Psalms 132:8-10. Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.
Turn back for a minute to the eighth verse: "Arise, O Jehovah, into thy rest." This exclamation was very similar to the language which Moses used whenever the ark set forward: "Rise up, Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." And when it rested, he said, "Return, O Jehovah, unto the many thousands of Israel." So David did well to use similar words, when the ark was at length brought to its resting-place. He calls it the ark of God’s strength, for such it really was. It had done great wonders. It was when the ark was borne by the priests into the midst of Jordan that the river was divided so that the people could pass over dryshod. Even when the ark was taken captive, it brought disaster to the Philistines; and when the men of Bethshemesh irreverently looked into it, great numbers of them were slain. It was truly the ark of God’s strength, - the great type of the power of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the ninth verse we read, "Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness." That is the best robe that he can wear who serves God; and you know that all of us who believe in Jesus have been made kings and priests unto God.
Righteousness, therefore, should be the garment which we wear from head to foot. "And let thy saints shout for joy." God’s holy ones should be happy ones. No man has so much right to be happy as he that is holy. We serve the happy God, we may well be happy ourselves; and we are not to keep our happiness hidden within our own hearts: "Let thy saints shout for joy." Let them exult, let them triumph, let them express their delight. The tenth verse is a prayer for the king, and for the whole line of kings; and the psalmist pleads with the Lord to continue to look upon them for the sake of David with whom he had made his covenant. Now the Psalm finishes with the covenant made with David.
Psalms 132:8-10. Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.
Turn back for a minute to the eighth verse: "Arise, O Jehovah, into thy rest." This exclamation was very similar to the language which Moses used whenever the ark set forward: "Rise up, Jehovah, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." And when it rested, he said, "Return, O Jehovah, unto the many thousands of Israel." So David did well to use similar words, when the ark was at length brought to its resting-place. He calls it the ark of God’s strength, for such it really was. It had done great wonders. It was when the ark was borne by the priests into the midst of Jordan that the river was divided so that the people could pass over dryshod. Even when the ark was taken captive, it brought disaster to the Philistines; and when the men of Bethshemesh irreverently looked into it, great numbers of them were slain. It was truly the ark of God’s strength, - the great type of the power of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the ninth verse we read, "Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness." That is the best robe that he can wear who serves God; and you know that all of us who believe in Jesus have been made kings and priests unto God.
Righteousness, therefore, should be the garment which we wear from head to foot. "And let thy saints shout for joy." God’s holy ones should be happy ones. No man has so much right to be happy as he that is holy. We serve the happy God, we may well be happy ourselves; and we are not to keep our happiness hidden within our own hearts: "Let thy saints shout for joy." Let them exult, let them triumph, let them express their delight. The tenth verse is a prayer for the king, and for the whole line of kings; and the psalmist pleads with the Lord to continue to look upon them for the sake of David with whom he had made his covenant. Now the Psalm finishes with the covenant made with David.