Psalms 27:4

One [thing] have I desired of the Lord,.... Not to be returned to Saul's court; nor to his own house and family; nor to have an affluence of worldly riches and honours; but to have constant abode it,

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.

Though I am exercised with many troubles, there is but one thing that I am very solicitous for, or desirous of, and that is not victory and triumphs over all mine enemies, assured peace and settlement in my throne, the wealth, and pleasure, and glory of enlarging or ruling my empire: or if I have any desire to any of those things, it is chiefly that I may not be disturbed in or driven from the sanctuary and worship of God as I have been, but may have opportunity of constant attendance upon God; that there I may exercise and delight myself in the contemplation of thy amiable and glorious majesty, and of the infinite wisdom, holiness, justice, truth, grace, and mercy, and other perfections, which though hid in a great measure from the world, are clearly manifested in thy church and ordinances. To inquire; or, diligently to seek; either God’ s face and favour; or his mind and will, and my own duty; or the Lord’ s beauty, last mentioned, which is discovered more or less, as men are diligent ot negligent in seeking or inquiring into it. In his temple, i.e. in his tabernacle; which he here and elsewhere calls his temple, because it was the same thing for substance; and because his thoughts and affections did constantly and eagerly run out upon the temple; and since he was not permitted to build the thing, he would at least take occasion to solace himself with the name, and thereby to enter his protest of his earnest desire to build it, if God had seen it fit.

Psalms 27:4 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 enquire in his temple.Ver. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord] One thing above the rest. Every one of God’ s suppliants, have some special request that he mainly insisteth on; and King David’ s was the liberty of God’ s sanctuary, and enjoyment of his public ordinances, ut cultu Dei libero et legitimo uti possit (Jun.). Hoc primus petit, hoe postremus omittit. This was dearer to him than wife, children, goods, all. This suit he knew to be honest, and, therefore, he began it; and being so, he is resolved never to give it over, but to prosecute it to the utmost, and to persevere in prayer (which is a great virtue, Romans 12:12) till he had prevailed. That will I seek after] As God’ s constant remembrancer, who loveth to be importuned, and, as it were, jogged by his praying people. Herein David showed himself a true Israelite, a prince of God, and, as Nazianzen styleth Basil the Great, Aνηρεπιθυμιωντωντουπνευματος, a man of desires flowing from the Spirit. He knew well that a faint suitor doth but beg a denial. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord] i.e. In the place where was the ark, with the prophets, priests, Levites, Asaph and his brethren, &c., with whom David desired to be taken up in the service of God, free from secular cares and delights, at times convenient. Pyrrhus told Cyneas that when he had finished his wars once he would then sit still and be merry. The Roman generals, when they had once triumphed over their enemies, might take their ease and pleasure for ever after. But good David resolves to improve his rest, whenever God shall grant it him, to perpetual piety; "That I may dwell," saith he, or sit "in the house of Jehovah all the days of my llfe": this was the height of his ambition, this was David’ s delight. To behold the beauty of the Lord] Heb. the delight, amenity, or pleasantness of Jehovah: hoc est cultum Dei ordinatum, saith Kimchi, those ceremonial services which were their gospel, and Christ in figure, Hebrews 8:5, whom David desired to contemplate. And to inquire in his temple] Heb. Early to inquire, that is, earnestly, what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is. Here it was that David used to seek satisfaction and resolution of his doubts and scruples when at any time he was gravelled, Psalms 73:16-17. Some render it, ut lustrem templum eius.

(4) To behold the beauty.—Literally, to see into the favour—i.e., to meditate on the graciousness of God. To enquire . . .—Literally, to look into, either judicially or critically; here, “to ponder or meditate” Ewald, however, and others add with notion of pleasure, “refresh myself,” but on doubtful authority. Some Rabbis, connecting bâkar with boker, the morning, render, “to attend in the morning,” while some commentators would entirely spiritualise the wish, as if the actual attendance on the House of God were not in the poet’s thoughts. But the words breathe—only in even a higher key—the feeling of Milton’s well-known “But let my due feet never fail To walk the studious cloister’s pale,” &c A mere transposition of letters would give an easy sense, “to offer in thy Temple.”

Verse 4. One thing have I desired] If I am grown too old, and from that circumstance unable to serve my country, I shall then prefer a retirement to the tabernacle, there to serve God the rest of my days. There I shall behold his glory, and there I may inquire and get important answers respecting Israel. But though these words may be thus interpreted, on the above supposition, that David penned the Psalm on the occasion of his escape from the Philistine, and the desire expressed by his subjects that he should go no more out to war; yet it appears that they more naturally belong to the captivity, and that this verse especially shows the earnest longing of the captives to return to their own land, that they might enjoy the benefit of Divine worship.

4–6. To be Jehovah’s guest and live secure under His protection is the Psalmist’s chief desire; and even now he confidently anticipates deliverance from his foes. Psalms 27:4 can hardly be understood literally of a lifelong residence in the Temple. Rather, as in Psalms 23:4-5; Psalms 15:1, Jehovah is thought of as the royal host, whose guests are secure under His protection, and enjoy familiar intercourse with Him. But the language is suggested by the possibility of approach to God in His earthly house, and perhaps by the suppliant’s right of asylum there.

One thing have I desired of the Lord - One main object; one thing that I have especially desired; one thing which has been the object of my constant wish.

4. One thing have I desired—One thing, as being the chief and ultimate good—the comprehensive unity in which all things else are included.