Psalms 132:18

Verse Psalms 132:18. His enemies will I clothe with shame] Every opponent of the Christian cause shall be confounded.

But upon himself shall his crown flourish.] There shall be no end of the government of Christ's kingdom. From Psalms 132:11, the spiritual David and his posterity are the subjects of which the Psalm treats.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND PSALM

This Psalm is divided into three parts: -

I. A petition, before which is David's care and vow to settle the ark, and with what reverence they would settle it in the temple; and he sets down the solemn prayer then used, Psalms 132:1.

II. An explication of the promises made unto David for the continuance of his kingdom in his posterity, Psalms 132:11, and God's love to his Church, Psalms 132:13.

III. A prophecy, spoken in the person of God, for the stability of Christ's Church; and the blessings upon the people, the priests, and the house of David, Psalms 132:14.

I. In all prayer a man must reflect upon God's promise; otherwise he cannot pray in faith.

1. "Lord, remember David:" Thy promises made to him. First he prays for the king; then for the ecclesiastics, Psalms 132:8; then for the people, Psalms 132:8.

2. "And all his afflictions:" Many he had before he was king; and one of the greatest was the settling of the ark.

Now this his ardent and sincere desire appears by his oath. And now, -

1. "How he sware unto the Lord," c.

2. The substance of which was, "Surely I will not come," c.

Now this is hyperbolical for we must not conceive that he went not into his house or bed till he found out a place to build God's house. But see the note.

1. "I will not come into - my house:" So as to forget to build God's house.

2. "Nor go up into my bed:" Or let any thing make me forget the work.

3. "I will not give sleep," c.: But make provision for building the temple.

And here the prophet inserts two verses by way of gratitude.

First, he exults for the news of the ark: "Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah," c.

By Ephratah some understand the land of Ephraim, in which the ark remained at Shiloh. Being afterwards sent home, it was found in the field of Joshua thence conveyed to the house of Amminadab, who dwelt in Kirjath-jearim, that signifies a woody city. Hence, David might well say, "And found it in the fields of the wood," c.

And the place for the ark being found, he calls on Israel, saying,

1. "We will go into his tabernacles." Now the ark is rested in Mount Zion.

2. "And we will worship," c. Not make rash approaches to the ark, but come with reverence, and bow in his presence.

The ark being brought into the temple, he uses this solemn form: -

1. "Arise, O Lord," c. He prays and invites him to dwell in his temple.

2. "Into thy rest." To pass no more from place to place.

3. "Thou, and the ark of thy strength." Show thy power and strength, as thou didst at Jordan, c.

Before the ark in the temple he prays, -

1. "Let thy priests be clothed," c. Inwardly, in heart and soul.

2. "Let thy saints shout," c. With a cheerful voice, for the ark rests.

3. "For thy servant David's sake," c. 1. David is not here to be taken absolutely for his person only, as having the covenants and promises made to him, but for the promise' sake. 2. "Turn not away," c. Suffer me not to depart from thy presence unheard.

II. The prophet now proceeds to count up the promises made to David, which God confirmed by oath, in which we are to observe, 1. The manner of the promise: "The Lord hath sworn in truth," c. It was merciful to promise but more so to bind himself by oath. 2. The matter of his oath expressed Psalms 132:11.

1. For the seed of David, as respects Christ, is categorical and absolute: "Of the fruit of thy body," c. Which word St. Peter refers to Christ, Acts 2:30. According to the flesh he was David's seed for by the mother's side Christ was to be David's seed, not by the father's.

2. For the seed of David, as it relates to his posterity, the oath is hypothetical and conditional: "If thy children will keep," c.

As the external kingdom was by this oath annexed to one family, so the external worship was assigned by it to one place.

1. "For the Lord hath chosen Zion," c.

2. "This is my rest for ever." Zion was the seat of the sanctuary till the coming of the Messiah. But Zion was but a type of Christ's Church, which he hath chosen to be his rest for ever.

III. The prophet represents God as promising good things to his Church.

1. Such abundance of temporal things that the poor shall not want: "I will abundantly bless her provision," c.

2. That her "priests shall be clothed with salvation," c.

3. "There will I make the horn of David to flourish," c. That is, the kingdom of the Messiah.

4. The fourth benefit God promises is the confusion of their enemies, and the eternal authority in this kingdom: "His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish."