Reading the Word

Psalm 132:1–10 (ESV)

1 Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the LORD
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

Understanding and Applying the Word

This psalm speaks of David’s desire to build a temple for God’s dwelling place among the people of Israel. You can read more about this in 2 Samuel 7. The reason David wanted to build such a temple and was willing to put forth the effort to do so was because he wanted God to be near. David desired to dwell in the presence of the Lord.

Like David, we too desire to dwell in the presence of the Lord. However, we do not go to a temple to visit God. That was a temporary arrangement that has been superseded through the work of Jesus Christ in his life, death, and resurrection. Through Jesus, we have direct and immediate access to God the Father. So, we are always in the presence of God in a way that believers in the Old Testament never experienced.

Yet, we still long for more. We long for the day when we will dwell with God and know him face-to-face. That day is still future. The Book of Revelation tells us that one day God will create a new heaven and new earth where he will dwell with his people for all eternity. In Christ, we have immediate access to God today. And, in Christ, we have the promise of dwelling in his presence forever!

**Shaped by the Word is a daily Bible reading devotional. Please use the links at the bottom to subscribe to this page. You can also share this post with your friends through social media using the buttons below. Thanks for reading!