A Psalm of Yearning
There's an old story of a young man who grew up on the wrong side of town. He was bright and full of good intentions, but down on his luck. Until one day, through a series of events he came into possession of a magic lamp that could grant his wishes. If you believe the Disney version, he was only allowed three wishes. And he couldn't wish for more wishes, couldn't wish for someone to die, and couldn't wish for someone to fall in love with him. I wonder if you had Aladdin's lamp, what would you wish for?
What are your deepest desires? Would you wish for fame, fortune, happiness? Maybe a good job, a happy family, and long life? A packet of Tim-Tams that never runs out? What would you wish for?
The writer of Psalm 27 could do with a few wishes. Right from the start of the Psalm we see trouble. Verse 1 is a bold expression of confidence:
1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom should I be afraid?
But there's also the hint that there is something to be afraid of. The next two verses use great poetical license to describe the situation. The Psalmist is surrounded by people who have it in for him. There's a bloodthirsty horde out to get him:
2When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh'
my adversaries and foes'
they shall stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.
Towards the end of the Psalm we see that the attacks come from those around him too! Look at verse 12:
12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they are breathing out violence.
The false witnesses aren't foreign foes. They're likely to be fellow Israelites who are trying to accuse him of blasphemy or some other capital offence. There's no shortage of people out to get him!
The introduction to Psalm 27 tells us that the writer is David. If you're familiar with his story you know this reflects David's early life. He faced no shortage of confrontations! At times you could say he was without a friend in the world. Even his King and best friend were against him!
In this situation there are plenty of things that David might've wished for. He might wish for the downfall of his enemies. He might wish for his own protection. He might wish that he could live happily ever after.
But David only wishes for one thing! He doesn't need three wishes. There's only one thing he's longing for. Look at verse 4:
4One thing I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
to live 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.
The only thing David is longing for is to dwell in God's house. The temple is the place where God had especially promised to dwell. It was where God's people could seek his presence. As Chris reminded us last week, coming into the sanctuary, coming into God's presence helps us readjust to the reality of the world. It helps put things into perspective. In Psalm 27, we see it gives a sense of peace, of comfort and security.
Faced with all, sorts of trouble, it's no wonder that David wants to dwell in the temple forever. But I don't think we're to take this literally. He's not wishing that he could live in the temple 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year! Sometimes that's how much it feels like I'm at church, but it's not something I wish for!
Instead, what David is yearning for, is for God to be with him always, no matter where he is. He wants God to be present in his everyday life, just as he's present in the temple. He wants to be able to see God's beauty all around him. He wants to delight in what God is doing in his people, as his plans are fulfilled. And David wants God to be with him, guiding him in his life. He wants to be able to inquire of God, to be taught and led on level paths as verse 11 puts it. He wants to God to be present with him as he journeys through life.
You may have heard of Brother Lawrence. Though maybe not, because liven in the seventeenth century, and spent most his life in the kitchen in his monastery. He sought to know God's presence with him, every moment of every day, no matter what he was doing. There was nothing else he desired.
Of course in this, Brother Lawrence and David are just echoing a longing that's present throughout the Psalms. It's something we're all encouraged to yearn for, as Psalm 105:4 says:
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
The Psalms tell us that there's nothing better than being in God's presence. You might recognizing the words of Psalm 84, through one of the songs we sing;
Psa. 84:10
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
In this the Psalm's are just picking up a theme that's present through the whole bible.
Remember back in Genesis 3. After they'd sinned Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden and they hid from his presence. Likewise when he rebelled Jonah tried to flee from God's presence. The Bible tells us that sin separates us from being with God. It cuts us of from the blessing that comes from being in his presence. Psalm 51, reminds us that the worst thing that could ever happen to us, is for God to remove withdraw his presence:
Psa. 51:11
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Why is this so bad? We read in the Bible that God's presence is where we find peace and joy. Moses knew that without God's presence there was no point in the people going on after the Exodus. And think of that great picture that we are given at the end of Revelations. In his vision John sees the new heaven and the new earth as a place where we dwell in God's presence forever:
Rev. 21:3-4
3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.'