O LORD, Remember In David's Favor
Devotional
Companion to the Psalter
A Devotional Guide to the Psalms
Object:
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation:
"This is my resting place forever ...
There ... I have prepared a lamp
for my anointed one."
-- Psalm 132:13-14a, 17
Theme: David and Zion -- elected of God
Outline
1-10: Prayer of the people concerning David
1-5 -- Remember David's hardships and his oath to provide a dwelling place for the Lord.
6-7 -- How the people helped and brought the Ark to Zion.
8-10 -- Plea for God to take possession of his house, that its priests be righteous and the people jubilant.
11-18: God's response in two oracles
11-12 -- Summary of God's promises to David. (See 2 Samuel 7:2-17.)
13-18 -- God has chosen Zion as his dwelling place, with blessings to come. (See 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Samuel 21:17.)
Notes
• Royal Messianic
• One of the Song of Ascents (Psalms 120-134).
• Back from exile, the temple rebuilt, but now what about God's promises? What about the house of David? A king from his line? The psalm was a reminder that God had not forgotten his promises, his "anointed one."
• Truly a messianic psalm, looking forward to the fulfillment of God's promises to David. "Such an expression of Messianic hope was most natural for the pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the feast and recalling all the memories connected with the 'city of David.' "
• Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6) = symbol of God's presence.
• "Ephrathah" was probably the name of the area where the Ark was kept (v. 6). (See 1 Samuel 7:1-2.)
• "Horn" = symbol of strength and also of the king.
• "Lamp" is a metaphor for preservation of the dynasty of David (v. 17).
For Reflection
• Zion meant God's dwelling place. After building the temple on the hill called Zion, then transferring the Ark to it, the name came to stand for the temple. There God could be approached in a special way.
• This is an example of the particularism of biblical revelation. While God can be approached throughout his creation, and heaven itself cannot contain him (1 Kings 8:27), yet God chooses to be at a particular place of his electing. Just as in Christ, "... the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Prayer
Lord God, we praise you for your redeeming purpose. You gave us from David's line the Savior of the world. You make your dwelling in the new Zion, the people of the Lord. May your anointed one, Jesus Christ, dwell in our hearts by faith, clothe us in righteousness, satisfy the poor, and to serve you at our various stations with faithfulness and joy. Amen.
he has desired it for his habitation:
"This is my resting place forever ...
There ... I have prepared a lamp
for my anointed one."
-- Psalm 132:13-14a, 17
Theme: David and Zion -- elected of God
Outline
1-10: Prayer of the people concerning David
1-5 -- Remember David's hardships and his oath to provide a dwelling place for the Lord.
6-7 -- How the people helped and brought the Ark to Zion.
8-10 -- Plea for God to take possession of his house, that its priests be righteous and the people jubilant.
11-18: God's response in two oracles
11-12 -- Summary of God's promises to David. (See 2 Samuel 7:2-17.)
13-18 -- God has chosen Zion as his dwelling place, with blessings to come. (See 1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Samuel 21:17.)
Notes
• Royal Messianic
• One of the Song of Ascents (Psalms 120-134).
• Back from exile, the temple rebuilt, but now what about God's promises? What about the house of David? A king from his line? The psalm was a reminder that God had not forgotten his promises, his "anointed one."
• Truly a messianic psalm, looking forward to the fulfillment of God's promises to David. "Such an expression of Messianic hope was most natural for the pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the feast and recalling all the memories connected with the 'city of David.' "
• Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6) = symbol of God's presence.
• "Ephrathah" was probably the name of the area where the Ark was kept (v. 6). (See 1 Samuel 7:1-2.)
• "Horn" = symbol of strength and also of the king.
• "Lamp" is a metaphor for preservation of the dynasty of David (v. 17).
For Reflection
• Zion meant God's dwelling place. After building the temple on the hill called Zion, then transferring the Ark to it, the name came to stand for the temple. There God could be approached in a special way.
• This is an example of the particularism of biblical revelation. While God can be approached throughout his creation, and heaven itself cannot contain him (1 Kings 8:27), yet God chooses to be at a particular place of his electing. Just as in Christ, "... the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Prayer
Lord God, we praise you for your redeeming purpose. You gave us from David's line the Savior of the world. You make your dwelling in the new Zion, the people of the Lord. May your anointed one, Jesus Christ, dwell in our hearts by faith, clothe us in righteousness, satisfy the poor, and to serve you at our various stations with faithfulness and joy. Amen.
