,“Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength” (v 8), and the ark would find its rightful place in the temple. But time passes. The people have sinned terribly. Would God turn away from His covenant with David? Here’s their final appeal: “For Your servant David’s sake, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed” (v 10). What will His answer be?