Psalm 27 Continued…
Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
One main objective; one thing that I have especially desired; one thing which I have constantly wished for. David mentioned this dominant desire of his heart more than once in the previous psalms (Psalm 23:6, 26:8) and he frequently refers to it in the following psalms. This great desire of his was not to be returned to Saul’s court, nor to his own house and family, nor to have an abundance of worldly riches and honors; but to have constant access to the house of the Lord, an opportunity to continually participate in the public worship of God, which was neglected by many, and was boring to others, but was preferred by the psalmist to everything else; since he seems to have been deprived of it at this time.
“This is what I seek” as the leading object of my life, and the thing which I most earnestly desire. I seek after it through relentless prayer, until it has been obtained; persistence and perseverance in prayer are the way to succeed, as appears from the parable of the widow and unjust judge.
He doesn’t mean Christ’s Father’s house in heaven, where He dwells, and where the saints will dwell for all eternity; though to be present in the house from heaven is very desirable; but here the place of divine worship seems to be meant, where the Lord granted His presence, and where the psalmist thought he would find the greatest happiness on earth, if he could dwell there.
All the days of my life. Constantly; to the end. Though engaged in other things, and though there were other objects of interest in the world, yet he felt that it would be supreme happiness on earth to dwell always in the temple of God and to be employed in its sacred services, preparatory to an eternal residence in the temple above.
To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. The word which has been rendered here as “beauty” means “pleasantness.” The reference here is to the beauty or loveliness of the divine character as it was particularly manifested in the public worship of God, or by those symbols which in the ancient worship were designed to make that character known. In the tabernacle and in the temple there was a manifestation of the character of God not seen elsewhere. The whole worship was adapted to set forth His greatness, His glory, and His grace—the priests in their robes, performing their office, the great High Priest (a type of Christ), and the Levites and singers performing their work in melodious strains. It was a pleasant sight to a believer in those times to behold the sacrifices of slain beasts, which were symbolic of the better sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; to which may be added other things that were to be seen by priests; such as the ark of the Lord, which had the two tablets in it, typical of Christ, who was the end of the law for righteousness; and the table of shewbread, which pointed to Christ the bread of life, and His perpetual intercession for His people; and the golden candlestick, a type of the church; with many other things, which, with an eye of faith, the saints of those times could look upon with delight and pleasure. Also, the presence of the Lord may be intended by “the beauty of the Lord,” since nothing is more desirable to the people of God than to behold his smiling countenance, to see His face, and enjoy His favor, and to have fellowship with Him, and with one another. Jesus Christ may be the One meant here, represented by the Shekinah, or glory, which filled both the tabernacle and the temple; who being the brightness of his Father’s glory, and fairer than the children of men, and altogether lovely and full of grace, is a very desirable object to be beheld by faith. Great truths were brought before the mind, tailored to elevate, to comfort, and to sanctify the soul; and it was in the contemplation of those truths that the psalmist sought to elevate and purify his own mind, and to sustain himself when he must pass through the troubles and bewilderments of life.
And to seek him in his temple. The word translated here as “temple” would be applicable to either the temple or tabernacle, which is considered the “palace” or the residence of Yahweh. But, since the temple was not built at this time, the word must be understood to refer to the tabernacle. The meaning of this final clause is that he wished to seek instruction or to obtain light on the great questions pertaining to God and that he looked for this light in the place where God was worshipped.
Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
When I am surrounded by my enemies and in danger, or when I am suffering from hardships or experiencing sickness or in pain from my afflictions. The word “hide” used here means to hide in secret; and then, to defend or protect. It would be appropriate to apply it to one who had fled from oppression, or from any impending evil, and who would be concealed in a house or cave, and his location kept secret; thus he is rendered safe from pursuers, or from the threatening evil.
The word for “tabernacle” Is the Hebrew word is suka^h, which means a booth, hut, or cot formed of interwoven green branches. It is used here to denote the tabernacle, which was considered the dwelling-place of God on earth, and the meaning here is that God would hide him so to speak in His own dwelling; He would permit him to stay near to Himself; He would protect him as if he were one of His own family; as a man protects those whom he welcomes into his own home.
In the most secluded and private part of His dwelling. He would not merely admit him to His residence; not only to the foyer of His house; not only to His backyard, or to the parts of His house frequented by the rest of His family; but He would admit him to the private chamber—the place to which He Himself withdrew to be alone, and where no stranger, and not even one of the family, would venture to intrude. Nothing could more certainly denote friendship; nothing could more certainly assure protection, than to be taken into the private retreat where the master of a family was accustomed to withdraw, in order to be alone; and nothing, therefore, can more beautifully describe the protection which God will give to His friends than the idea of admitting them to the secret haven of His own home.
“A Rock” is the place where I shall be secure; a place inaccessible to my enemies. In the Scriptures, a Rock is often mentioned as a place of safety, and God is said to put someone on the Rock, and then, God and Christ are called a (or “the”) Rock. (Psalm 18:1-2, 61:2, 71:3) The meaning is that he would be safe from all his enemies.
PRAY
Thank you for your constant protection over me. Let me have a desire like David to always be in your presence.