◄ Psalm 132:3 ►
"I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
Study Bible
I will not enter my house
This phrase reflects a deep commitment and determination. The Hebrew root for "enter" is "בּוֹא" (bo), which often signifies coming or going with purpose. In the context of ancient Israel, one's house was a place of rest and personal retreat. By declaring he will not enter his house, the speaker, traditionally understood as David, emphasizes a vow of self-denial and prioritization of a higher mission over personal comfort. This reflects a heart wholly devoted to God, willing to sacrifice personal ease for divine purposes.

or get into my bed
The phrase "get into my bed" underscores the idea of forsaking personal rest and comfort. The Hebrew word for "bed" is "מִטָּה" (mittah), which can also imply a place of repose or relaxation. In the cultural context of the time, the bed was a symbol of personal space and rest. David's vow to avoid his bed until his mission is accomplished highlights his fervent dedication to fulfilling God's will, demonstrating a profound commitment to spiritual duties over physical needs.

I will not give sleep to my eyes
Here, the phrase "give sleep to my eyes" conveys a deliberate withholding of rest. The Hebrew word for "sleep" is "שֵׁנָה" (shenah), which is a basic human necessity. By choosing not to give sleep to his eyes, David is expressing an intense urgency and dedication to his vow. This reflects a spiritual principle of prioritizing God's work above personal needs, illustrating a life driven by divine purpose and mission.

or slumber to my eyelids
The word "slumber" in Hebrew is "תְּנוּמָה" (tenumah), which suggests a lighter form of sleep, akin to dozing. The repetition of the idea with "eyelids" emphasizes the totality of David's commitment. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such a vow would be understood as a profound act of devotion, indicating that nothing, not even the most basic human need for rest, would deter him from his spiritual objectives. This reflects a heart fully surrendered to God's calling, willing to endure personal discomfort for the sake of divine priorities.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The psalm is traditionally attributed to King David, who is expressing his deep commitment to finding a dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence.

2. Zion
The psalm is part of the Songs of Ascents, often associated with pilgrimages to Jerusalem, where Zion, the city of David, is located.

3. The Ark of the Covenant
Represents God's presence among His people. David's vow reflects his desire to honor God by providing a permanent resting place for the Ark.
Teaching Points
Commitment to God's Presence
David's vow reflects a deep commitment to prioritizing God's presence in his life. As believers, we should examine our own dedication to seeking and honoring God's presence daily.

Sacrificial Living
David's willingness to forego personal comfort for the sake of God's dwelling challenges us to consider what sacrifices we are willing to make for our faith and relationship with God.

The Importance of Worship
The psalm underscores the significance of worship and creating spaces where God's presence is honored. This can inspire us to cultivate environments in our homes and communities that prioritize worship and reverence for God.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The connection to God's covenant with David reminds us of God's faithfulness. We can trust that God will fulfill His promises to us, just as He did with David.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does David's vow in Psalm 132:3 reveal about his priorities, and how can we apply this to our own lives?

2. How does David's desire to build a house for the Lord in 2 Samuel 7 relate to the vow he makes in Psalm 132:3?

3. In what ways can we create spaces in our lives that honor God's presence, similar to David's intention with the Ark of the Covenant?

4. How does the theme of sacrificial living in Psalm 132:3 challenge our current lifestyle choices and commitments?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. How does this encourage you in your current walk with God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Samuel 7
This chapter details David's desire to build a house for the Lord, which is directly related to the vow expressed in Psalm 132:3. It highlights God's covenant with David and His promise to establish David's throne forever.

1 Chronicles 22
Describes David's preparations for building the temple, showing his dedication to creating a dwelling place for God, even though Solomon would ultimately build it.

Psalm 84
Expresses a longing for the courts of the Lord, similar to David's desire to establish a place for God's presence.
Sermons
The Power of a Holy SoulS. Conway Psalm 132:1-5
A Prayer for the House of DavidT. W. Chambers, D. D.Psalm 132:1-18
Spiritual WorshipC. Short Psalm 132:1-18
The House of GodJ. Stalker, D. D.Psalm 132:1-18
The Song of the BuildersA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 132:1-18
People
David, Ephratah, Ephrath, Jacob, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Bed, Couch, Enter, Lie, Spread, Structure, Surely, Tabernacle, Tent, Truly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 132:1-5

     5430   oaths, human

Psalm 132:2-5

     5741   vows

Library
An Examination of Post-Millennialism.
Post-millennialists teach that the only Kingdom over which Christ will ever reign is a spiritual and celestial one. They say that those Jews who expected their Messiah to set up a visible and material Kingdom on the earth were mistaken, that they erred in the interpretation of their prophetic Scriptures and cherished a carnal and unworthy hope. Let us examine this assertion in the light of God's Word. In Psalm 132:11 we read "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it: Of the …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Vive Jesus. Preface.
THE Holy Ghost teaches that the lips of the heavenly Spouse, that is The Church, resemble scarlet and the dropping honeycomb, [15] to let every one know that all the doctrine which she announces consists in sacred love; of a more resplendent red than scarlet on account of the blood of the spouse whose love inflames her, sweeter than honey on account of the sweetness of the beloved who crowns her with delights. So this heavenly spouse when he thought good to begin the promulgation of his law, cast …
St. Francis de Sales—Treatise on the Love of God

Promises and Threatenings
'And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do. 2. That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before Me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put My name there for ever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of Its Author
In Isaiah 41:21-23 we have what is probably the most remarkable challenge to be found in the Bible. "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen; let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." This Scripture has both a negative …
Arthur W. Pink—The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

Emmaus. Kiriath-Jearim.
"From Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly."--It was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem.--"To eight hundred only, dismissed the army, (Vespasian) gave a place, called Ammaus, for them to inhabit: it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem." I inquire, whether this word hath the same etymology with Emmaus near Tiberias, which, from the 'warm baths,' was called Chammath. The Jews certainly do write this otherwise... "The family (say they) of Beth-Pegarim, and Beth Zipperia was out of Emmaus."--The …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Manner of Covenanting.
Previous to an examination of the manner of engaging in the exercise of Covenanting, the consideration of God's procedure towards his people while performing the service seems to claim regard. Of the manner in which the great Supreme as God acts, as well as of Himself, our knowledge is limited. Yet though even of the effects on creatures of His doings we know little, we have reason to rejoice that, in His word He has informed us, and in His providence illustrated by that word, he has given us to …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Promise in 2 Samuel, Chap. vii.
The Messianic prophecy, as we have seen, began at a time long anterior to that of David. Even in Genesis, we perceived [Pg 131] it, increasing more and more in distinctness. There is at first only the general promise that the seed of the woman should obtain the victory over the kingdom of the evil one;--then, that the salvation should come through the descendants of Shem;--then, from among them Abraham is marked out,--of his sons, Isaac,--from among his sons, Jacob,--and from among the twelve sons …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple …
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers

Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus.
(at Nazareth, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke I. 26-38. ^c 26 Now in the sixth month [this is the passage from which we learn that John was six months older than Jesus] the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth [Luke alone tells us where Mary lived before the birth of Jesus. That Nazareth was an unimportant town is shown by the fact that it is mentioned nowhere in the Old Testament, nor in the Talmud, nor in Josephus, who mentions two hundred four towns and cities of Galilee. The …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Departure from Ireland. Death and Burial at Clairvaux.
[Sidenote: 1148, May (?)] 67. (30). Being asked once, in what place, if a choice were given him, he would prefer to spend his last day--for on this subject the brothers used to ask one another what place each would select for himself--he hesitated, and made no reply. But when they insisted, he said, "If I take my departure hence[821] I shall do so nowhere more gladly than whence I may rise together with our Apostle"[822]--he referred to St. Patrick; "but if it behoves me to make a pilgrimage, and …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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