“To Behold the Beauty of the Lord”

Dr J Hernes M Abante

Psalm 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.”

The life of King David was an incredible story despite the sins he committed against God. Even with his disobedience, the Lord continued to be gracious to him, considering him a friend of God and “man after God’s own heart.” He was given the glorious opportunity of having a throne on which the Lord Jesus Christ will sit during His reign. He had come a long and incredible way from being a humble shepherd boy.

The most remarkable attitude he showed was his faithfulness to God. He had weakness in the flesh, but his faith in God never wavered. He was ready to confess his sins and accept the consequences.

Any one of us can follow David’s example. Yes, we fall and are affected by the temptations and cares of this world. But that is not the reason for us to stay away from God and to quit our allegiance to him.

In our text, King David reveals his utmost desire. With all the promotions, blessings, and victories he received, he remained humble and faithful to God. He had one desire: to be close to God, much closer.

He wants to focus his eyes on the Lord’s beauty in 3 ways:

1. He wants to dwell in the house of the Lord. I am sure this is not a physical expression of being in the house of God, 24/7. It expresses our commitment to always be under the canopy of God’s grace and love. It is being constantly mindful of His presence.

God is not demanding that we neglect our family and our job.  They are blessings from the Lord. He wants us to dedicate everything back to Him and use them to magnify Him and share the gospel.

2. He has the desire to behold the beauty of the Lord. It is to look and appreciate His beauty - the God He is!

We usually focus on the blessings more than on the Blesser. Like the Psalmist, let us never focus on the benefits and gifts we desire and forget to recognize the Giver! Let us maintain the spirit of thanksgiving unto God - that even in the presence of ugliness, we always find beauty in Him.

3. He expresses his desire to inquire in His temple.  The temple is the place where God reveals Himself. In our time, it speaks of the Church, the body of Christ.  It also speaks of our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, who resides in us forever. We need to be sensitive to the Spirit's leading in everything.

King David learned that it is essential to always ask the Lord for guidance and direction. Whatever we do, the Lord must have a hand in all our decisions. We have the Holy Spirit to help us.

God does not expect us to be perfect, for we cannot be perfect. But we can be complete in Him. This kind of perfection is our total commitment and faithfulness to the Lord. God will complete what He started.

David’s legacy is glorious. He was given the honor of naming the throne where Jesus Christ will reign as the throne of David. What a glorious honor it is for a man who was not allowed to build the temple!