The Meaning of Psalms 132:5 Explained

Psalms 132:5

KJV: Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

YLT: Till I do find a place for Jehovah, Tabernacles for the Mighty One of Jacob.

Darby: Until I find out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob. ...

ASV: Until I find out a place for Jehovah, A tabernacle for the Mighty One of Jacob.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Until I find out  a place  for the LORD,  an habitation  for the mighty  [God] of Jacob. 

What does Psalms 132:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 132:1-18 - The Lord's Blessing Upon Zion
This psalm evidently dates from the dedication of Solomon's temple. In the glory of completion God never forgets the toils and anxieties of the builders. When the topstone flashes in the sunlight, the trench-diggers, and foundation-makers come in for their need of praise. The singer recapitulates two memorable scenes in the history of the Ark: Ephratah is probably Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, where the Tabernacle was situated in Eli's time; while the field of the wood is Kirjath-jearim, whence David brought the sacred emblem to Jerusalem, 1 Chronicles 13:5.
The prayer of Psalms 132:8-10 is similar to that of Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:41. For us the ark of God's strength is our Lord's nature, in which God and man meet. We are called to be priests, to lift our hands in intercession and to fill the earth with praise. Then in Psalms 132:11-18 God seems to take the clauses of that prayer, one by one and to answer, them. His resting-place is in His people. The staves were drawn out from the Ark when it was deposited in the Temple. In Christ there is finality; He is Omega, the Last. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 132

1  David in his prayer commends unto God the reverent care he had for the ark
8  His prayer at the removing of the ark
11  With a repetition of God's promises

What do the individual words in Psalms 132:5 mean?

Until I find a place for Yahweh a dwelling place for the Mighty one of Jacob
עַד־ אֶמְצָ֣א מָ֭קוֹם לַיהוָ֑ה מִ֝שְׁכָּנ֗וֹת לַאֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב

עַד־  Until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֶמְצָ֣א  I  find 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
מָ֭קוֹם  a  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
לַיהוָ֑ה  for  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִ֝שְׁכָּנ֗וֹת  a  dwelling  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁכָּן  
Sense: dwelling place, tabernacle.
לַאֲבִ֥יר  for  the  Mighty  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָבִיר  
Sense: strong, mighty—used only to describe God.
יַעֲקֹֽב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.