Psalm 132 "We heard of it in Ephrathah"

Psalm for Today = 132:3-7
³ “I will not enter my house
    or get into my bed,
⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
⁵ until I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶ Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
    we found it in the fields of Jaar.
⁷ “Let us go to his dwelling place;
    let us worship at his footstool!”

Comments:
The pilgrims sang out these words in remembrance of David’s heart commitment to building the temple as a place for God’s name to dwell. I can see how David’s example might have even served to spur on the weary travelers (and to challenge lazy ones) on their way to Jerusalem. Actually, it still serves to motivate me to make sure that I don’t go to bed without making sure that I have spent time with the Lord who dwells in my heart.  

v. 6 “Ephrathah” and “the fields of Jaar” are used synonymously, most likely to refer to David’s hometown (Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes that “Ephrathah by itself could refer to the vicinity around Bethlehem (Ruth 4:11; Mic 5:2) or to Kiriath Jearim (cf. 1 Chronicles 2:19, 24, 50); but with the further description of "the fields of Jaar"--a reference to Kiriath Jearim (Jearim is a plural of "Jaar")” it favors Kiriath Jearim where the Ark had been kept in the home of Obed Edom until David brought it to Jerusalem.). In effect, David’s devotion had become well known to those in his home town and they had caught the vision of going to worship the Lord in that place. As David had been an example to those in his hometown, those people in the words of this psalm had become an example to the pilgrims that were singing it.

Daybreak approaching the Old City & Mt. of Olives

As I have noted on other occasions, we don’t have to travel to the site of the former Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, for we can come into God’s presence even more fully by faith in the delivering work of Jesus Christ.

Despite the fact that we have better access to God, we do well to learn the lesson of Psalm 132 and spur each other on lest we neglect to make the communal pilgrimage of faith.

As Hebrews 10:19-25 says,

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (ESV) 

Despite western cultural influences, Biblical Christianity is not an individualized and independent faith, but a relational response to the love of the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Because God is relational at his core, we should be as well. As the ancient Israelites traveled in large bands of family and neighbors to the feasts in Jerusalem, we would do well to embrace the collective nature of Christian faith, in the way we do church. Let’s not neglect to meet together to worship the Lord!