Israel had been restored from exile. The Temple had been rebuilt. Jehovah had returned to dwell in Zion according to His promise. But was His other promise of an eternal dominion to the house of David to be annulled? Was David's zeal in establishing the worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem to be forgotte... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let thy priests be clothed_with _righteousness_ May those who minister in the sanctuary be worthy servants of a righteous God, fit representatives of a righteous nation (Isaiah 26:2)! The white priestly garments were intended to be symbolical of purity of character (Revelation 19:8). For the metaph... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is still part of the people's prayer, though its language is coloured by the feeling of the Psalmist's own age, and expresses the perplexity of a time in which Jehovah seemed to have disowned His anointed. The people pray for a blessing on each successive king for David's sake. _Thine ano... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord hath sworn_&c. The answer to the prayer of Psalms 132:1 is given by recalling the promise to David which Jehovah has solemnly pledged Himself to fulfil. The narrative of 2 Samuel 7 does not speak of God's promise to David as confirmed by an oath; but, as in Psalms 89:3; Psalms 89:35; Psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah's answer to the prayer with which the Psalm begins. He will remember David, for He has chosen Zion to be His abode, and He will bless her people and her priests, and restore the power and prosperity of David's house.... [ Continue Reading ]
_If thy_sons _will keep_ The condition of the literal fulfilment of the promise is implied in 2 Samuel 7:14, and explicitly stated in 1 Kings 8:25. In Psalms 89:30 ff. the thought is developed, that man's faithlessness cannot finally defeat God's purpose. _my testimony_ Or, as P.B.V., my testimonie... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord hath chosen Zion_ The permanence of the Davidic kingdom is based upon the Divine choice of Zion. Here, as in Psalms 78:67 ff., the choice of Zion is regarded as antecedent to the choice of David. To the community of the Restoration this thought must have been a comfort: they felt that... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehovah speaks. The expression of His Will in the facts of history is translated into the form of an utterance. Observe the stress laid on the Divine choice: in making Jerusalem the religious centre of the nation (and ultimately of the world) David was fulfilling Jehovah's purpose. This verse corres... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will abundantly bless_&c. Or, I will surely bless. The Divine blessing will rest upon people, priests (16), and rulers (17f.). Even the poor shall not want. Cp. Deuteronomy 15:4. Palestine was liable to famines, and in the early days of the Restoration the community had suffered severely from sca... [ Continue Reading ]
Her priests also will I clothe _with salvation_ The correlative of _righteousness_in Psalms 132:9. He will prosper those who minister faithfully. Cp. Isaiah 61:10. _Health_in P.B.V. is an archaism for healing, deliverance, salvation. Cp. Psalms 67:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_There_ In Jerusalem. _will I make the horn of David to bud_ More exactly, will I make a horn sprout forth for David. The figure may mean simply, that Jehovah will restore the prosperity and victorious might of the house of David (cp. Psalms 89:17; Psalms 89:24; Ezekiel 29:21). The verb _sprout_howe... [ Continue Reading ]
_will I clothe with shame_ The opposite of _salvation, Psalms 132:16_. Cp. Psalms 35:26; Job 8:22. _upon himself_ Upon David in the person of his representative, who is called David in Ezekiel 34:23-24. _shall his crown flourish_ The expression is a peculiar one. (1) The word for -crown" (_nçzer_)... [ Continue Reading ]