Psalm 132 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 132!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

v. 1

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
1a	שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת	The Song of Ascents.
1b	זְכוֹר־יְהוָ֥ה לְדָוִ֑ד אֵ֝ת כָּל־עֻנּוֹתֽוֹ׃	Remember, YHWH, for David’s sake, everything that he endured,

Expanded Paraphrase

The Song of Ascents (for worshippers going up to the temple in Jerusalem).

Remember, YHWH (covenant God of Israel), for the sake of David (the king of Israel, who was in a special covenant relationship with you), everything that he endured (as he fulfilled his promise to find a place for the temple of YHWH) ,

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The word for 'endure' in the phrase everything he endured is the vb. עֻנּוֹתוֹ, a pual infinitive from ענה (pu. to become degraded, humiliated); all his deprivation/hardship. Some have suggested that the term connotes self-affliction (cf. Lev 23:27, 29) and so voluntary effort; cf. 1 Chr 22:14, where David’s preparations for the temple are associated with 'affliction' (עני) (Allen, Psalms 101–150 [Revised], WBC). Others have suggested reading it (repointing) as the noun עַנְוָתוֹ (his humility), following the LXX (τῆς πραύτητος αὐτοῦ) and Syriac. See the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible: O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. There are various explanations given in support of this emendation:
  • The quality of humility is repeatedly mentioned in the Psalter as an attitude required of YHWH's followers, including David in his determination to find a suitable home for the ark (Johnson, Sacral Kingship, 18 n. 2).
  • The noun, when referring to humiliation, is reminiscent of David's humiliation as he danced as the ark was brought to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sa 6:16, 20–22) (VanGemeren, “Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 926.)
  • See also D. R. Hillers (CBQ 30 [1968] 53), and C. E. Seouw (Myth, Drama, 151, 155–56).

v. 2

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
2a	אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֭שְׁבַּע לַיהוָ֑ה	he who swore to YHWH
2b	נָ֝דַ֗ר לַאֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃	(who) vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

Expanded Paraphrase

he who swore to YHWH (who) vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

Grammatical Diagram

See v. 1 above.

Notes

• He who swore. The antecedent for the relative particle אֲשֶׁר isn't immediately clear. There are three main options for the antecedent:

1. Preferred: David (or the co-referential 3ms suffix on the preceding infinitive (= him); ". . . for David . . . he who swore to YHWH. . ."
2. The time at which David's suffering happened ("when"); ". . . all his sufferings, when he swore to YHWH. . .", thus functioning adverbially to modify the infinitive.
3. The direct obj. of the preceding clause (= all his sufferings). In this case, אֲשֶׁר introduces a relative clause that lacks any reflex of the antecedent. HALOT notes this is a later development in the use of the relative particle אֲשֶׁר; any word relating to a preceding noun may be omitted and the sense of the omitted element is inferred from the the context; "all his sufferings, [about] which he swore to YHWH."

v. 3

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
3a	אִם־אָ֭בֹא בְּאֹ֣הֶל בֵּיתִ֑י	"I will not go into the dwelling place which is my house,
3b	אִם־אֶ֝עֱלֶ֗ה עַל־עֶ֥רֶשׂ יְצוּעָֽי׃	or go up onto the bed which is my couch,

Expanded Paraphrase

"(I have a royal house,) (but YHWH doesn't yet have a sacred house.)(The ark has moved around from place to place for many years,)(and it's my responsibility as king to ensure that the royal city has a temple for my God). (Therefore,) I will not go into the dwelling place which is my house (, thereby foregoing the royal luxuries I have won by defeating my political enemies), or go up onto the bed which is my couch (, thereby foregoing psychological comfort),

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• I will not go into. The series of אִם ('if') particles are part of a self-maledictory formula. The fullest form looks like a conditional (hence the conditional particle; e.g. "If I do this, then may the gods curse me"). It is a well-known abbreviation in Biblical Hebrew to drop the apodosis ('then . . .') in such constructions.

v. 4

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
4a	אִם־אֶתֵּ֣ן שְׁנַ֣ת לְעֵינָ֑י	or give sleep to my eyes
4b	לְֽעַפְעַפַּ֥י תְּנוּמָֽה׃	or slumber to my eyelids,

Expanded Paraphrase

or give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids (, thereby foregoing the complete lack of physical or emotional exertion upon the completion of a task),

Grammatical Diagram

See v. 3 above.

v. 5

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
5a	עַד־אֶמְצָ֣א מָ֭קוֹם לַיהוָ֑ה	before I find a place for YHWH,
5b	מִ֝שְׁכָּנ֗וֹת לַאֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃	a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."

Expanded Paraphrase

before I find a (special) place for YHWH (to take up residence with his people), a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob (in accordance with YHWH's promise to give us rest from our enemies and choose a place for his name to dwell)."

Grammatical Diagram

See v. 3 above.

v. 6

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
6a	הִנֵּֽה־שְׁמַֽעֲנ֥וּהָ בְאֶפְרָ֑תָה	Look! We heard about it in Ephrathah;
6b	מְ֝צָאנ֗וּהָ בִּשְׂדֵי־יָֽעַר׃	we found it in the fields of Jaar:

Expanded Paraphrase

Look! We (the people of Israel) heard about it (, the ark,) in Ephrathah (David's hometown) (where he spoke of his plans to find its permanent home); we found it (, the ark,) in the fields of Jaar (the place where the ark was kept for about twenty years after it was returned by the Philistines):

Grammatical Diagram

v. 7

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
7a	נָב֥וֹאָה לְמִשְׁכְּנוֹתָ֑יו	"Let us go to his dwelling place,
7b	נִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לַהֲדֹ֥ם רַגְלָֽיו׃	let us bow down toward his footstool!

Expanded Paraphrase

(When the Israelites celebrated the bringing of the ark to Zion, they said,) "Let us go to his dwelling place (which has now been established), let us bow down toward (the ark, which is) his footstool (of his invisible throne)(in reverence to him)!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 8

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
8a	קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לִמְנוּחָתֶ֑ךָ	Set out, YHWH, to your resting place,
8b	אַ֝תָּ֗ה וַאֲר֥וֹן עֻזֶּֽךָ׃	you and your strong ark!

Expanded Paraphrase

Set out, YHWH, to your (permanent) resting place (in Zion, the City of David), you and your strong ark!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 9

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
9a	כֹּהֲנֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־צֶ֑דֶק	May your priests be clothed with righteousness,
9b	וַחֲסִידֶ֥יךָ יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃	and may your faithful ones sing for joy!"

Expanded Paraphrase

May your priests (who minister in your resting place, the temple) be clothed with righteousness, and may your faithful ones (including the priests, but also all who have kept covenant with you) sing for joy!"

Grammatical Diagram

v. 10

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
10a	בַּ֭עֲבוּר דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ	For the sake of David, your servant,
10b	אַל־תָּ֝שֵׁ֗ב פְּנֵ֣י מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃	do not rebuff your anointed one.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the sake of David, (who, by fulfilling his promise to find you a dwelling place has earned the right to be called) your servant, do not rebuff your anointed one (, the descendent of David who is in trouble).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 11

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
11a	נִשְׁבַּֽע־יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לְדָוִ֡ד אֱמֶת֮ לֹֽא־יָשׁ֪וּב מִ֫מֶּ֥נָּה	YHWH swore to David (in) sincerity; he will not turn back from it:
11b	מִפְּרִ֥י בִטְנְךָ֑ אָ֝שִׁ֗ית לְכִסֵּא־לָֽךְ׃	"(Someone) from your offspring, I will place on your throne.

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH swore to David (in) sincerity; he will not turn back from it (his oath): "(Someone) from your offspring, I will place on your throne (to rule after you and continue your royalty dynasty).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 12

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
12a	אִֽם־יִשְׁמְר֬וּ בָנֶ֨יךָ ׀ בְּרִיתִי֮ וְעֵדֹתִ֥י ז֗וֹ אֲלַ֫מְּדֵ֥ם	If your descendants keep my covenant and my laws that I will teach them,
12b	גַּם־בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם עֲדֵי־עַ֑ד יֵ֝שְׁב֗וּ לְכִסֵּא־לָֽךְ׃	then their descendants will also forever sit on your throne."

Expanded Paraphrase

If your descendants keep my covenant and my laws that I will teach them, then their descendants will also forever sit on your throne." (The current Davidic king has kept YHWH's covenant, so if YHWH is faithful to his promise to David, then he will heed the call of the current king.)

Grammatical Diagram

v. 13

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
13a	כִּֽי־בָחַ֣ר יְהוָ֣ה בְּצִיּ֑וֹן	For YHWH had chosen Zion;
13b	אִ֝וָּ֗הּ לְמוֹשָׁ֥ב לֽוֹ׃	he had desired her as his dwelling place:

Expanded Paraphrase

For YHWH had chosen Zion (David's city); he had desired her as his dwelling place (, as the place where he will put his name, as spoken of in Deuteronomy):

Grammatical Diagram

v. 14

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
14a	זֹאת־מְנוּחָתִ֥י עֲדֵי־עַ֑ד	"This is my resting place forever;
14b	פֹּֽה־אֵ֝שֵׁ֗ב כִּ֣י אִוִּתִֽיהָ׃	here I will dwell, because I have desired her.

Expanded Paraphrase

"This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, because I have desired her.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 15

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
15a	צֵ֭ידָהּ בָּרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֵ֑ךְ	I will richly bless her provisions;
15b	אֶ֝בְיוֹנֶ֗יהָ אַשְׂבִּ֥יעַֽ לָֽחֶם׃	her poor (people) I will satisfy with food.

Expanded Paraphrase

I will richly bless her provisions; her poor (people) I will satisfy with food (since my presence brings blessing to those who honour me, as when Obed-edom cared for the ark).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 16

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
16a	וְֽ֭כֹהֲנֶיהָ אַלְבִּ֣ישׁ יֶ֑שַׁע	And her priests I will clothe with salvation,
16b	וַ֝חֲסִידֶ֗יהָ רַנֵּ֥ן יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃	and her faithful ones will sing exuberantly for joy.

Expanded Paraphrase

And her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her faithful ones (who have kept covenant with me) will sing exuberantly for joy, (in fulfilment of Israel's blessing of the temple servants at the time the ark was brought to Jerusalem).

v. 17

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
17a	שָׁ֤ם אַצְמִ֣יחַ קֶ֣רֶן לְדָוִ֑ד	There I will cause a horn to grow for David;
17b	עָרַ֥כְתִּי נֵ֝֗ר לִמְשִׁיחִֽי׃	I have put in place a lamp for my anointed one.

Expanded Paraphrase

There I will cause a (powerful) horn (of royal authority) to grow for David; I have put in place a lamp (of continued dynastic lineage) for my anointed one (, thereby ensuring that David's royal dynasty continues).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 18

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
18a	א֭וֹיְבָיו אַלְבִּ֣ישׁ בֹּ֑שֶׁת	His enemies I will clothe with shame,
18b	וְ֝עָלָ֗יו יָצִ֥יץ נִזְרֽוֹ׃	but his crown will flourish on him."

Expanded Paraphrase

His enemies I will clothe with shame (because I will protect and defend the honour of my anointed king), but his crown (of honour and glory) will flourish on him (, showing his legitimate royal authority)."

Grammatical Diagram

Legends

Grammatical diagram

  Grammatical Diagram Legend

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

References

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