Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

David humbled himself by not focusing on “matters too great or awesome” but gave attention to the opposite things that are ‘small and attainable.’ He understood that “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6) He humbled himself in worship by dancing before the ark, he humbled himself in repentance when confronted with his sin with Bathsheba, he reached out in humility to Mephibosheth, the crippled son of his deceased friend Jonathan. He humbly let others curse him as he fled Jerusalem as he ‘neither wants to help himself nor to insist on his own way in any mat- ter.’ 1 Jesus, the Son of David, offers to teach each of us; “Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:29)

II

I HAVE QUIETED MYSELF - 2- Imposing Discipline on the Soul

“But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. […like a weaned child with its mother…NIV] Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.” (2)

David uses the gentle imagery of the child that has gone through the weaning process to describe God’s discipline upon his soul. He has responded to the process by denying himself the cravings of his sinful and selfish desires. Weaning usually takes a long period of time where the child cries with frus- tration for its mother’s nourishment. When the child has been separated there is great joy for the par- ents; “As time went by and Isaac grew and was weaned, Abraham gave a big party to celebrate the happy occasion.” (Gen. 21:9) David’s soul has been exercised to reject the desires for this world and stands within himself in obedience to God. Just as the weaned child is content with their mother more than what she provides for them, his soul is at rest and contented with the presence of God. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was contented with his presence alone: “One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining on Jesus’ bosom.” (Jn. 13:23)

III

ISRAEL, HOPE IN THE LORD - 3- Influencing others to Hope

“O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.” (3)

After successfully undergoing the discipline of the Holy Spirit, David turns from his personal expe- rience and encourages the entire nation to hope. As in the previous Psalm 130, the individual prayer be- comes the song of the redeemed people. Only a person who is weaned from the desires of this world can truly influence others to do this; the Lord himself becomes the sole focus of all that we expect and desire.

1 Kraus

PSALM 132: THIS IS MY HOME FOREVER The Lord Chooses His Church and King

This psalm forever shifts the focus of worship from Moses and the tent he built for the Ark at Shiloh, to its permanent resting place in the Temple on Mount Zion that was designed by David and built by Solomon. It is the only Psalm that mentions the Ark of the Covenant and its unusual journey to its des- tiny. There are three voices heard in the Psalm. First is the singer who narrates the action and then King David who makes a vow to build God a house and finally the Lord. He prophesies of his un- changeable purpose in setting his Messiah on the throne of David to rule over his church forever. The possible Old Testament setting is the dedication of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. At the con- clusion of his prayer at the dedication of the Temple Solomon quotes Psalm 132:8-10 almost directly. Others believe that it was a song to be sung at a yearly festival celebrating God’s election of Zion, 1 the return of the Ark to Israel and the choosing of David’s lineage to be the succeeding Kings of the nation.

It is structured in a unique style of four sections with ten lines each. ‘Each section (strophe) is adorned once with the name of David; and moreover the step-like progress which comes back to what

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