Psalms 132:12
in Psalms 132If your sons keep My covenant and the testimony I will teach them, then their sons will also sit on your throne forever and ever.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If thy children will keep my covenant And my testimony that I shall teach them, Their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore.
KJV
If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
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This verse in Psalms 132
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIf thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them,.... The former part of the promise and oath is absolute, respecting the Messiah; but this is conditional, and relates to the seed of David, both immediate, and in succeeding generations; proposing their observance of the law of God, as the condition of their enjoying the kingdom after him.
This site's exposition
swore an oath to David
on Psalms 132:11-12
The oath sets one of David's descendants on his throne. Peter takes up this verse at Acts 2:30 and carries it to the resurrection of Jesus, at Acts 2:31 and 32. Verse 12 hangs the sons' own place on that throne upon keeping the covenant and the testimony.
This site's exposition
If your sons keep My covenant
The same condition stands in David's charge to Solomon at 1 Kings 2:4 and in the LORD's word at 1 Kings 9:4 and 5. The Hebrew for testimony belongs with edut, the name Exodus 25:16 gives the tablets placed in the ark. The ark of verse 8 held them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What then? "The Lord has made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not shrink from it; Of the fruit of your body shall I set upon your seat. If your children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that I shall learn them, their children also shall sit upon your seat for evermore" [Psalm 132:12]. If your children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit for evermore. The parents establish a desert on behalf of their children. What if his children should keep the covenant, and their children should not keep it? Why is the happiness of the children promised in relation to their parents' deservings? For what says He, "If your children will keep My covenant, their children also shall sit for evermore"— He says not, if your children keep My covenant, they shall sit upon your seat; and if their children keep My covenant, they also shall sit upon your seat: but he says, "If your children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit upon your seat for evermore"— except because He here wished their fruit to be understood by their children? "If your children," He says, "will keep My covenant, and if your children shall keep My testimonies that I shall learn them; their children also shall sit upon your seat:" that is, this will be their fruit, that they sit upon your seat. For in this life, brethren, do all of us who labour in Christ, all of us who tremble at His words, who in any way endeavour to execute His will, and groan while we pray His help that we may fulfil what He commands; do we already sit in those seats of bliss which are promised us? No: but holding His commandments, we hope this will come to pass. This hope is spoken of under the figure of sons; because sons are the hope of man living in this life, sons are his fruit. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He did fulfill the condition of the promise; he kept God's covenant and his testimony, did his Father's will, and in all things pleased him; and therefore to him, and his spiritual seed, the promise shall be made good.
David, being a type of Christ, was made king with an oath: The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, will not turn from it. Did David swear to the Lord (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The former introduces his petition: the latter follows it as an answer to it. In singing this psalm we must have a concern for the gospel church as the temple of God, and a dependence upon Christ as David our King, in whom the mercies of God are sure mercies. Solomon's Prayer for Divine Favour.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For thy servant David's sake--that is, On account of the promise made to him. turn . . . anointed--Repulse not him who, as David's descendant, pleads the promise to perpetuate his royal line. After reciting the promise, substantially from 2Sa 7:12-16 (compare Ac 2:30, &c.), an additional plea,
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them. There is a condition to the covenant so far as it concerned kings of David's line before the coming of the true Seed; but he has fulfilled that condition, and made the covenant indefeasible henceforth and for ever as to himself and the spiritual seed in him. Considered as it related to temporal things it was no small blessing for David's dynasty to be secured the throne upon good behaviour.
If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them. There is a condition to the covenant so far as it concerned kings of David's line before the coming of the true Seed; but he has fulfilled that condition, and made the covenant indefeasible henceforth and for ever as to himself and the spiritual seed in him. Considered as it related to temporal things it was no small blessing for David's dynasty to be secured the throne upon good behaviour. These monarchs held their crowns from God upon the terms of loyalty to their superior Sovereign, the Lord who had elevated them to their high position. They were to be faithful to the covenant by obedience to the divine law, and by belief of divine truth, they were to accept Jehovah as their Lord and their Teacher, regarding him in both relations as in covenant with them. What a condescension on God's part to be their teacher! How gladly ought they to render intelligent obedience! What a proper, righteous, and needful stipulation for God to make that they should be true to him when the reward was the promise, Their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. If they will sit at his feet God will make them sit on a throne; if they will keep the covenant they shall keep the crown from generation to generation. The kingdom of Judah might have stood to this day had its kings been faithful to the Lord. No internal revolt or external attack could have overthrown the royal house of David: it fell by its own sin, and by nothing else. The Lord was continually provoked, but he was amazingly long suffering, for long after seceding Israel had gone into captivity, Judah still remained. Miracles of mercy were shown to her. Divine patience exceeded all limits, for the Lord's regard for David was exceeding great.
If thy children will keep my covenant - This was conditional with respect to the posterity of David. They have been driven from the throne, because they did not keep the Lord’s covenant, but the true David is on the throne, and his posterity forms the genuine Israelites.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If thy children will keep my covenant ... - This was the condition implied in the promise - that they were to keep the law of God, and to serve and obey him. If they did not, they could not, of course, plead the promise. This principle is universal. We cannot plead any promise of God in our behalf, or in behalf of our children, unless we obey his commands, and are ourselves faithful to him. See the sentiment in this verse illustrated in the notes at Psa 89:30-37.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִֽם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יִשְׁמְר֬וּ | yishmeru | they will keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| בָנֶ֨יךָ׀ | vaneikha | sons your | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בְּרִיתִי֮ | beriti | covenant my | H1285 → | 284 times |
| וְעֵדֹתִ֥י | veedoti | and testimonies my | H5713 → | 26 times |
| ז֗וֹ | zo | which | H2097 → | |
| אֲלַ֫מְּדֵ֥ם | ʾalamedem | I will teach them | H3925 → | 85 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם | beneihem | sons their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עֲדֵי־ | ʾadei- | until | H5703 → | 49 times |
| עַ֑ד | ʾad | perpetuity | H5703 → | 49 times |
| יֵ֝שְׁב֗וּ | yeshevu | they will sit | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| לְכִסֵּא־ | lekhise'- | to throne | H3678 → | 135 times |
| לָֽךְ׃ | lakh | of you |
אִֽם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יִשְׁמְר֬וּthey will keep
yishmeruH8104 →468 times
בָנֶ֨יךָ׀sons your
vaneikhaH1121 →4930 times
בְּרִיתִי֮covenant my
beritiH1285 →284 times
וְעֵדֹתִ֥יand testimonies my
veedotiH5713 →26 times
ז֗וֹwhich
zoH2097 →
אֲלַ֫מְּדֵ֥םI will teach them
ʾalamedemH3925 →85 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
בְּנֵיהֶ֥םsons their
beneihemH1121 →4930 times
עֲדֵי־until
ʾadei-H5703 →49 times
עַ֑דperpetuity
ʾadH5703 →49 times
יֵ֝שְׁב֗וּthey will sit
yeshevuH3427 →1079 times
לְכִסֵּא־to throne
lekhise'-H3678 →135 times
לָֽךְ׃of you
lakh
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 59:21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 31:31–34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
- Hebrews 10:16
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
- Ezekiel 36:25–27
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- Jeremiah 32:38–41
They will be My people, and I will be their God.
- Hebrews 8:6–13
Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.
- Jeremiah 31:31–34
Through
Acts 2:30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.
it leads to
- Psalms 132:11–18
The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne.
- Psalms 89:3–4
You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant:
- Psalms 132:11–18
Through
Psalms 115:14May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 1:11
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times over and bless you as He has promised.
- Deuteronomy 1:11
Where this verse is studied
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About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 132; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.