Psalm 132 – Remember David
Psalm 132 – remember David, is a tribute to the great king of Israel, the humble shepherd who led a nation, from whose lineage came the child, Jesus. Author to many of the Psalms, there is much we can learn from David.
Psalm 132
Another song of ascents, Psalm 132 begins by calling all to remember David, not as king, but his self-denial. All he gave up in service to the Lord.
“Lord, remember David and all his self-denial.” (1)
“David’s self-denial refers to his dedication and commitment to serving God despite facing countless trials and tribulations throughout his life. David’s humility and faithfulness are emphasized here, serving as a reminder of the importance of putting one’s trust in the Lord and persevering through challenges.” Psalms 132 Explained – Verse by Verse Commentary – God’s Blessing
David suffered greatly during his lifetime. Hunted down, despised, he was chased by Saul who sought to kill him. Domestic troubles assailed him. His wife, Michal, rebuked him for dancing in front of the ark of the covenant. He lost one son shortly after birth and another son, Absalom, rebelled against him. David’s faith remained strong throughout all of this.
He greatly desired to build a Temple for the Lord.
“He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter my house or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” (2-5)
In response, God swears his own oath to David, that David’s sons will reign forever as long as they keep God’s covenant.
“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.
If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.” (11-12)
Blessings on Zion
The psalmist then writes how God has chosen and blessed Zion.
“For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
“This is my resting place for ever 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.” (13-16)
The psalm concludes with God further blessing David.
“Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.” (17-18)
David and the Temple
As mentioned above, David wanted to build a Temple for the Lord. So much so that he vowed not to sleep till he found the place for the Temple. While David did find the place where the Temple was eventually built, it was his son, Solomon who built the Temple.
“After David built himself a fine palace, he felt guilty that a mere tent represented God’s dwelling place. David asked Nathan the prophet for permission to build the temple, and Nathan originally said yes. Soon afterward, God told Nathan that David was not to build Him a temple, but his son … God excused David from his obligation to build a temple. Yet God was so pleased with David’s heart that He promised to build David a house, a lasting dynasty over Israel (2 Samuel 7).” Psalm 132 – Enduring Word
This desire to build stone monuments is a common one. Some build them to honor God or other people. Others build them to honor themselves, out of their desire that others remember them. While people pass away, buildings last much longer. Frances of Assisi, when asked by God to build his church, thought God wanted him to build a physical church building. Rather God wanted Francis to build up the people of the church. For David, God gave him a far longer lasting monument than any building through his family and ultimately through God’s own son who came from the house of Jesse.
While David was not allowed to build a Temple, he did conquer Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant there. In jubilation he danced before the Ark, gaining him disdain from his wife. (2 Samuel 16:14-16, 20-23)
House of David – TV series
If you, like me, have stumbled upon this series about David while searching for something worthwhile to watch, we have been given a spectacular drama with awe-inspiring sets and stories. After the first few episodes, I found myself going back to my Bible to check the veracity of what was being displayed on the screen. I was pleased at how closely the story was following the Bible, allowing for creative license. (Eg. there was the story of forbidden young love between David and King Saul’s daughter, Mikhal, as well as other stories of family relationships, but on the most important details the writers have strived to remain true to Biblical accounts. For more on this see: How Biblically Accurate Is ‘House of David’? – Christianity Today)
Overall, the storyline was true to Scripture. There was no need to embellish what was already a fantastic story.
David “is the man “after God’s own heart.” (I Samuel 13:14) His life is characterized by daring exploits worthy of any movie thriller, remarkable leadership, and shrewd statesmanship. As king, he takes Israel from loosely organized group of tribes to highly organized monarchy. He was also a deeply spiritual man who loved the Lord and worshipped him with Psalms and exuberant song and dance.” Psalm 132:1-18 – Center for Excellence in Preaching
Besides being awestruck by the images of the early cities and the countryside, David impressed me with his youthful zeal for doing God’s bidding and his love of the Lord. So easy to forget just how young he was when he first confronted Goliath and then when he was introduced to Saul’s court and the intrigue there. I hope the series will continue through David’s life and his struggles so we can see more of this man after God’s own heart.
David’s Legacy
When asked about David, what most people remember is David and Goliath, but there is so much that we can learn from the mature David. One who sinned greatly and suffered even more. One who knew the depths of despair and the joy of following the Lord during the whole of his life. David, who wrote psalms full of praise and beautiful imagery.
“The story of David is the longest single narrative in the whole Bible. It stretches all the way from I Samuel 16 when he is anointed by Samuel through I Kings 2, where he hands the kingdom over to his son Solomon. Forty-two long chapters. We know more about David than about almost any other single person in the whole Bible.” Psalm 132:1-18 – Center for Excellence in Preaching
As great as David is, we have a greater king in Jesus. God promises David that his sons shall sit on the throne forever. This is fulfilled in Jesus.
“The two halves of Psalm 132 are joined together and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the house, the temple David wanted to build as a dwelling place for the Lord in Zion. But he is also the son of David, the eternal king who God promised will rule his people with love and justice forever.” Psalm 132:1-18 – Center for Excellence in Preaching
Psalm 132 – Remember David
We have good reason to remember David. In Psalm 132 – remember David, the writer calls us to remember the life of this incredible individual. Not David and Goliath, not David the king, not David the sinner, not even David, writer of the Psalms. But David in his totality and his love for God.
“Think of it this way: David is the most complete, full-blooded, God-intoxicated human being we have in the Bible.” Psalm 132:1-18 – Center for Excellence in Preaching
And so, get out your Bible and read the chapters associated with David.
What change might you make to be more like David?
(For another take on this psalm, Psalm 132: I Love a Parade! – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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