Useful Bible Studies > Songs of Ascent Commentary
Last part: Psalm 132
Because David loved God very much, David made a serious promise to God. David promised that he would find the right place for the house of God, called the temple. David promised to give his complete attention to this task. Even rest, sleep and pleasure were not as important to David as this matter was. He would give all his strength and energy for this promise.
It was Jacob who first saw how to build a house for God. Before that, people had built houses for false gods. False gods needed houses because people needed somewhere to put their images. But it seemed impossible to build a house for the real God. He rules from heaven. No building on earth can ever contain him.
But then Jacob had a special dream. That dream changed his life. Jacob saw a ladder that reached between heaven and earth. Angels (God’s servants) went up and down that ladder as they did God’s work (Genesis 28:12). So, God’s house would be a connection between God and his people. When people prayed, the angels would take their prayers to God in heaven. And then God would send his angels back to the earth, with tasks to aid his people.
Jacob called that place ‘Bethel’, which means ‘the house of God’. But he did not build a building there.
David lived about 800 years after Jacob. And there was still no permanent building that was the house of God. However, God had told Moses that there would be such a place (Deuteronomy 12:11). And it was that place that David wanted to find.
The place that David found for God’s house was Jerusalem, his new capital city in the heart of Israel. And it was not just David who chose that city. It was God’s choice.
Next part: The ark of the covenant
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© 2015, Keith Simons.