Psalm 132 | New International Reader’s Version

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

1 LORD, remember David and all the times he didn’t do what he wanted. 2 LORD, he made a promise. Mighty One of Jacob, he made a promise to you. 3 He said, ‘I won’t enter my house or go to bed. 4 I won’t let my eyes sleep. I won’t close my eyelids 5 until I find a place for the LORD. I want to build a house for the Mighty One of Jacob.’ 6 Here are the words we heard in Ephrathah. We heard them again in the fields of Kiriath Jearim. 7 ‘Let us go to the LORD’s house. Let us worship at his feet. Let us say, 8 “LORD, rise up and come to your resting place. Come in together with the ark. It’s the sign of your power. 9 May your priests put on godliness as if it were their clothes. May your faithful people sing for joy.” ’ 10 In honour of your servant David, don’t turn your back on your anointed king. 11 The LORD made a promise to David. It is a firm promise that he will never break. He said, ‘After you die, I will place one of your own sons on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant and the laws I teach them, then their sons shall sit on your throne for ever and ever.’ 13 The LORD has chosen Zion. That’s the place where he wants to live. 14 He has said, ‘This will be my resting place for ever and ever. Here I will sit on my throne, because that’s what I want. 15 I will greatly bless Zion with everything it needs. I will give plenty of food to the poor people living there. 16 I will put salvation on its priests as if it were their clothes. God’s faithful people will always sing for joy. 17 ‘Here in Jerusalem I will raise up a mighty king from the family of David. I will set up the lamp of David’s kingdom for my anointed king. Its flame will burn brightly for ever. 18 I will put shame on his enemies as if it were their clothes. But he will wear on his head a shining crown.’