Praising Scripture - Dec 26

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

ZEC.7-8
ROM.10

2024 31-Day Praising Day 26:

Praise God’s Resting Place (Psalm 132:1-9)
(Memory verses: Psalm 132:8-9)

1 Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.

Reflection:
This psalm is David’s prayer after building his palace, expressing his deep desire to build a dwelling place for God. The first half recounts David’s vow to prepare a sanctuary for the Lord, while the latter half (verses 12-18) reveals God’s promise to bless David and his descendants in response to his prayer.
Although David had a grand palace, he found no rest because the Ark of the Covenant—the symbol of God’s presence—had not yet been brought to its rightful resting place in the holy city. This precious psalm reveals David’s heart for God’s presence and the hardships he endured to prepare a resting place for Him.
David’s fervent declaration—refusing sleep until a dwelling for God was found—challenges us today: Do we share this zeal for God to dwell among us in our churches and communities? As we reflect on our own spiritual journey, let us ask whether we have maintained the passion to prepare a space for God’s presence.
In 2005, our church responded to the inspiration from this psalm, acquiring the property at 3131 Bowers. Have we continued to nurture that initial fervor for the Lord since then? Have we grown in our dedication to preparing a better dwelling for Him? May the same spirit that stirred David inspire us today, both individually and as a church, to pray: “Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might! Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy!”