Psalms 131-133

Thoughts

Psalm 131

A Quiet Soul Before God. A Song of Ascents. Of David

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
 my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

• David rejects pride and shows humility
• Rejects selfish ambition

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

• Image of trust like a child
• He is satisfied

O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

• Israel can look to David in how to trust and hope in the Lord. 

Psalm 132

The Lord Has Chosen Zion. A Song of Ascents.

• We are unsure of the author
• Psalm 132 is mentioned two times in the New Testament: Stephen references Psalm 132:5 in Acts 7:46, and Peter to Psalm 132:11 in Acts 2:30.

Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
how he swore to the LORD
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

• The psalm opens with an appeal for God to remember David
• Specifically David’s suffering and devotion 

“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

• David’s oath for God’s dwelling place
• Comfort will not come until God has His house

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.

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

• Refers “it” to the ark and when it was lost
• Discovery leads immediately to worship

Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.

• Echoes wilderness language (Moses) of God “arising” to dwell with his people
• Priestly righteousness is linked with joy

For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

• God’s favor toward David’s line affects the whole nation

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.
If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

• God answers David’s oath with a greater oath: the Messiah
• Tied to 2 Samuel 7: 12-16

For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
“This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

• Zion is chosen by God as His dwelling place
• God declares permanence and delight in dwelling with his people

I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.

• The poor are explicitly included in God’s blessing
• Joy flows from God’s provision

There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.

• “Horn” symbolizes strength and power
• “Lamp” points to continuity/successor
• God himself secures victory and honor for the king

Psalm 133

When Brothers Dwell in Unity. A Song of Ascents. Of David.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!

• Opens with an invitation to notice something 
• “Good” (טוֹב, ṭov) “pleasant” (נָעִים, nāʿîm) 
• Unity is delightful

It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!

• Unity is compared to priestly anointing
• Oil signifies consecration
• Aaron represents the whole priesthood
• The downward movement emphasizes abundance and overflow

It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

• Second image shifts from temple to land
• Dew represents life-giving refreshment in a dry climate
• Hermon (far north) and Zion (Jerusalem) 

Questions

Application

Psalm 131 describes David using restraint. He calls out to God and emphasizes that his soul trusts and rests in Him. We can use his example to  learn to rest in God’s care. Psalm 132 shows David’s commitment to prioritize God’s presence over personal comfort. God responds to David’s oath with a stronger oath of his own. Sometimes making room for God often requires sacrifice before it brings security. Lastly, Psalm 133 shows the result of humility and shared devotion: unity among God’s people.Unity is described like priestly oil and mountain dew. How can we bring unity together today?