Psalm 132

David and Zion Chosen

A song of ascents.

Lord, remember David
and all the hardships he endured,(A)
and how he swore an oath to the Lord,
making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:(B)
“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber(C)
until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”(D)

We heard of the ark in Ephrathah;[a](E)
we found it in the fields of Jaar.[b](F)
Let’s go to his dwelling place;
let’s worship at his footstool.(G)
Rise up, Lord, come to your resting place,
you and your powerful ark.(H)
May your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and may your faithful people shout for joy.(I)
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.[c](J)

11 The Lord swore an oath to David,
a promise he will not abandon:
“I will set one of your offspring[d]
on your throne.(K)
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I will teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”(L)

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his home:(M)
14 “This is my resting place forever;
I will make my home here
because I have desired it.(N)
15 I will abundantly bless its food;
I will satisfy its needy with bread.(O)
16 I will clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful people will shout for joy.(P)
17 There I will make a horn grow for David;(Q)
I have prepared a lamp[e] for my anointed one.(R)
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,(S)
but the crown he wears[f] will be glorious.”(T)

Footnotes

  1. 132:6 = Bethlehem
  2. 132:6 = Kiriath-jearim
  3. 132:10 = the king
  4. 132:11 Lit set the fruit of your belly
  5. 132:17 Or dominion
  6. 132:18 Lit but on him his crown

Yahweh Dwells in Zion

A song of ascents.[a]

132 O Yahweh, remember with regard to David
all his affliction.[b]
How he swore to Yahweh,
he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter into the tent of my house,
I will not go up to the couch of my bed,
I will give no sleep to my eyes,
no slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for Yahweh,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Look, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found her in the fields of Jaar.[c]
Let us go to his dwelling places;[d]
Let us worship at his footstool.
Arise, O Yahweh, to your resting place,
you and your mighty ark.
Let your priests clothe themselves with righteousness,
and let your faithful sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 Yahweh swore in truth to David;
he will not turn back from it.
“One from the fruit of your body[e]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons will heed my covenant
and my testimonies that I will teach them,
their sons also forever
will sit on your throne.”
13 For Yahweh has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his habitation.
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will bless its provisions abundantly;
I will satisfy its poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful will shout exuberantly for joy.
17 There I will cause a horn to grow for David;
I will set a lamp for my anointed one.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but on him his crown will flourish.”[f]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 132:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
  2. Psalm 132:1 Hebrew “his being afflicted”
  3. Psalm 132:6 Or “the fields of the woods”
  4. Psalm 132:7 That is, the temple
  5. Psalm 132:11 Literally “belly”
  6. Psalm 132:18 Or “shine”