One Thing

Worship:  You’re Beautiful written by Phil Wickham and sung by Shane & Shane

I see your face in every sunrise

The colors of the morning are inside your eyes

The world awakens in the light of the day

I look up to the sky and say

You're beautiful

I see your power in the moonlit night

Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright

We are amazed in the light of the stars

It's all proclaiming who you are

You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree

You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me

Now you are sitting on your heavenly throne

Soon we will be coming home

You're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together and we'll sing

You're beautiful

I see your face, you're beautiful

You're beautiful, you're beautiful

I see your face, you're beautiful

You're beautiful, you're beautiful

All that you are is beautiful

So beautiful, you're beautiful

All that you are is beautiful

You're beautiful, you're beautiful

Lyrics: http://beelyrics.com/s/shane-and-shane/youre-beautiful.html

Video: https://youtu.be/aky-FkqH6Ng

Witness:

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Heb 1:3a ESV

I sit here in front of my computer wondering what to say. God seems to be quiet lately or is it that my life has been a jumble of sleep and errands mixed with bouts of vegging out in front of the TV watching the News because I am just too tired to do anything else. Some of that tiredness I am sure is from the daily experience of sadness that stalks me because of my wife's absence and the strain it brings on our family. Tiredness, sadness, stressful thoughts, lethargy are a whirlwind that surrounds me every day lately, yet out of the whirlwind, the LORD speaks. As I sit here, He reminds me that He “upholds the universe by the word of His power.” And the One who holds the universe together holds my universe together as well. And as the song which just played says,

I know You're able and I know You can

Save through the fire with Your mighty hand

But even if You don't

My hope is You alone

I know the sorrow, I know the hurt

Would all go away if You'd just say the word

But even if You don't

My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

(from the song “Even if” by Mercy Me)

Please don’t think that I sit around all day with morose feelings that are entirely debilitating and leaving me in a pile of self-pity and inertia. No, my life may be a little disorganized at the moment and frustrated by lack of time for getting things done or spending more time in God’s Word or reading a great book. However, because my hope is in the Lord I know the One who holds my life in His hands and orders my steps will lead me and sustain me even in the wilderness where the weeds of worry grow, and the tumbleweeds of trials blow across my plain of existence. I will testify with the Apostle Paul, “sorrowful, yet rejoicing”(2 Cor. 6:10 NIV), and follow in obedience the exhortation of Nehemiah, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10 NIV). And as always the Lord sends a confirmation through one of His servants in the word of a song that just played.

When he told you-you're not good enough

When he told you-you're not right

When he told you-you're not strong enough

To put up a good fight

When he told you-you're not worthy

When he told you-you're not loved

When he told you-you're not beautiful

That you'll never be enough

Fear he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a liar

He will rob your rest

Steal your happiness

Cast your fear in the fire

Cause fear he is a liar

When he told you were troubled

You'll forever be alone

When he told you-you should run away

You'll never find a home

When he told you-you were dirty

And you should be ashamed

When he told you-you could be the one

That grace could never change

Fear he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a liar

He will rob your rest

Steal your happiness

Cast your fear in the fire

Cause fear he is a liar

Let Your fire fall and cast out all my fears

Let Your fire fall Your love is all I feel

Fear he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a liar

He will rob your rest

Steal your happiness

Cast your fear in the fire

Cause fear he is a liar

Writer(s): Zach Williams, Jason Ingram, Jonathan Lindley Smith

WORD:

Ps 27:4-6 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. 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. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. NIV (84)

Ps 27:4-6 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Ps 27:4-6 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. KJV

Ps 27:4-6 4  One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;  I will sing and make melody to the Lord. ESV

A common question asked that shows up in many forms is the “one thing” question.

• ·        If you had one thing you could do over again, what would that be?
• ·        If you were granted one wish, what would it be?
• ·        If you were granted the opportunity to meet and sit down with one person, who would that be?
• ·        If there was one place you wanted to travel to, where would that be?
• ·        If there was one person you could be, who would that be?
• ·        If there was one thing you wanted more than anything, what would that be?

And the list could go on but you see what I am getting at. David could have wished for world peace or the crushing of the enemies he faced. But these needs as noble or needful as they may sound is not what he desired. No, as much as these desires are in vogue today, David’s wish was for something that on the surface may seem trite or inconsequential, but in reality is the desire all followers of Christ should want. To continually be in God’s presence and worship.

Furthermore, when David says, “One thing” he is not saying it is the only thing he asks for. In fact, the word “thing” is not in original but added by translators to make the passage more readable in English. The root word in Hebrew used here is:

OT:259 dj*a# 'echad (ekh-awd'); a numeral from OT:258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The TWOT further elaborates:

OT:2297,OT:259 dj^a (( (°eµad) one, same, single, first, each, once, fem. aµat  (tj^a^).
 This word occurs 960 times as a noun, adjective, or adverb, as a cardinal or ordinal number, often used in a distributive sense. It is closely identified with  y¹µad  "to be united" and with rœ°š  "first, head," especially in connection with the "first day" of the month (Gen 8:13). It stresses unity while recognizing diversity within that oneness.
(from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Copyright © 1980 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

From these definitions, I glean these thoughts concerning David’s desire. First, that it was not his only desire, but it was his chief desire. It was his foremost yearning. Of all his longings, it stood at the pinnacle. Someone has pointed three things about David’s “One…desire.”

Psalms 27:4First, because it is not a common but a chief good. If there be any good above it, it is not the chief good; and if there be any good equal unto it, it is not alone. Next, because it is the last end which we mind eternally to enjoy; if there be any end beyond it, it is not the last, but amidst, and a degree to it. All mids and ends are used for it, but it is sought for itself, and, therefore, must be but one. Thirdly, it is a centre whereunto all reasonable spirits draw. As all lines from a circle meet in the centre, so every one that seeketh happiness aright meeteth in the chief good, as the only thing which they intend, and, therefore, must be one. — William Struther, in "True Happiness, or King David's Choice," 1633.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) 

Secondly, it was his most essential desire. If he had to give up everything else, this is the one thing he couldn’t do without. This one-mindedness corresponds with the words our Lord said to Martha:

 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42 NIV

One commentator has said:

Psalms 27:4Indeed, this "one thing," that David desires, is in effect that unum necessarium that Christ speaks of in the gospel; which Mary makes choice of there, as David doth here. — Sir Richard Baker.
(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Another has said:

Psalms 27:4 heavenly mind gathers itself up into one wish and no more. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require." Grant me thyself, O Lord, and I will ask no more. The new creature asks nothing of God, but to enjoy God: give me this, O Lord, and for the rest, let Ziba take all. I will part with all to buy that one pearl, the riches of heavenly grace. — Jeremy Taylor.
(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Finally, David’s “one…desire” was the one unifying desire under which all other desires were brought together. It is the one thing that would bring reason and purpose to his life and would answer even his present need for safety, direction, and strength.   

Psalms 27:4 Changes, great changes, and many bereavements there have been in my life. I have been emptied from vessel to vessel. But one thing has never failed — one thing makes me feel that my life has been one; it has calmed my joys, it has soothed my sorrows, it has guided me in difficulty, it has strengthened me in weakness. It is the presence of God — a faithful and loving God. Yes, brethren, the presence of God is not only light, it is unity. It gives unity to the heart that believes it — unity to the life that is conformed to it. It was the presence of God in David's soul that enabled him to say, "One thing have I desired of the Lord;" and in St. Paul's that enabled him to say, "This one thing I do." — George Wagner, in the "Wanderings of the Children of Israel," 1862.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

As you can see I have leaned heavily on Spurgeon's classic work on the Psalms and therefore will end with a final quote on this verse from the same source.

Psalms 27:4One master passion in the breast,Like Aaron's serpent, swallows up the rest.— Alexander Pope.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)