Note: This is a draft form of this exegetical issue. It has not been reviewed and is not ready for use.

Introduction

Psalm 132 begins with a petition for YHWH to remember, but the difficult word ענותו makes the precise content of this remembrance challenging to understand. The main options for what exactly the psalmist asks YHWH to remember are as follows:

all David's afflictions (external opposition)
all David's self-inflicted hardship
all David's humility or meekness

There are several related issues including:

Establishing the text (MT or emendation?)
The sense of the Hebrew infinitive from ענה
Allusion to other traditions in the Hebrew Bible relating to bringing the ark to Jerusalem

Argument Map(s)

Conclusion

Research

Translations

Ancient

LXX: Μνήσθητι, κύριε, τοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ πάσης τῆς πραΰτητος αὐτοῦ (Lord, remember David, and all his meekness [Brenton LXX Translation]
Syriac: עַנְוָתוֹ (his humility)
Vul.: Memento Domine David et omnis adflictionis eius (Remember, Lord, David and all the affliction of him)

Modern

English

KJV: LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
NIV: LORD, remember David and all his self-denial.
ESV: Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
NLT: LORD, remember David and all that he suffered.
NET: O LORD, for David's sake remember all his strenuous effort,
Douay-Rheims Bible: O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness.

German

Lutherbibel 2017: Gedenke, HERR, an David und all seine Mühsal,
Hfa: HERR, erinnere dich doch, welche Mühe David auf sich nahm!
NGÜ: Denke an all die Mühe, HERR, die David auf sich genommen hat!

French

NBS: Seigneur, souviens-toi de David, de toutes ses afflictions!
BDS: O Eternel, souviens-toi de David et de toutes ses peines;
PDV2017: Seigneur, souviens-toi de David et de toutes ses souffrances.

Spanish

Secondary Literature

References

132:1

The Meaning of ענותו in Ps. 132:1