11 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.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.
16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”
(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)
[Theme] God’s faithful response
In the first 10 verses of Psalm 132, we learned about David’s eagerness about receiving God’s Ark of the Covenant and building a temple for God. In verses 11-18, the second half of this Psalm, we see God’s response.
Compared with buildings, God placed more emphasis on ‘people’. God said: I will make “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne” and “their sons”. Although David had the heart to build a temple for God, God cares more about ‘people’ and his plan for David is to establish a family (2 Samuel 7:11). The most important reason, of course, is that the Redeemer, the Messiah, the Anointed One, who concerns all mankind, is from the Son of David.
God’s promise to David, as shown in good faith, includes a premise that says in verse 12, “If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.” God’s Promises are often premised on the keeping of the Covenant and are based on the observance of God’s ‘teachings’ and ‘laws.’ Instead of complaining to God about many long-awaited, even seemingly failed promises, we should pay more attention to whether we are keeping God’s covenant and obeying God’s teachings instead!
In the end, God chose Zion, Jerusalem, as His eternal resting place and He has filled the City with food and fed the poor. The priests were cloaked in salvation and the holy people were shouting with joy, all in response to the cries of the pilgrims in previous verses 8 and 9. This passage helps us understand how blessed people are with God’s presence, from the rulers to the city to the people inside. It is God’s faithful promises that all God’s people shall have hope for and strive to live a life for!
[Meditation]
Peter once quoted the Old Testament as saying that Jesus Christ was the cornerstone of Zion: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6). Today, all who have believed in and accepted Jesus Christ have the promise of eternal life and are called children of God. Let us strive to worship and serve the Lord together, just like living in the holy city of Zion, and to rejoice with all our hearts!
[Prayer]
Praise the Lord “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Lord, I want to be with you always and see more of Your glory to manifest to us!
[Memory Verse]
Psalm 132:16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.