1 A Song of degrees. Lord remember Dauid, and all his afflictions:
2 How he sware vnto the Lord, and vowed vnto the mightie God of Iacob.
3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house: nor goe vp into my bed.
4 I will not giue sleepe to mine eyes: or slumber to mine eyelids,
5 Untill I finde out a place for the Lord: an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob.
6 Loe, wee heard of it at Ephrata: we found it in the fields of the wood.
7 We will goe into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstoole.
8 Arise, O Lord, into thy rest: thou, and the Arke of thy strength.
9 Let thy Priestes be clothed with righteousnesse: and let thy saints shout for ioy.
10 For thy seruant Dauids sake: turne not away the face of thine Anointed.
11 The Lord hath sworne in trueth vnto Dauid, hee will not turne from it; of the fruit of thy body will I set vpon thy throne.
12 If thy children will keepe my couenant and my testimonie, that I shall teach them; their children also shall sit vpon thy throne for euermore.
13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it for his habitation.
14 This is my rest for euer: here will I dwell, for I haue desired it.
15 I will abundantly blesse her prouision: I will satisfie her poore with bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with saluation: and her Saints shall shout aloud for ioy.
17 There will I make the horne of Dauid to budde: I haue ordained a lampe for mine Anointed.
18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish.
David's care for the ark. (1-10) The promises of God. (11-18)
1-10 David bound himself to find a place for the Lord, for the ark, the token of God's presence. When work is to be done for the Lord, it is good to tie ourselves to a time. It is good in the morning to fix upon work for the day, with submission to Providence, for we know not what a day may bring forth. And we should first, and without delay, seek to have our own hearts made a habitation of God through the Spirit. He prays that God would take up his dwelling in the habitation he had built; that he would give grace to the ministers of the sanctuary to do their duty. David pleads that he was the anointed of the Lord, and this he pleads as a type of Christ, the great Anointed. We have no merit of our own to plead; but, for His sake, in whom there is a fulness of merit, let us find favour. And every true believer in Christ, is an anointed one, and has received from the Holy One the oil of true grace. The request is, that God would not turn away, but hear and answer their petitions for his Son's sake.
11-18 The Lord never turns from us when we plead the covenant with his anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. How vast is the love of God to man, that he should speak thus concerning his church! It is his desire to dwell with us; yet how little do we desire to dwell with him! He abode in Zion till the sins of Israel caused him to give them up to the spoilers. Forsake us not, O God, and deliver us not in like manner, sinful though we are. God's people have a special blessing on common enjoyments, and that blessing puts peculiar sweetness into them. Zion's poor have reason to be content with a little of this world, because they have better things prepared for them. God will abundantly bless the nourishment of the new man, and satisfy the poor in spirit with the bread of life. He gives more than we ask, and when he gives salvation, he will give abundant joy. God would bring to nothing every design formed to destroy the house of David, until King Messiah should arise out of it, to sit upon the throne of his Father. In him all the promises centre. His enemies, who will not have him to reign over them, shall at the last day be clothed with shame and confusion for ever.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.