I guess you have heard of, and maybe even read, Charles Dicken’s famous historical novel called “A Tale of Two Cities” published in 1859 and set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.
Well, possibly with this title in mind, Broyles calls Psalm 132 “A Tale of Two Oaths: David’s for the Lord’s Dwelling and the Lord’s for David’s Dynasty in Zion.” (# 4)
The psalm is a call to God to remember, with the aim of Him then to act upon this memory in helping and blessing His people. And what is He asked to remember? Well verse 1 explains:
1 Lord, remember David
and all his self-denial.
But what in particular is He asked to remember about David? Verses 2-5 explains:
2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter my house
or go to my bed,
4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 till I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
The background to this oath/vow/promise that David made to the Lord… the Mighty One of Jacob, is found in 2 Samuel 6-7 (and in greater detail in 1 Chronicles 15-17).
Chapter 6 speaks of David bringing The Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and then in chapter 7 we read:
After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” (7:1-2)
This is obviously when David commits to find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob (Ps. 132:5). You may remember that it turns out not to be David but his son, Solomon who actually builds the temple, but even more interesting is what we read both in 2 Samuel 7:8-16 and then in this Psalm as follows:
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.”
It seems that we cannot out give God! David (and Nathan the prophet) thinks it sounds like a good idea to find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob, but instead of God mentioning this, firstly, He makes an even bigger oath to David – that his descendants will sit on your [David’s] throne for ever and ever.”
Or as it says in 2 Samuel 7:11-16
“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his [Solomon’s] kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
Longman summarizes the psalm as follows:
“Psalm 132 appeals for God’s help for the anointed king, based on the covenant that God made with David… It recalls David’s passion to make a house for God’s presence, as symbolized in the ark.
The importance of Psalm 132 for Christian theology centres on the concern for the anointed king (or Messiah) and its connection to the Davidic covenant… In the future, an anointed one, a Messiah and descendant of David, would assume the throne.”
He adds: “Although Psalm 132 is not explicitly quoted [in the NT] in connection with Christ, other royal psalms are, including Psalms 2, 45, 89, 110.” (# 30)
The Messiah, Jesus, has come and is coming again to rule, just as God promised David, even though, as the Apostle Peter wrote that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing, and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ [God] promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”
Peter continues:
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:3-9)
Are you ready for his coming again?
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 