Psalms 132:
The Exercise of Maturity

The Mature One is Desperate for the Substance of the Lord's Testimony

Psalm 132 shows us a mature saint who knows how to rest, how to be in submission, and how to wait on the Lord. Yet in this situation of restfulness the writer still has a desperation. This may seem like a contradiction, but it is accurate according to our experience. The times when we are most anxious are often the times that we are most restful, and the times when we are most restful are often the times that we are most desperate. What is it that we are desperate for? We are desperate for the substance of the Lord's testimony to be produced.

The Mature One Vows to "the Mighty One of Jacob"

The psalmist begins, "Remember, O Jehovah, for David's sake all his afflictions; how he swore to Jehovah and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob" (v. 1-2). Why does the psalmist tell the Lord to remember David? David was a man after God's own heart. Despite of all his iniquities and shortcomings David satisfied God's desire. The psalmist reminds Jehovah that David vowed to "the Mighty One of Jacob." In the Bible, Jacob represents someone who experiences the transforming work of the Spirit. Jacob was eventually transformed into Israel. Furthermore, when Jacob became Israel God's testimony was produced. When David vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, he vowed to the One who is the God of transformation and the God of testimony. Transformation will always lead to God's testimony. If we vow to "the Mighty One of Jacob" we are saying, "Towards me, God is the mighty God of transformation. Towards the church, His habitation, He is the mighty God of testimony. I vow to this very God!" This is the beginning of our exercise in maturity.

"We must realize that when the reality of God's habitation comes, the "I" disappears. When the ark of testimony is produced, then all the individuals are gone."

The Mature One Does Not Have His Own House

The psalmist continues, "I shall not go into the tent of my house; I shall not go up onto the couch of my bed; I shall not give sleep to my eyes, slumber to my eyelids; until I find a place for Jehovah, a tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob" (v. 3-5). This is very hard to understand, and we must apply this in the way of experience. The psalmist, quoting David, says, "I shall not go into the tent of my house." The word "tent" here can also be translated "tabernacle." In the Old Testament the tabernacle of God was His dwelling place. Therefore the phrase "the tent of my house" actually means "the tabernacle, God's dwelling place, of my house." But how can our house be the tabernacle? We would think that each of us has our own house, and God's tabernacle is a separate matter. But David said, "the tent of my house." David was a mature person who could testify that his house was God's tabernacle, and God's tabernacle was his house. In other words, David did not have a habitation separate and apart from God's dwelling place. The psalmist, by quoting David, applies these words to himself. His own house and God's dwelling place are the same.

The Mature One Struggles that the Lord's Testimony Would Be Filled with Reality

After portraying his desperation the psalmist continues, "Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar" (v. 6). Here he is referring to the ark of the covenant. The ark was taken by the Philistines in battle, but eventually they returned it to the Israelites (1 Sam. 4-6). "Jaar" is short for "Kiriath-jearim," which is the place where the ark of the covenant rested until King David brought it to Jerusalem (1 Sam. 7:1-2; 2 Sam. 6:1-19). This means that there was a time when the ark of the covenant was actually missing from God's tabernacle. There was a time when the setting was right, but the content, the reality, was missing. This corresponds to how we often feel about the church life.

The Mature One Produces the Reality of the Lord's Testimony, in which Christ Alone is Seen

The psalmist continues, "We will go into His tabernacle; we will worship at His footstool" (v. 7). Here we see a very significant progression in this psalm, from "the tent of my house" (v. 3) to "His tabernacle" (v. 7). Formerly the psalmist spoke of "the tent of my house," with "the couch of my bed." But now, because of his struggling, the substance and reality of God's tabernacle has been gained. This means that to the psalmist there is no more "I." There is no more "my house" or "my bed." We must realize that when the reality of God's habitation comes, the "I" disappears. When the ark of testimony is produced, then all the individuals are gone. There is nothing left but God's tabernacle. For us, this means that the Lord becomes the real center of the church life. We no longer have "my tent." We no longer have anything for ourselves. We only have "His tabernacle." We disappear, and He alone is seen.

The Mature One's Exercise Provides the Lord a Way to Enter into His Rest

After the reality of God's tabernacle is produced, the psalmist continues, "Arise, O Jehovah, unto Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your strength" (v. 8). In verse six the psalmist said, "We found it [the ark] in the fields of Jaar." In other words, by his struggling the psalmist produced the ark of testimony, the reality and substance of the Lord's habitation. This means that he has provided the Lord a way to enter into His resting place. He can now tell the Lord, "Arise, O Jehovah, unto Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your strength." In this verse the Lord finds His rest. Here He is finally satisfied. He can say, "I have gained My building. I have gained My testimony. I have gained what I have desired. Now I can rest."

We will conclude with verses thirteen and fourteen of this psalm: "For Jehovah has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My resting place forever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it." This is the Lord's desire, an eternal habitation. The psalmist in his maturity has brought something eternal into the Lord's testimony. The Lord has His resting place "forever." May we all exercise to bring in the substance and reality of the Lord's testimony. May the church life become so healthy that only Christ Himself is seen. And may we all desire to grow until we reach this stage of maturity, so that we can exercise to bring the Lord into His rest forever.

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To purchase the book Journey of Life; the Psalms of Ascent and Song of Songs