“The Birth of a Vision”

Psalm 132: 6: “Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the field of Jaar.” David did not suddenly get the desire to find the City chosen by God after he was crowned king; Ephrathah is an ancient name for Bethlehem (Ruth 1: 2; Micah 5: 2), the city of David’s childhood. The psalmist is saying that it was then, as David tended sheep in the field, that he received the calling to deliver and occupy Jerusalem and Zion, possibly the most significant act of his reign. It took a while, probably 20 - 30 years, but he stayed true to his youthful vision until it was fulfilled.