The Lord Has Chosen Zion

A Song of (A)Ascents.

132 Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
    all (B)the hardships he endured,
how he swore to the Lord
    and (C)vowed to (D)the Mighty One of Jacob,
“I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed,
I will not (E)give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
until I (F)find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling place for (G)the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Behold, we heard of it in (H)Ephrathah;
    we found it in (I)the fields of Jaar.
“Let us go to his dwelling place;
    let us (J)worship at his (K)footstool!”

(L)Arise, O Lord, and go to your (M)resting place,
    you and the ark of your (N)might.
Let your (O)priests be (P)clothed with righteousness,
    and let your (Q)saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
    (R)do not turn away the face of (S)your anointed one.

11 (T)The Lord swore to David a sure oath
    (U)from which he will not turn back:
(V)“One of the sons of your body[a]
    I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
    and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
    shall (W)sit on your throne.”

13 For the Lord has (X)chosen Zion;
    he has (Y)desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my (Z)resting place forever;
    here I will (AA)dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly (AB)bless her provisions;
    I will (AC)satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her (AD)priests I will clothe with salvation,
    and her (AE)saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make (AF)a horn to sprout for David;
    I have prepared (AG)a lamp for (AH)my anointed.
18 His enemies I will (AI)clothe with shame,
    but on him his crown will shine.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 132:11 Hebrew of your fruit of the womb

Psalm 132

A song for those journeying to worship.

Eternal One, don’t let the suffering of our father David be forgotten—
    for his sake, remember!
Remember the pledge he made, how he poured out his heart to the Eternal,
    the promise he made to the Mighty One of Jacob:
He said, “I will not go inside my house
    or lie down in my bed;
I will not even rest my eyes—
    I will not take comfort in sleep—
Until I find a dwelling place for You, the Eternal,
    a holy residence dedicated to the Mighty One of Jacob.”

We heard rumors of the holy ark in Ephrathah,[a]
    and later we found it in the field of Jaar.[b]

Let us journey to His dwelling place;
    let us worship at His footstool.

Eternal One, arise and go to Your new home—
    You and the ark of Your strength.
Let every priest join the march wearing righteousness,
    and let songs of joy erupt from the hearts and mouths of Your godly ones.
10 For the well-being of Your anointed servant,
    do not turn Your back on David.

11 The Eternal made His own promise, sworn in truth to David,
    an oath which He cannot, will not break:
“I will continue your dynasty, David;
    one of your descendants will sit on your throne.
12 If your children obey My covenant
    and follow the statutes which I shall teach them,
And if they remain faithful, their children will also
    sit upon your throne—forever.”

13 For the Eternal selected Zion;
    He desired it as His holy place of residence.
14 “This is My sanctuary, My resting place, forever and ever;
    I will remain here, for this is what I have desired.
15 I will bless Zion with an endless supply of all she needs;
    I will satisfy the bellies of her hungry with bread.
16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
    and songs of joy will erupt from the hearts and mouths of her godly people.

17 “From there I will make the strength of David’s kingdom grow
    and prepare a lamp for My anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with a garment of shame;
    but as for David’s son, his crown will shine brightly like the sun.”

Footnotes

  1. 132:6 Ephrathah is the region where Bethlehem is located, Micah 5:2.
  2. 132:6 Jaar is a shortened form of Kiriath-jearim, 1 Samuel 7:1.