Remember, O Lord

This long pilgrim psalm is a prayer for the LORD to honor the commitment of David by fulfilling the promises to David. David had vowed to find a resting place for the ark of the covenant, and the LORD vowed to make an everlasting covenant with his house. It is the fulfillment of this latter vow, based on the completion of the former vow, for which the psalmist prays.

A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 3 (90–150): Commentary Composition and Context

The faithfulness of David is not only remembered in this psalm, but relived by the faithful in the use of the psalm. A ritual procession seems to lie in the background of the psalm as the composition celebrates finding the ark and proceeding to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:12–19).

A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 3 (90–150): Commentary Composition and Context

But as one might expect in such a complex composition, there are numerous views that have been put forward concerning its writing. The traditional view is that it was written by David after receiving the covenant (2 Sam. 7). The psalm then may have been composed for the actual transference of the ark to Jerusalem (or to commemorate it with a psalm to be used in the future); and it would have included an early prayer for God to fulfill the promise he had made to David. A second view is that the psalm was written a little later, perhaps by Solomon or a poet of his time, in commemoration of David’s faithful act—which Solomon completed by building the temple.

A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 3 (90–150): Commentary Composition and Context

There is no information in the psalm about its setting or occasion. One would gather from the passage that the Israelites were living in the land, that the central sanctuary was operating, and that they prayed for the Davidic covenant to be fulfilled. This may or may not indicate that kingship was in difficulty at the time. Likewise the prayer for the priests to be clothed with righteousness may or may not indicate the priesthood was corrupt.

A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 3 (90–150): Commentary Composition and Context

Whatever the circumstances, the prayer called for the fulfillment of the promises, and so ultimately looked to that glorious future known as the Messianic age.

This psalm is a prayer for the Lord to remember, but it also causes the God’s people to remember. And in their remembering the past and God’s promises for the future their hearts were prepared to worship God rightly.

What did this Psalm cause them to remember? What should we remember? So that we are prepared to worship rightly?

I. We must remember our holy and righteous God so that our worship is filled with reverence and fear (vv. 1-10)

Psalm 132:1–7 ESV

1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, 2 how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. 7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”

This part of the Psalm retells the events of David’s life from 2 Sam 6.

2 Samuel 6:1–8 ESV

1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.

2 Samuel 6:9 ESV

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”

2 Samuel 6:10–11 ESV

10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

David hears this and he knows that he must take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But, he has this past experience in his head. He understands just how holy and righteous God is and just how sinful and unworthy he is. How does this realization effect the rest of David’s journey? What is different about the later part of the journey to Jerusalem?

2 Samuel 6:12–15 ESV

12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

Why was this part of the journey different from the first?

What did that realization do to David’s worship?

How did remembering this event in Psalm 132 effect their worship?

Psalm 132:6–7 ESV

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. 7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”

This is the reenactment of the journey of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. The people would have reenacted the journey or at least recounted the journey. And that would have included the death of Uzzah, the anger of the Lord, the fear of David, and the reverence showed in the later part of the journey.

Notice how this remembering of the Lord’s holiness and of his righteousness affected their worship.

Psalm 132:8–10 ESV

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. 9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy. 10 For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

Why do you think v. 10 is included in this song? Why the thought, “do not turn away from the face of your anointed one”? What are they acknowledging?

What are some things about our past that we can remember that would remind us of God’s holiness and righteousness? Of our unworthiness?

What does this kind of remembering do to our worship?

What should we remember? So that we are prepared to worship rightly?

II. We must remember our gracious and faithful God so that our worship is filled with hope and anticipation (vv. 11-18)

Psalm 132:11–12 ESV

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body 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 sit on your throne.”

The second half of this Psalm recounts the events of 2 Samuel 7.

2 Samuel 7:1–4 (ESV)

1 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan,

2 Samuel 7:5 (ESV)

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?

2 Samuel 7:5–10 ESV

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,

2 Samuel 7:11 (ESV)

11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

2 Samuel 7:12–17 ESV

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

Psalm 132:13–18 ESV

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

What is the effect on our worship when we remember God’s grace? He chose David. He chose Zion. He chose Israel as His people. Not because the deserved it, but because of His grace.

What is the effect on our worship when we remember God’s faithfulness? God will one day make a horn to sprout for David. He will one day cause a crown to shine on the head of David’s descendents. He will send the Messiah. Jesus will return and establish his Messianic Kingdom! God will keep all his promises to David.

Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

What happens to our worship when we remember these things?

What did it do to David’s worship?

2 Samuel 7:18 ESV

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

2 Samuel 7:19–20 ESV

19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!

2 Samuel 7:21–22 (ESV)

21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

2 Samuel 7:23–27 ESV

23 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

2 Samuel 7:28 (ESV)

28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

2 Samuel 7:29 ESV

29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

What did remembering the grace and faithfulness of God do for David’s worship? What should it do for ours?

What promises of grace and faithfulness do we have to look forward to one day?

Psalm 132:7 ESV

7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”

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