The Book of Psalms

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

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- Chapter 132 -

Remember David's affliction

A Canticle in steps. O Lord, remember David and all his meekness,(a)

how he swore to the Lord, how he made a vow to the God of Jacob:

I shall not enter into the tabernacle of my house, nor climb into the bed where I lie down;

I shall not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids

and rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We discovered it in the fields of the forest.(b)

We will enter into his tabernacle. We will adore in the place where his feet stood.

Rise up, O Lord, into your resting place. You and the ark of your sanctification.(c)

Let your priests be clothed with justice, and let your saints exult.

For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your Christ.

The Lord has sworn the truth to David, and he will not disappoint: I will set upon your throne from the fruit of your lineage.(d)

If your sons will keep my covenant and these, my testimonies, which I will teach to them, then their sons will sit upon your throne even forever.

For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has chosen it as his dwelling place.

This is my resting place, forever and ever. Here I will dwell, for I have chosen it.

When blessing, I will bless her widow. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will rejoice with great joy.

There, I will produce a horn to David. There, I have prepared a lamp for my Christ.

I will clothe his enemies with confusion. But my sanctification will flourish over him.

Footnotes

(a)131:1 The expression ‘a canticle in steps’ refers to this set of Psalms, which together are one Canticle, with each Psalm being a step.(Conte)

(b)131:6 We have heard of it in Ephrata:When I was young, and lived in Bethlehem, otherwise called Ephrata, I heard of God’s tabernacle and ark, and had a devout desire of seeking it; and accordingly I found it at Cariathiarim, the city of the woods: where it was till it was removed to Jerusalem. See 1 Par. 13.(Challoner)

(c)131:8 This verse refers to the Ascension of our Lord and to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. She is symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark contained the Covenant just as the Virgin Mary contained Christ in her womb and in her heart. This passage also indicates that when Christ returns, Mary will return with him; then, at the Second Ascension, Christ will ascend to Heaven and Mary will again be assumed into Heaven, rising up with him to the place of eternal rest.(Conte)

(d)131:11 Here is a good example of the use of the word ‘ventris’ to refer to the generative capability of men (as well as women). It is usually translated as womb, but the verse refers to David and the word ‘ventris’ is masculine. In other words, ‘from the fruit of your lineage,’ or, ‘from the fruit of your loins.’(Conte)