Psalms 132:2 (KJV)

What does Psalms 132:2 mean?

Psalms 132:2 recalls David’s solemn promise to the LORD. David is addressing the God associated with his ancestor Jacob, and the promise concerns finding a place for God’s dwelling, as the following verses make clear.

The speaker brings up David’s promise as part of a request to God, begun in verse 1. The two descriptions, “the LORD” and “the mighty God of Jacob,” name the one to whom David made his promise.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 132:2

• “sware” — שָׁבַע (shavaʿ): This means to swear an oath. The word points to a solemn declaration, not merely a plan David hoped to carry out.
• “vowed” — נָדַר (nadar): This means to make a vow. Here the word adds the idea of a personal pledge made to God.
• “mighty” — אָבִיר (avir): This word can describe one who is strong or mighty. Used with “Jacob,” the title identifies God as the powerful one associated with Jacob and his descendants.

Why Psalms 132:2 matters

• The verse prepares the reader to hear the content of David’s pledge. Verses 3–5 give the words of the pledge, including David’s resolve to find “a place for the LORD.”
• The two descriptions of God connect David’s promise to Israel’s earlier history. “Jacob” was the ancestor whose descendants became known as Israel, so the title places David’s pledge within that people’s story.
• The promise also helps explain the speaker’s request. The plea in verse 1, “LORD, remember David,” leads into the account of what David pledged.