LORD, Remember David

LORD, remember David and all his affliction,

LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:

The psalm opens by asking the LORD to remember David and all his affliction. What is to be remembered is spelled out in the verses that follow.

Also read Psalm 129:1, Psalm 128:1, Psalm 124:1, Psalm 130:1

how he swore to the LORD,and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;

David swore an oath to the LORD, here called the Mighty One of Jacob. The psalm treats the vow as something God should keep in mind.

Also read Psalm 146:5-6, Genesis 49:24, Psalm 132:5, Psalm 56:12

“Surely I will not come into the structure of my house,nor go up into my bed;

Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

Also read Haggai 1:4, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Matthew 6:33

I will not give sleep to my eyes,or slumber to my eyelids,

I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

Also read Ruth 3:18, Proverbs 6:4, Genesis 24:33

until I find out a place for the LORD,a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

The vow ends here: no rest until he found a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob. Verses 3 to 5 together make one sworn promise.

Also read 2 Samuel 6:17, 1 Kings 8:27, Isaiah 66:1, 2 Chronicles 2:6

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah.We found it in the field of Jaar.

Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.

Also read Ruth 1:2, 1 Samuel 7:1, 1 Samuel 17:12, 1 Chronicles 13:5-6

“We will go into his dwelling place.We will worship at his footstool.”

We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.

The people speak: we will go into his dwelling place and worship at his footstool. The search of verse 6 ends in worship.

Also read Psalm 118:19, Lamentations 2:1, Isaiah 2:3, Psalm 99:9

Arise, LORD, into your resting place,you, and the ark of your strength.

Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

The call is for the LORD to arise and come into his resting place with the ark of his strength. The ark is named alongside God himself.

Also read 2 Chronicles 6:41-42, Psalm 78:61, Numbers 10:35-36, Psalm 68:1

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness.Let your saints shout for joy!

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

Also read Psalm 93:1, 1 Peter 5:5, Zechariah 9:9, Psalm 132:16

For your servant David’s sake,don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.

For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

Also read Psalm 84:9, 1 Kings 11:34, 1 Kings 11:12-13, 1 Kings 15:4-5

The LORD has sworn to David in truth.He will not turn from it:“I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Now the oath runs the other way. The LORD has sworn to David in truth and will not turn from it: I will set the fruit of your body on your throne. David swore to find God a place, and God swears to keep David's line on the throne.

Also read 1 Chronicles 17:11-13, Jeremiah 33:20-26, Acts 2:30, 2 Samuel 7:12

If your children will keep my covenant,my testimony that I will teach them,their children also will sit on your throne forever more.”

If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

The promise has a condition. If David's children keep God's covenant and testimony, their children will also sit on the throne forever.

Also read Psalm 115:14, Luke 1:32-33, Acts 2:30, Isaiah 59:21

For the LORD has chosen Zion.He has desired it for his habitation.

For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

The LORD has chosen Zion and desired it for his home. The place David searched for is now presented as the place God himself chose.

Also read Psalm 48:1-3, Psalm 68:16, Psalm 78:68-69, Hebrews 12:22

“This is my resting place forever.I will live here, for I have desired it.

This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

God speaks in his own voice: this is my resting place forever, I will live here. The rest David denied himself in verse 4 is matched by the rest God takes in Zion.

Also read Psalm 87:2, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 21:23, Isaiah 66:1

I will abundantly bless her provision.I will satisfy her poor with bread.

I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

God promises to bless Zion's provision abundantly and to satisfy her poor with bread. The promise reaches past kings and priests to the poor of the city.

Also read Psalm 107:9, Matthew 14:19-21, Haggai 1:9, Isaiah 33:16

I will also clothe her priests with salvation.Her saints will shout aloud for joy.

I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Also read Galatians 3:27, Zechariah 9:15-17, Psalm 140:4, 2 Chronicles 6:41

I will make the horn of David to bud there.I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.

God will make the horn of David bud there and has ordained a lamp for his anointed. One image is of something growing, the other of something that keeps shining.

Also read 2 Kings 8:19, 1 Kings 15:4, Luke 1:69, 2 Chronicles 21:7

I will clothe his enemies with shame,but on himself, his crown will shine.”

His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

The psalm ends with a contrast. The enemies of the anointed will be clothed with shame, but on him his crown will shine.

Also read Matthew 28:18, Isaiah 58:10-12, Isaiah 9:6-7, Revelation 11:15