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Psalm 132 reads as follows from the NIV version of the Bible: 1 O LORD, remember David and all the hardships he endured. 2 He swore an oath to the LORD and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: 3 "I will not enter my house or go to my bed- 4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, 5 till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob." 6 We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar 7 "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool- 8 arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. 9 May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy." 10 For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one. 11 The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne- 12 if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever." 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: 14 "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it- 15 I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food. 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy. 17 "Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent This psalm highlights two major points, both revolving around favor and abundance. First is the possible abundance found in and around what the Lord wants as signaling that these are the place and activities that he wants to draw you towards. He is not going to set you up in desert like conditions. Second is the remembrance by the Lord of something you have done in the past to the point of renewed favor and abundance that is brought forward into the presence and the future with a rejoinder pointing out that this is from something prior you did that is recalled by the Lord in your favor now. Something like good deeds in the past that are maybe distant in your memory, maybe never recognized by you as good deeds, but are seen by the Lord in a different and more favorable light. It is like that Celine Dion song, it's all coming back to me now. In this case, it will be something you did for the Lord that is coming back to you in the form of the nearby favor of the Lord either now or going into the near and far future. The later verses of this psalm speak of a sweeping abundance that cascades into more and more like unrolling hills, first in the distance and now more and now closer. There is no evidence that this abundance is earned and the evidence is more so that it is just outright given and the measures used are indeterminable by those who are now in the midst of this abundance. Plentiful rain might arrive, but does anyone now the actual gallons or the exact output of this type of plenty?. The gathering abundances is around what the Lord wishes or desires and this idea can be used as a matter of discernment, what is starting to appear or spring forth in abundance is showing evidence of the Lord's desires and wishes. If there is little abundance in this area, there may be less emphasis on it by the Lord, while if there is great abundance coming forth or gathering around something else or some other area, this is evidence that the Lord has wishes upon this area and is bringing about an abundance within these wishes. The abundance or gathering abundance is a signal or pointer towards what the Lord wishes and helps identify his will and desire which is a flourishing will and desire expressed in many ways and usually abundant ways. It involves provisions, which also means that the provisions given could be enabling provisions that operate as a means to further access. If someone gives you a piano and the access to the piano lessons, this is a provision along the lines of the idea of playing the piano. If you have a great singing voice, this can be a provision well along the lines of singing in many different forms and formats including songs in praising the Lord and within the provision access is given to unlock the keys towards further abundance.. Verse 11 says "he will not turn back " meaning that these individual gifts aren't taken back or maybe just given momentarily. These gifts are in the realm of where they are unfolding in your presence and not being withheld, but are more so springing forth.. Verse 12 says that teaching will be provided and this is am attached form of abundance. Even the high technological advancements we see today, where someone can hold a phone in their hand and call anywhere on the planet, this actualizes as a gift of abundance that is ultimately out of the teaching of the Lord.While the Lord still teaches in all situations, there is a special emphasis of teaching around that which will be abundant and this is the way the Lord spoke to Abraham. Verse 13 says " he has chosen" meaning that these gifts of abundance are the Lord's choice; it is of his choosing that these gifts arise or come about as he picks out specific and individualized gifts as well as more general gifts the more so apply to all. The giver of the gifts chooses the gifts and chooses how they will be dispersed and how they will be kept humming.. Verse 14 says " I will reside" meaning that the Lord will keep these gifts going, keep them alive and humming, that there will be a residing presence to this gift as he is also the overseer of the gifts. Verse 15 says "I will satisfy ", and with this the gifts of abundance will have elements that satisfy. This is also something to ponder, as sometimes people reach for everything and anything and don't monitor situations to where they make the call that they are satisfied.\ and bring forth the gratefulness that the satisfying elements present are from the Lord. If I have a great 10 mile hike in a National Park, with some great views, at a certain point, maybe I can say I am satisfied with this for the day without putting several additional strings attached to that statement to where I should have hiked 18 miles and saw 4 more great views. This ties in to thanksgiving and praise and there should be points of stopping or at least slowing down, pondering the blessings and praising the Lord for what has satisfying elements that have already unfolded into a real presence.. Verse 15 says" I will cloth." This shows that the gifts and abundance will have a design, like designer clothes, where you are the beneficiary of the designs of the Lord, which have a unity of purpose. For example, a beautiful outfit is of the purpose that all that you are wearing is becoming. Verse 17 says, "I have prepared." This correlates with psalm 23 where it says I have prepared a table. This is why is it good to hold on to the faith because you never know what the Lord is preparing for you and there is symbolically, an ongoing " prepared table for you" like another surprise party that keeps showing up.. A typical example might be that someone is stewing because nobody remembered their birthday and they go out and never come back home, in the meantime a great surprise party had been prepared for them. You don't want to miss the surprise party or have a pity party when in the meantime the " prepared table"is awaiting.. The final verse says that his crown will gleam, meaning that the gifts will have glowing, shining elements. Psalm 34 verse 5 says, "Look at him and be radiant." Even the faces of those who are within the blessing may have this glow or radiance. One thing to think about while maybe seeking more, is to better contemplate the gifts you already have such as the recourse to prayer and how these gifts can be further utilized or responded to. I might be getting this grace and that grace, but my attentions are on other things and I'm not responding to clear abundant graces. Maybe put more of premium on what you already have which has potential to bloom if you pay attention. Someone might be seeking that great job or gig as a speaker, but they should keep in mind while doing this that there are already a great speaker. These gifts extend to and from eternity which shows their lasting nature. It talks about forevermore in verse 12 and forever in verse 14. It says in verse 15 that " Its priests I will clothe with salvation" indicating that salvation is already upon them within their lifetimes. While this psalm is giving great visibility to the abundance, people do get confused and there is the recourse of asking the Lord to bring increased visibility to his gifts and the abundance of his gifts as the Lord's gifts and the Lord's abundance is part of his light to you. It is possible that someone with a great gift for something, may not even know it. The gift hasn't been brought to proper light and one of the ways to bring a gift to proper light it to use it and be around others that appreciate, understand and encourage the gift. These gifts are to a degree lost because they have never been brought into that realm due to circumstances. Someone might have great ability to paint art, but they have never painted a single picture so they never saw and found the abundance that was already there. There are an abundance of great sights out there to see, but if you never travel you aren't seeing them. From Luke Chapter 12 it says," 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. These verses contrast how little someone is able to do on their own towards an abundance or having more, using the example of how someone can't make themselves taller or can't bring about an additional hour of time, These additional measures are not available and these verses do point out that even with a can do attitude, you can only do so much depending on what you are dealing with. The add to or additions in many cases have to come directly from the Lord. These verses are showing how the Lord drapes the fields with a beauty that goes beyond the splendor of Solomon even though these fields have a fleeting presence they are still worth the effort of the Lord giving abundance. This reveals how the actions of the Lord in terms of favor and abundance can be so incredible that they are beyond belief and more and the actions parallel what you might see out there, coming directly to you as the abundance doesn't miss its aim. The beauty of the fields conjures up images of spring and springing forth. The contrast is also towards earning your way or trying to find your own way verses allowing the splendor and abundance of the Lord unfold for you. Within these verses in Luke, there is a tie in with the abundance, the good pleasure of the Lord in giving this abundance and the continued manifestation of the eternal kingdom and the eternal relationship. There is a sweeping array and landscape of abundance that can't otherwise be had unless the Lord gives it. The sculpting of the landscape or situation is done by the Lord and is from the splendor of the Lord. The second major point to highlight in this psalm is the Lord remembering something from the past in your favor. In 2 Corinthians 9.6 it says, Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. This goes to the idea of earning and sowing into the Lord's favor and abundance as it says in verse 1 of this psalm. David did go the extra mile for the Lord. However in relating this principle to present day situations, it would probably be more so something that a person doesn't fully realize that what they did pleased the Lord, or they just don't recall it at all, but the Lord is bringing it up at a later time as something that pleases him for which you will be rewarded. It might have been helping a person in a particular way, something you did for someone as a favor and it turned out to be as unto the Lord from the Lord's point of view. It says it Hebrews Chapter 13 verse 2," Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. This verse goes to helping others that can't really pay back in any way in the moment such as strangers but these strangers can be of strong importance to the Lord including the real possibility that they may be among his angels or are being watched by his angels. The Lord is paying back this goodness even though those who received the goodness did not or was not able to return the favor and there was no real expectation that they should or would as the generosity towards them was free standing. People do help others including strangers without expecting or thinking about getting anything for it. But more so, as with this idea of entertaining angels, the person to a degree was unaware of the extent of the good that they had done and the goodness of this is drawn out by the Lord and revealed at some later point as meriting his favor for this. So it is more likely something that someone did that was a matter of course and not seen by them as that big a deal, such as maybe helping out someone with directions, but it turns out to be amply rewarded by the Lord who had a different view of the event. This still goes more to the idea of the earned reward but the person wasn't doing this for a reward or did not think it would be meritorious for a reward, but did it anyway. Overall this psalm talks about 2 means towards abundance, earned or brought about freely through the free gifts of the Lord especially for those who are searching and abiding in his ways. The watch and awareness should be mostly upon the free gifts and how to understand and deal with them; with awareness and understanding there is also a watch upon you, towards your own goodness in your dealings with others that could include strangers to you but not strangers to the Lord and his angels. There is also the call to believe in the unfolding nature of this abundance as opposed to worrying about lack. You can't see into the future, but you can rightly assume that the abundance of the Lord is around this and every upcoming corner for those who are close to him and potentially for all as his gifts continually spring forth and go widely into all creation.
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