“Some people are so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good.” You’ve likely heard this phrase before. It’s used as a way to say that some Christians are so concerned about the afterlife that they neglect the present.
Is that something that could be said of David in Psalm 27:4?
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
Is David saying here that he would like to be in church services all day long? Is this one of those examples of someone having their head so far into the clouds that they are neglecting the world around them?
Is this desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all of your days a good desire? What does it even mean to dwell in the house of the Lord?
What Is the Context of Psalm 27:4?
Psalm 27 is known as a psalm of confidence. It is a declaration of trust in God, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. It appears that Psalm 27 is set in the context of enemies coming after King David.
Wilson gives an apt summary when he says, “In the face of suffering and attack, the faithful continue to trust in Yahweh rather than their own devices” (Psalms, The NIV Application Commentary).
In the first part of the psalm, David is proclaiming to his heart the necessity of trusting in YHWH even though “evildoers assail.”
Because of his confidence in God to act on his behalf, David’s heart will not be given over to fear, even if an entire army is camped outside his door. He will be confident even in the midst of war.
But how does David’s request in verse 4 connect with the rest of the passage? Is he using this in almost a manipulative fashion?
Is David saying, “God, I’m not like those enemies who surround me. I am good, and I seek your face. Therefore, destroy my enemies and protect me. I’m on your team?”
Or is he saying something like, “I would much rather be worshipping in the temple than having to be a king?” What exactly is David asking for?
What Is the Request of Psalm 27:4?
There is a worship song, Better is One Day, that combines Psalm 84:10, “Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere,” with David’s request here in Psalm 27:4. I’ll confess that I’ve always found a bit of humor in not only that song but even David’s request here.
One thing I ask…
1. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
2. To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
3. To find you in the place Your glory dwells.
It seems like David is making three requests instead of one. But in reality, he is asking for one thing: namely, the presence of God. This is the desire of David’s heart. And this is how it connects with the rest of the psalm.
David is not attempting to manipulate God’s favor. He is speaking about the desire of his heart. What David says here is, I believe, similar to what Moses said in Exodus 33.
Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (vv. 13-14).
What mattered to Moses, and what matters to David in this psalm, is the presence of the Lord. David’s battles mean very little compared to the presence of YHWH.
If God is there, then David can fight a million enemies and know that God will “lift me high upon a rock.” And if God isn’t present, if God hides his face (27:8-10), then all of David’s hope will be gone.
So, when David says, “I seek to dwell in your house all the days of my life,” he isn’t talking about a perpetual church service. He isn’t even talking about temple rituals.
He is talking about being in the presence of God no matter what his physical address is at that moment and no matter what his surroundings are.
But this begs a question, how do we dwell in God’s presence?
How Do We Dwell in God’s Presence?
This is, even more, a question of Psalm 24. Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may dwell in God’s presence? There we read that it is the one who “has clean hands and a pure heart.” But we know from Scripture that, in reality, this is none of us.
In Revelation 21, we see that David’s prayer will be ultimately answered. “Behold the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3). Who is this promise for? It is for the thirst (v. 7), those who come to Christ for this living water.
We know from the rest of Scripture that our ability to dwell unhindered in the presence of God has been surrendered. It is only by God’s grace that David was able to even have a glimpse of God’s presence.
It was only through his gracious provision of sacrifice that humanity, even King David, could dwell in the majestic presence of God. But those sacrifices were pointing to something greater — the one-time sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It is through union with Jesus Christ that we are able to enter into God’s presence. This is why Hebrews 4:16 can say, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Because of the work of Christ, those who are in union with Christ have what David prayed for. We have the presence of God.
What Does This Mean?
We see, then, that David’s cry is for God’s presence. And it is right and good for him to always seek God’s presence. We know that this is finally and fully purchased for us through the work of Christ. We can be in God’s presence because of Jesus.
But what about that old saying about being so heavenly-minded that you are of no earthly good? I much prefer what C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity,
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next… It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”
In reality, when we, like David, continually seek the presence of God for all of our endeavors, it does not make us of no earthly good. Because what we find is that God’s heart is positioned toward the broken and hurting of our world.
God’s presence is often found in the most unsuspecting places. And so, rather than causing us to huddle in a fortress, it thrust us into His mission of redeeming all things.
For further reading:
Why Will We Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving?
What Does it Mean to ‘Come into His Presence with Thanksgiving’?
What Does it Mean We Will Be Given the Keys to the Kingdom?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Ralwel
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing home is http://mikeleake.net and you can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a new writing project at Proverbs4Today.
