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Psalms

About this book
Psalm 132

1 A song of ascents. O Lord, for David’s sake remember all his strenuous effort 2 and how he made a vow to the Lord, and swore an oath to the Powerful One of Jacob. 3 He said, “I will not enter my own home, or get into my bed. 4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep or my eyelids to slumber, 5 until I find a place for the Lord, a fine dwelling place for the Powerful One of Jacob.” 6 Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah; we found it in the territory of Jaar. 7 Let us go to his dwelling place. Let us worship before his footstool. 8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place,⁠ you and the ark of your strength.⁠ 9 May your priests be clothed with integrity. May your loyal followers shout for joy. 10 For the sake of David, your servant, do not reject your chosen king. 11 The Lord made a reliable promise to David; he will not go back on his word.⁠ He said, “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.⁠ 12 If your sons keep my covenant and the rules I teach them, their sons will also sit on your throne forever.” 13 Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion; he decided to make it his home. 14 He said, “This will be my resting place forever; I will live here, for I have chosen it. 15 I will abundantly supply what she needs; I will give her poor all the food they need. 16 I will protect her priests, and her godly people will shout exuberantly. 17 There I will make David strong; I have arranged a lamp for my anointed one.28⁠ 18 I will humiliate his enemies, and his crown will shine.”

Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 132:8 and 2 Chronicles 6:2

Hebrew Bible

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Summary

2 Chronicles 6 ends Solomon’s temple dedication prayer by quoting Psalm 132, replacing the ending found in its source text in 1 Kings. This change shifts the focus away from royal promises and instead highlights the ark, the temple, and the priests.

Passages

Psalm 132:8

Hebrew Bible
6 Look, we heard about it in Ephrathah; we found it in the territory of Jaar. 7 Let us go to his dwelling place. Let us worship before his footstool. 8 Ascend, O Lord, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. 9 May your priests be clothed with integrity. May your loyal followers shout for joy. 10 For the sake of David, your servant, do not reject your chosen king.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

2 Chronicles 6:2

Hebrew Bible
1 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 2 O Lord, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 3 Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there. 4 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.
400–301 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 2 Chronicles

References

"... Solomon had the ark and tent of meeting brought into the finished temple by the Levites, not the priests. The ark affirmed Yahweh's presence, as did the manifestation of Yahweh's cloud and glory. Solomon's lengthy prayer at the dedication of the temple was taken over from the Kings Vorlage, but it is not clear whether the Chronicler himself endorsed the hope for an everlasting dynasty expressed in this prayer. Solomon asked that Yahweh hear his prayer and those of the people that would take place in or be directed toward the temple. The ending of the prayer from the Vorlage is replaced by quotations from Psalm 132. The presence of Yahweh in the ark is mentioned first, the welfare of priests and people next, and the king's welfare only in the third position. There is no expression of hope for, or urgency about, the restoration of the monarch ..."
Ralph W. Klein, 2 Chronicles: A Commentary (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012), 6.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Psalm 132:8 and 2 Chronicles 6:2

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