Psalm 132 — The Davidic Covenant — Aneel Aranha

LORD, remember David
and all his self-denial.
He swore an oath to the LORD,
he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter my house
or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard it in Ephrathah,
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
“Let us go to his dwelling place,
let us worship at his footstool, saying,
‘Arise, LORD, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.’”
For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
The LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
“This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.
I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
“Here I will make a horn grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

This psalm, where David reflects on God's promises, invites us to explore the Davidic Covenant and its relevance to every Christian believer.

The Davidic Covenant, found notably in 2 Samuel 7 of the Old Testament, is a divine promise from God to David. It's important because it prophesies a messianic king, a savior, Christians believe is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. 

God promised David a lasting lineage, an eternal kingdom, and an unending throne. This means that David's family line would reign as kings perpetually, the kingdom established by David would last forever, and the reign of David's lineage would be eternal. 

The covenant is not just a promise to a king in ancient Israel but a prophetic foreshadowing in Christian theology. Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, is seen as a fulfillment of this covenant. This is why the New Testament often refers to Jesus as the "Son of David." 

This is also echoed in the angel Gabriel's words to Mary: "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:31-33).

The reference to the Davidic Covenant in Psalm 132 can be a source of hope and assurance to all of us. In times of challenge, struggle, and seasons of waiting, remembering God's fulfilled promises can be a beacon of hope for the future. 

Just as God fulfilled his promise to David, establishing his lineage and kingdom, he will continue to fulfill his promises to us through Jesus Christ. We can rest assured that what God has declared, he will bring to pass.

God bless you.