An appeal to the Lord to remember David’s afflictions, and the Lord’s promises.
The godly remnant brought into a right moral condition, as described in Psalms 131, can appeal to the Lord to fulfill the desires of David, and His own unconditional promises, by establishing His King in Zion, and taking up His abode in the midst of His people.
(vv. 1-5) The psalm opens with an appeal to the Lord to remember the afflictions of David when rejected by man, and his zeal for the house of God. The sufferings and the zeal of David are but a foreshadowing of the yet deeper sufferings and greater zeal of Christ, who, in the day of His rejection, could say, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:1717And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (John 2:17)).
Moreover, the afflictions and desires of David will once again be realized in the future experiences of the godly remnant as foretold in these Pilgrim Songs, which express their sorrows as well as their longings after the house of God.
(vv. 6-7) Thus the godly remnant identify themselves with the thoughts of David, and his desires become their desires. Like David, they long that the ark may have its true place in the midst of God’s people. They heard of the ark in the place of its neglect, after having been in the hands of the enemy, and they find it “in the fields of the wood,” as that which was forgotten and valueless in the eyes of the nation (See 1 Chron. 13:3-53And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul. 4And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. (1 Chronicles 13:3‑5)). “The fields of the wood,” or “the fields of Jair” is probably a poetic allusion of Kirjath-jearim, meaning “the city of woods” where David found the ark.
(vv. 8-10) verse 8 to 10, present the prayer of the godly to the Lord.
First, they pray that the Lord would come into their midst, finding His rest in His tabernacle, and His righteous power, to bless His people, in the ark of His strength―the ark that we know speaks of Christ. Then they pray that the priests may be clothed with righteousness that their practical ways may be in accord with their holy office. Thirdly, they pray that the Lord’s people may shout for joy. Finally they pray that the King may be established in the favor of the Lord.
(vv. 11-12) In verse 11 and 12, the godly, remnant assure their hearts of the ultimate blessing of Israel on the ground of the unconditional promises made to David, while recalling the conditional promise in respect of which Israel’s failure had incurred all the sorrows of their long captivity.
(vv. 13-18) The closing verses of the psalm very blessedly set forth the Lord’s answer to David’s desires, as voiced by the godly. David had said, “Arise O LORD, into thy rest.” The Lord answers that He “hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” But the Lord’s answer, as ever, exceeds the desires of His people, for He adds, “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.”
David had prayed that the priests might he clothed with righteousness. The Lord answers, “I will also clothe her priests with salvation.”
David had said, “Let thy saints shout for joy.” The Lord answers, “Her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”
Finally, the throne of David will not only be established in the Person of Christ, the Horn of David, whose enemies will be clothed with shame, “but upon himself shall his crown flourish.”