Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

Under the representation of the Ark, the Prophet points to the person and work of Christ; and in this rich gospel psalm comforts the church with blessed views of her Redeemer.

A Song of Degrees.

Psalms 132:1

I cannot allow myself, in reading over this Psalm, to bestow a single thought upon David, king of Israel, nor on Solomon his son, (who is supposed to have written it for the dedication of the temple) lest, through looking at the shadow, I lose sight of the substance. Surely it is of David's Lord, this Psalm wholly treats; and concerning it we may borrow the words of Jesus, and say, a greater than Solomon is here. Referring the Reader to the historical state of the church, when this Psalm was composed, I would beg of him, to look out with me, and examine whether the Holy Ghost had not an eye to Christ, when he gave these words to Solomon in writing it? 1 Chronicles 28:1-10; 2 Chronicles 6:41-42. If we view Jesus as the David spoken of, in his afflictions; the gospel is full of them. And the soul of the believer finds comfort in reminding God of Jesus's sorrows, because they were the sorrows of his people, which he carried when he came forth as their surety. Isaiah 53:4. Very sweet and blessed is it thus to behold Christ, and thus to plead in Christ's name, when we go to the mercy seat.

If David king of Israel thus vowed, and thus engaged to Jehovah; surely it requires but little acquaintance with the scripture (when once the Holy Ghost hath brought us to the knowledge of David's Surety) to discover that he represented only the Lord Christ, in his suretyship engagements for his people. Was it not Jesus, who at the call of Jehovah stood up to build the temple of the Lord: and whose soul was straitened, until he had accomplished it? Could the Lord possibly mean Solomon, king of Israel, David's son after the flesh, when he said, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever? Who doth not see in all this, that it is Christ, the seed of David after the flesh (but David's Lord after the Spirit) that is all along intended by these declarations? I pray the Reader to consult the following scriptures upon this grand point; and if his mind find satisfaction from them, as I pray he may, I beseech him to be very jealous in future over himself while reading the word of God, and not fall into the error, too common in the Church, but which in days of the gospel like the present, should be carefully avoided, I mean that of dwelling upon the type, to the prejudice of more clearly seeing the antitype. I know by experience that from being more conversant with thing s natural, than with things spiritual, we are too apt to overlook what is intended, from looking too much to what is said. It is of Christ the scriptures principally treat in every part, and therefore, after him we should be searching. The scriptures in elucidation of this Psalm, which I wish the Reader to consult, are 2 Samuel 7:1-16; Psalms 89:2-4. And I particularly request, the Reader to take notice of that part of this Psalm, as connected with the former, from the 19th to the 36th verse (Psalms 89:19-36); all which most fully prove that Christ, and not David, is referred to. It is to God's Holy One the Lord speaks, in vision; and of whose kingdom there will be no end, Luke 1:26-33. Hence the multitude's salutation of Christ, Matthew 21:5-9. See also Zechariah 6:12-13; Micah 5:2 with Matthew 2:1-6. So that the sacred writer sings in this Psalm of going into His tabernacles, whose birth-place was found at Bethlehem-Ephratah.

ALL these very precious promises, prayers, and praises, will find an easy explanation from the view of the scriptures just referred to, as well as other portions of the divine word, which come in to our aid, to illustrate and prove their application to the Lord Jesus, and to him only. When the call is, Arise, O Lord, into thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength; who can want to be told that from the very first use of those words by Moses, the church understood the presence of Jehovah in Christ, whom the ark typified? see Numbers 10:35-36. So again by Solomon, at the dedication of the temple, 2 Chronicles 6:41-42. And that we might not falsely interpret any part of this precious scripture, or refer any portion of it, but to the person of Christ; Peter was commissioned by the Holy Ghost to comment upon the oath of Jehovah to this very point, on the memorable day of Pentecost, Acts 2:22-36. Reader! behold Jesus as the person all along spoken of in this Psalm, to whom the promises are made, and in whom they are fulfilled, and then all the blessings arising from them in his name, and for his righteousness sake alone, will be yea and Amen, 2 Corinthians 1:20.

REFLECTIONS

STAND still, my soul! and behold Jesus as the ark, the habitation, the - Sanctuary, the refuge, the, resting-place for poor sinners, which the Lord Jehovah hath founded, and not man. Look at Jesus, even at thy Jesus, in everyone of those characters. What a sure dwelling-place is Jesus for all his redeemed! May we not cry out, in the view of Him; nay, are we not constrained so to do; Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations! And is He not the hiding-place also to his redeemed, when they are hidden in the secret and mysterious union with his person, and interested in his righteousness? My soul, wilt thou not say, under this view, Surely my life is hid with Christ in God, that when Christ, who is my life shall appear, then shall I appear with him in glory! And is not Jesus the resting place for every poor weary sinner, tired with the burden of his sins, and of all his own fruitless endeavours to take that burden off, until Jesus, the mighty burden bearer, is beheld bearing our sins in his own body on the tree? Yes! Lord, here also I would say, Thou art the rest wherewith Jehovah causeth the weary to rest, and thou art the refreshing! Arise, Lord, into thy rest, would my soul humbly pray, thou and the Ark, the Jesus, of thy great strength. Clothe thy priests with the robe of Jesus's righteousness, and let every redeemed heart of thy saints shout with joy. Thou wilt bless, yea, thou wilt abundantly bless with all spiritual provision, their souls upon earth, as thou art feeding them now in glory, in the midst of the throne, with eternal food. Thine enemies, Lord, shall be eternally ashamed; but Jesus shall reign, and reign forever. Amen.