To Gaze Upon Your Beauty Lord

January 22, 2018

Worship:  Run (Isaiah 40:31) by After the Chase

Verse 1
I want to run deep into Your presence
Until there's nothing left of me
'Till my desires are all melted down
And You are all I want to be

Verse 2
I want to run fast into Your compassion
Where Your grace will set me free
And my heart will know Your mercy
And Your love will rule in me

Chorus
I want to run, run, run...run and not grow weary
I want to walk, walk, walk...walk and not grow faint
I want to soar on wings like eagles
You will renew my strength
I want to run...I want to run

Repeat Verse 1
Repeat Verse 2

Verse 3
I want to run far along Your pathway
Until my legs carry me no more
'Till You give me eagles wings
And with Your Spirit I can soar

Chorus

Bridge 1
Make my running steps into a dance that's what these legs are for
My eyes long for Your radiance, I need You more and more
The shadow of Your mercy is more than I can bear
My lips are all consumed by You, each word I know You're there

Bridge 2
Your fire rages through the night, You let me sing my song
No gift of voice without You
So I come before Your throne, I'm faded and weighed down
But I know that You will renew my strength
So for Your kingdom I will, I will
For Your kingdom I will, I will
For Your kingdom I will, I will

run, run, run...run and not grow weary
I want to walk, walk, walk...walk and not grow faint
I want to soar on wings like eagles
You will renew my strength
I want to run...I want to run

Lyrics: https://www.justsomelyrics.com/894062/after-the-chase-run-lyrics.html

Video: https://youtu.be/LeHxtmJz_Y8

Witness:

The wind is blowing intensely, causing a cacophonous melody to arise from my three windchimes hung outside by my back door. The sky which was grey most of the day is now a subdued blue and dashes of dark purple outlined clouds are splashed across it as the sun descends beyond the horizon. Such is my life lately as the turbulence of circumstances blows across my days making for an inharmonious melody in my daily reality. Sleep deprivation, financial stress, temptations, unfulfilled plans, unrequited desires, guilt, and anxiety, are the dark purple clouds splashed across the expanse of my present life. The good I would do, I don’t. And the urge to succumb to distractions, I do. I hunger more for food for my stomach than food for my spirit.

So there I sat as I began my quiet time, breathing a prayer that God would quiet my thoughts and keep me focused. That I would realize His presence and that he would open up His Word to me. I sought out a worship song along the lines of Psalm 27:4. I typed in the phrase “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” into the search line on YouTube. Several songs came up, as well as sermons on the phrase. I thought that the first song listed was going to be the song I would use, so I decided to listen to some of the other songs listed before I began my worship time with that song. I just wanted to rest and allow these other songs to minister to me. I also hoped that one of these songs might shed some light on the meaning of these words, for on the surface they were an enigma to me.

As I began to listen, I found that most were almost word for word reiterations of the Psalm itself but shed no light on it. Nevertheless, my heart was calmed, and my spirit was ministered to. Then I turned to the song I thought would be the one I would open up with. However, when I read the lyrics to the song, I found them to be overly redundant (2 verses repeated over and over). Now, what was I to do? I kept scrolling down the page, and the titles became less oriented to what I had typed in. So I returned to the top of the list and began to look down again. I had skipped over the fourth song listed probably because the caption read, “I want run deep into ur presence.” Perhaps the typo (they left out the word “to” after “want”) and either another typo (they accidentally left off the letters Yo in the word “Your”) or an attempt to be cool, may have steered me away from choosing to listen to this song. But I decided to overlook these things and take a listen. I am glad I did. The song did not shed light on the phrase “gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,” nor was it even based on Psalm 27:4, but Isaiah 40:31. However, I was drawn into the song more and more as I sang along. I began to feel His presence and in my spirit a sense of peace and renewal. This carried me along even as I had to pause my journaling and go to my lifegroup tonight. Thank You Lord for ministering to me in spite of the chaos I am experiencing in my life.

I think the Lord allows turmoil to overwhelm us sometimes in order to get our attention when our spirit is growing cold or lethargic. It shatters strongholds we have set up.  It pulverizes pride we have allowed to pervade our souls. It humbles our haughty hearts.  It causes us to cry out for comfort. It causes us to run to the Lord for refuge and renewal. He does it not to punish us, but as a pedagogical tool, to train us, His children, and turn us back to Him.

Ps 119:67-68

Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I obey your word.

You are good, and what you do is good;

teach me your decrees.

NIV

Ps 119:71-72

It was good for me to be afflicted

so that I might learn your decrees.

The law from your mouth is more precious to me

than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

NIV

Ps 119:75-77

I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous,

and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

May your unfailing love be my comfort,

according to your promise to your servant.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live,

for your law is my delight.

NIV

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

http://lynnbarbee.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/aaaverse.jpg

The second aspect subsumed under David’s one desire is to “gaze upon the beauty of the LORD.” Like the first aspect (dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life), this should not be taken too literally. David is not saying that when he was in the LORD’S house, he had some sort of beatific vision of the LORD upon which he gazed. So what does this phrase mean? The NLT seeks to interpret rather than translate more formally, by paraphrasing it this way – “delighting in the LORD”S perfections.” Thus “beauty” refers to God's perfections or attributes. 

Is that what David is saying? If that is so then the word “gaze’” seems strange. For how does one gaze at the attributes of the invisible God? Perhaps the answer is found in the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:18-20 which says:

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
NIV

Paul was talking about attributes that could be inferred from creation, but David was referring to something he experienced when he was in the “house of the LORD.” If we take the word “gaze” in a less literal way, what was he saying? Was he using the word “gaze” to mean “meditating on?” That would indeed be an unusual use of the word in English. However, that is what Eugene Peterson takes it to mean in his paraphrase of this verse in the Message.

        I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing:
        To live with him in his house my whole life long.
        I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet.

        (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible  in Contemporary Language © 2002
                   by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

If we survey the various translations, we will find either the more ocular translations such as: “behold” or “gaze” or “see” or “to look on.” However, there are others which are less literal in their rendering of this word.  Below is a list of those renderings:

·      Enjoying (East-to-Read Version)

·      Marvel (TEV, GNT)

·      Delighting (LB, NLT)

There is a good reason for this. If we delve into the Hebrew word here, we find that it is the word chazah. Strong’s gives this definition of the word:

OT:2372 hz*j* chazah (khaw-zaw'); a primitive root; to gaze at; mentally, to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have a vision of: -behold, look, prophesy, provide, see.(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.)

Consulting other authorities yields nothing more than what Strong’s summarizes above.

Therefore, it is possible that David here refers not so much of an actual thing seen but instead of an internal contemplation of something. Yet that begs the question, “Why would David need to go to the tabernacle to do what he could do anywhere?” And looking at Strong’s definition leaves room for that  “beatific vision” I  denied earlier.  You see why I said this phrase was an enigma to me.

Perhaps if we look at the word “beauty,” we will find the answer. If we were to look for another place in the scripture where the phrase “the beauty of the LORD” was used, we might not find it if we were searching in one of the modern translations. However, if we searched using the King James version, we would discover it only in one other place – Psalm 90:17 – which says:

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.KJV

However, modern translations translate this phrase here differently than they do in Psalm 27:4 as represented by how the translators of the ESV translate this verse:

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
ESV

If we look at these phrases in Hebrew, they are not precisely the same. The word for “Lord” in Psalm 27 is “Yahweh,” and in Psalm 90 it is “Adonai.” However, that does not affect the meaning of the phrase significantly for our purposes.

The word translated as “beauty” by the NIV in Psalm 27 and “favor” in Psalm 90 is the word no`am (no'-am) as transliterated from the Hebrew. Strongs defines this word as:

OT:5278 <u^n) no`am (no'-am); from OT:5276; agreeableness, i.e. delight, suitableness, splendor or grace:KJV - beauty, pleasant (-ness).(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.)
OT:5276 u@n* na`em (naw-ame'); a primitive root; to be agreeable (literally or figuratively):KJV - pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be sweet.(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.)

BDB defines it this way and adds their interpretation on these verses:

        

OT:5278 † <u^n{Ã ‎noun masculinePs 90:17 delightfulness, pleasantness (Ecclus ?wryt <uwn ‎32:6); — þ‎n ‎absolute Zech 11:7 + 4 t.; construct Ps 27:4; 90:17; — 1. delightfulness of þ‎y. ‎contemplated in temple Ps 27:4, shewn in his favour, Wnyl@u*>>>ynda þ‎n yh!yw] ‎90:17. 2. name of one of two symbolic staves Zech 11:7,10. 3. pleasantness, as defining genitive: þ‎nÁyk@r=D^ ‎Prov 3:17; þ‎nÁyr@m=a! ‎15:26; 16:24.     (from Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Combining the info gleaned from these two words (Chazah & Noam) it would seem that David is mentally contemplating (colorfully expressed by the word “gaze”) God’s delightfulness, His pleasantness, and His grace (favor), and His splendorous glory.

Consider how these versions translate this phrase in Psalm 27:4 and 90:17

Amplified Bible:

to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord  

And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us

The Bible in Basic English:

looking on his glory

Let the pleasure of the Lord our God be on us

Today’s English Version

to marvel there at his goodness

Lord our God, may your blessings be with us

New English Translation

so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord                                                                        (

May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!

 (from The NET Bible®, Copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C., Dallas, Texas, www.bible.org. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)   

 Young’s Literal Translation

To look on the pleasantness of Jehovah

And let the pleasantness of Jehovah our God be upon us

One must remember we are dealing with poetry here and therefore it calls for thoughtful consideration of the words being used. Poetry seeks to highlight, emphasize, and expresse truth more compellingly. However, in doing so, it takes more effort sometimes to decipher that truth.

But we have not answered the objection yet that I raised earlier, which is:

“Why would David need to go to the tabernacle to do what he could do anywhere?”

If we consider what Paul says in Romans 3:18-20 along with the meaning of these words and the various ways different Bible translations handle this verse, I think it yields an interpretation that combines the literal and the figurative.  When David entered the tabernacle, he saw the symbols displayed and the rituals performed. From there he contemplated the meanings behind them. Meanings that were theocentric and revealed the very glory of God Himself.  

Barnes says:

[To behold the beauty of the LORD] Margin, "the delight." The word rendered "beauty" here – no ‘am  - means properly "pleasantness;" then, "beauty, splendor;" then, "grace, favor." 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. Great truths were brought before the mind, fitted 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 in the troubles and perplexities of life. Compare Ps 73:15-17.

 (from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)   

 Calvin notes the tension and gives this answer:

We must, however, observe by what motive David was so powerfully stimulated. "Surely," some may say, "he could have called on God beyond the precincts of the temple. Wherever he wandered as an exile, he carried with him the precious promise of God, so that he needed not to put so great a value upon the sight of the external edifice. He appears, by some gross imagination or other, to suppose that God could be enclosed by wood and stones." But if we examine the words more carefully, it will be easy to see, that his object was altogether different from a mere sight of the noble building and its ornaments, however costly. He speaks, indeed, of the beauty of the temple, but he places that beauty not so much in the goodliness that was to be seen by the eye, as in its being the celestial pattern which was shown to Moses, as it is written in Ex 25:40,
"And look that thou make them after this pattern which was showed thee in the mount."(from Calvin's Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Pulpit Commentary says briefly – quoting another source:

"not the outward beauty of the sanctuary, but the gracious attributes which its ritual symbolized" ('Speaker's Commentary')(from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)  

I conclude with the words of Calvin in the way of application of this verse to our present Christian era:

As the fashion of the temple was not framed according to the wisdom of man, but was an image of spiritual things, the prophet directed his eyes and all his affections to this object. Their madness is, therefore, truly detestable who wrest this place in favor of pictures and images, which, instead of deserving to be numbered among temple ornaments, are rather like dung and filth, defiling all the purity of holy things. We should now consider, whether the faithful are to be like-minded under the Christian or Gospel dispensation.  I own, indeed, that we are in very different circumstances from the ancient fathers; but so far as God still preserves his people under a certain external order, and draws them to him by earthly instructions, temples have still their beauty, which deservedly ought to draw the affections and desires of the faithful to them. The Word, sacraments, public prayers, and other helps of the same kind, cannot be neglected, without a wicked contempt of God, who manifests himself to us in these ordinances, as in a mirror or image.(from Calvin's Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTA1g14jOGrUZuWQWpkwUr_QUqwfhAkTLubqaamE_SbeNImuDil

What is my "Ruling Desire?"

January 16, 2018

My last entry included some thoughts I discovered I had left out of my November 22^nd entry under the WORD section of my journal. What I did not realize was that I had also left out my worship song and witness portion as well. So I am using them in this Journal entry. One must remember that this was pre-Christmas when I sang this song and wrote the words under the “Witness” section below.

Worship:  Evermore by Phil Wickham

Of the Father's love begotten

'Ere the world began to be

He the source of all that has been

And all the future years will see

Evermore, evermore

He shall reign forevermore

Humble King, Sovereign Lord

He shall reign forevermore

Oh, that birth forever blessed

When the chosen virgin go

By the Holy Ghost conceiving

Bore the Savior of our world

Evermore, evermore

He shall reign forevermore

Humble King, Sovereign Lord

He shall reign forevermore

He is found in human fashion

Death and sorrow here to know

That the race of Adam's children

Doomed by law to endless woe

Need not henceforth die and perish

In the dreadful gulf below

But forever rest in beauty

In the lights of Heaven's glow

Evermore, evermore

He shall reign forevermore

Humble King, Sovereign Lord

He shall reign forevermore

And evermore

He shall reign forevermore

Humble King, Sovereign Lord

He shall reign forevermore, forevermore

Lyrics: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Phil-Wickham/Evermore

Video: https://youtu.be/uIzTkeZ5WWY?list=RDuIzTkeZ5WWY

Witness:

Below were some thoughts I had as I entered the Christmas season. So, it might feel a little strange and disconcerting to read them post-Christmas. However, I thought that the words I wrote were something to consider when we enter into any so-called season on the Christian Calendar. I can say that I was only partially successful. I believe, in some sense, I was able to divorce myself from the material side of Christmas. I also was consistent up to a point when it came to reading and meditating on the meaning and message of Christmas. Yet I believe it was mostly external motions and not enough internalizing of the eternal truths found in the incarnation, nor was there enough pleading before the Lord for a filling of my soul with the wonder and glory of the season.

“Jesus is the Reason for the Season” has become, in many ways, a slogan devoid of the impact it had when it first came out. We know it with our heads but not with our hearts. And so our spirits are not fully engaged in the season when the REASON became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-18).

-------------

I’ve begun to listen to Christmas music now. One quest I have every year is to slow down and take time to meditate upon the real meaning of the season. Every year I fail. Time and again, I try to read works written about Christmas and surround myself with seasonal music. Why am I doing this in the first place? I’m sure that one reason is the pursuit of a mood. I’m trying to recapture an elusive feeling I had a child and bring it to maturity with an emphasis on God’s gift rather than my gift-giving. I am trying to experience the awe and wonder of the first visitors of the incarnate Son of God. I am seeking that “thrill of hope,” as the song now playing is saying, along with a “weary world,” and rejoice as “yonder breaks a new and glorious morn” and falling on my knees in worship along with the heavenly host and earthly guests.

Alas, that has not been my experience. Instead, TV and Tasks and Tiredness have been my focus and my lot. Maybe this year will be different. I hope so. I pray so. Lord, may it be so. Amen!

Darkness to Light

Earth’s Plight

The silhouettes of naked trees

Etch the barren Autumn sky.

In the air, there’s a chilling breeze

As nature breaths a mournful sigh.

Frost bejewels the ground, ponds freeze,

And all the grass in the field seems to die.

And earth by the tilt of a few degrees

Shortens days as winter draws nigh.

Darkness brings light to its knees,

Or so it seems to a tearful eye.

But on an appointed day darkness flees

And light begins with it to vie

The Sin’s Blight

Creation groans in sin and unease

From man’s fall, who listened to a lie.

Paradise was lost by its first trustees

And replaced by pain and toil and fly.

The winter of the soul’s barren leas

Lay empty, fruitless, and dry.

War and famine are history’s frieze.

Sorrow and suffering its battle cry.

World, flesh, and devil exact their fees

As Adam searches for the reason why.

But from eternity past God decrees

The answer to an earth gone awry

God’s Light

Christ would leave His heavenly deas

To live and die, then rise on high.

And all who trust in Him He frees,

Those bound by sin He doth untie.

For God the Father, He did please,

Through Christ His elect to sanctify,

To deliver His chosen from sin’s disease,

To assuage His wrath and justify.

For by Christ’s blood it did appease

God’s righteous, holy wrath thereby.

And eternal life He guarantees

To those, He one day will glorify.

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

In a previous study, I had observed that David’s one desire was delineated under 3 points:

     ·        “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” NIV·        “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” NIV·        “to seek him in his temple” NIV or “to inquire in his temple” ESV

I had also outlined these verses under 3 headings, of which I added a 4^th:

     1.     Presence – David earnestly desired to personally experience God’s presence – v. 42.     Protection – Which led to experiencing God’s protection – vs. 53.     Promotion – And experiencing exaltation – v. 64.     Praise – And culminating in God’s praise – v. 6

The three points mentioned above fall under the first heading of “Presence.” I want to look at each point in a separate study of each. The first is David’s desire to “dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of [his] life.” What does he mean by this? On the surface, it would seem that though David’s desire was laudable, it was surely not livable. It reminds me of Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration, wanting to build booths for the Lord, Moses, and Elijah to dwell in (see Mt. 17;1-6; Mk 9:2-8). Certainly, Peter meant well, but that would have kept the Lord from fulfilling the purpose for which He came. Perhaps David is using hyperbole to express his sincere desire to be in God’s presence.

I think a more reasonable explanation is that David wanted to continually go to the tabernacle of the Lord for fellowship with the Lord and for the reasons he shares in points two and three.

Barnes says:

Psalms 27:4 [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 felicity 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 him the service of God upon earth was not burdensome, nor did he anticipate that he would ever become weary of praising his Maker. How can a man be prepared for an eternal heaven who finds the worship of God on earth irksome and tedious?(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Such is the attitude of one who loves God. They see the attending of church as a desire, not a duty.

Furthermore, David’s desire is heightened by his inability to be in the Tabernacle as many scholars believe he wrote this when being pursued by Saul or in the time of the rebellion of his son Absalom.

Calvin writes:

Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired. Some consider this as a prophecy of the perpetuity of David's kingdom, on which not only his own personal happiness depended, but also the happiness of his whole people; as if he had said, I am so well contented with this singular proof of God's favor, that I can think on nothing else night and day. In my opinion, however, it appears a simpler interpretation to view the words as meaning, that although David was banished from his country, despoiled of his wife, bereft of his kinsfolk; and, in fine, dispossessed of his substance, yet he was not so desirous for the recovery of these, as he was grieved and afflicted for his banishment from God's sanctuary, and the loss of his sacred privileges. Under the word one, there is an implied antithesis, in which David, disregarding all other interests, displays his intense affection for the service of God; so that it was bitterer to him to be an exile from the sanctuary, than to be denied access to his own house. That David desired only one thing, therefore, namely, to dwell in the house of the Lord, must be read in one sentence. For there is no probability that he means by this some secret wish which he suppressed, seeing he distinctly proclaims what it was that chiefly troubled him. He adds, too, steadiness of purpose, declaring that he will not cease to reiterate these prayers. Many may be seen spurring on with great impetuosity at first, whose ardor, in process of time, not only languishes, but is almost immediately extinguished. By declaring, therefore, that he would persevere in this wish during his whole life, he thereby distinguishes between himself and hypocrites.(from Calvin's Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Perhaps one finds themselves in a place where attending Church is impossible. We know we can go to the Lord anytime and anywhere. David knew this too, yet there was something special about the Tabernacle, which we will see in the two points that follow. Nevertheless, it should always be the believer's desire to worship in the fellowship of other believers where the Lord promises He would be, I believe in a special way (see Mt. 18:20). “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is the old saying. It is true of those who cannot attend church because of illness, imprisonment, or any number of life’s little interventions. Yet, the believer all the more desires to be back in the sweet fellowship of the Lord along with their fellow brothers and sisters.

But as humans, we often lose our spiritual ardor for this fellowship because we neglect the personal practice of His presence through prayer and the pondering over His Word and as Calvin observes a “steadiness of purpose.”

Finally, let me observe that there are temporal as well as eternal aspects of the one desire.

Psalms 27:4 One thing ... that I may dwell in - not literal 'dwelling,' but spiritual (Ps 15:1; 23:6; John 14:23; Rev 3:12). To have a perpetual enjoyment of God's realized grace and presence (John 8:35). All other blessings are included in this, so that this one thing is, and shall always be, the Psalmist's ruling desire. The tabernacle, and subsequently the temple, symbolized the union between God and His true worshippers, dwelling in spirit with Him there.(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 27:4 That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. For the sake of communion with the King, David longed to dwell always in the palace; so far from being wearied with the services of the Tabernacle, he longed to be constantly engaged in them, as his life long pleasure. He desired above all things to be one of the household of God, a home born child, living at home with his Father. This is our dearest wish, only we extend it to those days of our immortal life which have not yet dawned. We pine for our Father's house above, the home of our souls; if we may but dwell there for ever, we care but little for the goods or ills of this poor life. "Jerusalem the golden" is the one and only goal of our heart's longings.(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

I end with a question. What is my “ruling desire?” What is my greatest desire?” What is my “one thing?” If it is anything less than to desire God Himself, then it is nothing less than indolence and idolatry!