God’s Covenant Is a Two-Way Commitment

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you ever feel like God only asks you to commit to him without offering anything in return?

Psalm 132, a Song of Ascents, was sung by pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. It focused on the covenant between God and David, highlighting David’s vow to establish a permanent dwelling place for God’s presence (verses 1-10). In response, God promised to bless David’s lineage with an enduring throne, provided his descendants remained faithful (verses 11-18).

This psalm was significant because it connected Israel’s worship and identity to God’s faithfulness and the promises made to David, reinforcing the importance of the temple as a symbol of God’s presence and blessing. As Bruce Ware writes, “God is a promise making and promise keeping God.

There are few things taught in the Scriptures about God that are more central to his self-revelation to his people of who he is than this: God is faithful to his word, his oath, his promise, indeed, his covenant.”^[1] The psalmist starts by saying, ¹ “Lord, remember David and all the hardships he endured, ² and how he swore an oath to the Lord, making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: ³ “I will not enter my house 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 dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”