The Covenant with David (Psalm 132)
This sermon was preached on 14/11/2010
Although the author of the psalm is anonymous, it is straightforward to see why it was included in this collection of psalms that were sung during the periods of the year when pilgrims attended the annual feasts. One of the first things that had to be done after the return from the exile was the rebuilding of the temple of Solomon that had been flattened by the Babylonians. What better response could they have made than to recall the building of the first temple? As they did so, they would see that it also had small beginnings, and this fact would encourage them as they saw the small beginnings of the new temple that they were erecting. Even after they had constructed the restored temple and saw its apparent insignificance in contrast to the splendour of Solomon’s temple, they would be encouraged by the promises that the Lord had given to David.
There is an important principle here for us to note with regard to the past. We tend to recall the past from its highest point. For example, we think of the Christian church in Scotland in the nineteenth century and contrasts its large congregations with our small ones. But we should also remember that at one time, prior to the Reformation, there were no evangelical congregations in Scotland. We should recall the small beginnings as well as the high points. It may be that the small Christian church in Scotland today is not only evidence of the great decline that there has been; it may also be the small root that is yet to grow into a mighty tree.
The desire of David (vv. 1-5)
The background to the psalm is David’s desire to build an house for the Lord, which we can read about in 2 Samuel 6 and 7. The ark of the covenant, which symbolised the presence of God with his people, had not been located in a suitable place, therefore David resolved to build such a house for it. Nevertheless it was not the Lord’s will that David should erect a building in which God would dwell; that privilege would be given to David’s son, Solomon. Since that was the case, why would the psalmist want to sing about a desire that the Lord refused to allow? The answer is that David’s desire was commendable and God-honouring even although the Lord chose to let Solomon build the temple. We should honour believers that attempt things for God’s glory even if their aim is not realised. We should not conclude that if a person’s desire is prevented, it means that God was displeased. God was pleased that David had this desire in his heart, yet in his sovereignty he had a better plan.
The psalmist not only recalls the dedication of David, but asks God to remember it. Perhaps these pilgrims lived in the days of Haggai when work on rebuilding the temple had slackened because the people had wrong priorities. They wanted the builders to have the dedication of David who put the Lord’s cause first. This is the secret of discipleship: dedication must precede activity. David made a vow to God which he was resolved to keep, no matter what hardships it brought. Verses 3 and 4 indicate that David could not have a comfortable sleep as long as the ark of the Lord did not have a suitable location. The pilgrims would be praying that the Lord would give the spirit that David had to those who were now involved in restoring the temple. And that is the kind of people that we should be as far as the Lord’s cause is concerned.
David was not satisfied that his own status had been recognised and his own palace had been built (2 Sam. 7:1-3). He also wanted the Lord’s status to be recognised by having a suitable dwelling-place for the ark that symbolised his rule over Israel (the ark was a throne on which was the mercy-seat, and from it God ruled over his people). And that should be our desire: we should want the Lord’s name to be recognised.
Delight in worship (vv. 6-9)
The author of the psalm recalls the search that was made for the ark (v.6). Where was it? In a field. It is obvious that the people as a whole had not shown respect concerning the ark, although Obed-edom was blessed because he was prepared to let it stay on his property (2 Sam. 6:11). 2 Samuel 6 informs us that initially the people had tried to take the newly-found ark to Jerusalem in a way that God had not specified (on a cart, whereas he had commanded that it be carried by Levites). The sad consequence was that when the cart wobbled, Uzzah put out his hand to steady the ark and was struck dead. We may think that was overly severe, but it is a reminder that a well-meaning action does not mitigate God’s disapproval of what we are doing. It is also a reminder that when something is being done for God, it has to be done according to God’s Word and not by any other method.
Eventually, the ark reached the city. It is not clear who is speaking in verses 7-10. It could refer to the journey of the ark from the house of Obed-edom recorded in 2 Samuel 6 or it could be the words of the worshippers when the ark entered the temple once it had been built by Solomon (2 Kings 8). The latter seems more likely, given that the location is described as the Lord’s resting place, indicating that the travels of the ark were now over. In any case, the author is celebrating the arrival of the Lord in his palace. Several psalms celebrate this event, such as Psalm 24 and 47. (It has been observed that the arrival of the ark in the palace/temple is a picture of the arrival of Jesus in heaven at his ascension after his journeys and battles.) The author gets comfort and help from meditating on what happened in the past.
As the people worship, they desire that what is symbolised will becomes reality. In verse 7, they realise that the proper response in the presence of God is worship that recognises he is a king (they are at his footstool). In verse 8, they want the Lord to remain with them (the idea of a resting-place does not suggest that he is tired, but that he is content). Verse 9 indicates that the worshipping priests, who wore white clothes, would have the righteousness that these clothes pictured, and the rest of the worshippers should offer joyful praise. What made the temple of Solomon glorious was not its vast size or its ornate structure. Rather, it was glorious because the Lord dwelt in it and was worshipped there by his adoring people. It is not difficult to imagine the pilgrims at the feasts, as they saw the rebuilt temple in its poverty, realising that what mattered was the presence of a sovereign God worshipped by a holy people. A big building without God is only a pile of stones built in a particular way. And the same applies to us. What we need in order to worship is the presence of God and obedient worshippers.
This section of the psalm closes in verse 10 with a petition that the Lord would bless the current anointed one, which at the time of the return from the exile would be Zerubbabbel. It would be a prayer suitable for whoever was ruling over God’s people.
Divine promise of the Messiah (vv. 11-12)
The second section of the psalm concerns almost the opposite of the first section. In the first section, David had been concerned about building a house for the Lord; in the second section, the Lord promises to build a house for David. In verses 11 and 12, the author refers to what is called the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7) in which the Lord promised David that one of his sons would sit on his throne, and that his line would continue as long as they were faithful to God.
While there are elements of this covenant that apply to Solomon and later kings, the main emphasis of the Bible is that this is a reference to the Messiah who would come from the line of David. There are many predictions given in the prophets about this descendant of David and when we come to the New Testament we see the covenant fulfilled in Jesus. For example, there are the words of Gabriel to Mary in Luke 1:31-33: ‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ So Jesus is the fulfilment of what is described in the psalm.
Desire of God to dwell in Zion (vv. 13-16)
The author now describes the Lord’s response to the prayer that was made in verses 7-9. Each of the requests in that prayer are answered. The Lord says that he will rest content in Zion, and that he will rest there for ever (Zion was the hill on which the temple was built). There he will supply the needs of his people, whom he calls the poor members of Zion (her poor). These needs are not primarily material but spiritual. True believers are marked by poverty of spirit, as Jesus taught in the Beatitudes. Further, the psalmist says that those who worship God will be clothed with his righteousness and will praise him with gladness.
As with other similar Old Testament passages we have to read this psalm with New Testament eyes. New Testament Zion is not a geographical location in modern-day Israel, rather it describes the church of God (Heb. 12:22-24). Old Testament Zion was a picture of the New Testament expansion of Zion (it has expanded geographically in that it now includes heaven and earth, it has expanded ethnically in that its members come from all nations).
The author mentions that the Lord chose it for his dwelling place. Originally Zion was a Canaanite location. It illustrates the sinful background of the members of the church. Yet in his wonderful mercy the Lord chose to dwell there. It was an act of grace for the Lord to dwell on the ark in a place which had known pagan inhabitants, but it is a far greater act of grace for him to choose to dwell in the hearts of those who once were rebels against him. But this choice was not forced upon him; instead he desired it with all his heart. Said Spurgeon: ‘It is a double marvel, that the Lord should choose and desire such poor creatures as we are: the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in believers is a wonder of grace parallel to the incarnation of the Son of God. God in the church is the wonder of heaven, the miracle of eternity, the glory of infinite love.’
This dwelling of God in his people will be eternal (v. 14). He will be content, permanently delighted to dwell among them. The Lord has no desire to change his place of abode. He will never tire of his neighbours. His redeemed are to be his companions and joy for ever. This is what he has always desired. Long before it began to happen (when Abel was converted), the Lord had spent eternity anticipating it with delight. What will be his delight when he will dwell with all of them!
In the dwelling place of God there will be no starvation (v. 15). The members of the church are described as poor, poor in spirit and poor in themselves. But in their God they have plenty: ‘Daily provision, royal provision, satisfying provision, overflowingly joyful provision the church shall receive; and the divine benediction shall cause us to receive it with faith, to feed upon it by experience, to grow upon it by sanctification, to be strengthened by it to labour, cheered by it to patience, and built up by it to perfection’ (Spurgeon).
Further, his servants are given the garments of salvation and this causes them to sing for joy. In the Old Testament temple, only a few were priests; in the church, which is the permanent temple of God, they all are priests. And none of them is silent; each of them has something to say to God. Spurgeon, in his commentary on this psalm, quotes from a missionary in India who wrote about the praise of some Hindu converts: ‘It would astonish and amuse a European stranger to hear these natives sing. They have not the least idea either of harmony or melody; noise is what they best understand, and he that sings the loudest is considered to sing the best. I have occasionally remonstrated with them on the subject; but the reply I once received silenced me for ever after. “Sing softly, brother,” I said to one of the principal members. “Sing softly!” he replied, “is it you, our father, who tells us to sing softly? Did you ever hear us sing the praises of our Hindu gods? how we threw our heads backward, and with all our might shouted out the praises of those who are no gods. And now do you tell us to whisper the praises of Jesus? No, sir, we cannot — we must express in loud tones our gratitude to him who loved us, and died for us!” And so they continued to sing with all their might, and without further remonstrance.’
In verses 17 and 18, the Lord answers the prayer of verse 10. Whatever fulfilment there was in the reigns of David’s successors or in the governorship of Zerubbabbel and others, the ultimate fulfilment is seen in the Lord’s anointed, Jesus Christ (the word ‘Christ’ means ‘the anointed one’). God says about his Messiah that his kingdom will grow permanently (horn will sprout) and his light will shine permanently. The reference to a horn seems to be taken from the horns of a stag that, as they grow, point to its increasing nobility and strength. It may be too much to read into the imagery a reference to Psalm 22 where Jesus is likened to a hind being pursued by wild animals. But we can say that the Hind had become a noble and powerful Stag, possessing authority that is universal, power that cannot be reduced, and a future that is marked by great glory.
In verse 17, the period in which the horn is sprouting is also the period in which the lamp is shining. It is straightforward to see in the second imagery a reference to Jesus as the light of the world. Today, as he sits on the divine throne possessing all power, he is also the source of spiritual light that is being spread throughout the world out of Zion. And the same will be true of him in the new heavens and the new earth. In that perfect world, he will be the eternal king who will be served by his servants as they enjoy the light he bestows about God and his purposes throughout eternity.
Verse 18 details that those who oppose the Lord’s anointed will be clothed with shame, a description of those who will be punished in hell for ever because they opposed the reign of Jesus. Their combined opposition will not prevent his crown from flourishing.
The pilgrims who gathered for the feasts in Israel could look forward to the coming of the Messiah and be comforted by knowing that during his reign Zion would flourish. We, too, are pilgrims anticipating the feast that will take place at the marriage supper of the Lamb. When that feast takes place, we will crown him gladly and will join with the rest of creation and confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil. 2:11).