Psalms 27:1-14: a reflection

1The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 2When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. 3Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident. 4One thing I have asked of the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life, to see the LORD’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple. 5For in the day of trouble, he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the secret place of his tabernacle, he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock. 6Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7Hear, LORD, when I cry with my voice. Have mercy also on me, and answer me. 8When you said, “Seek my face,” my heart said to you, “I will seek your face, LORD.” 9Don’t hide your face from me. Don’t put your servant away in anger. You have been my help. Don’t abandon me, neither forsake me, God of my salvation. 10When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11Teach me your way, LORD. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies. 12Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty. 13I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.

Amid all the things a person might seek, the psalmist names one desire above all the rest: One thing I have asked of the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the LORD's house all the days of my life, to see the LORD's beauty, and to inquire in his temple. Of all he might ask, this is his one central desire: to dwell with God, to be in his presence, to behold his beauty. Not many things, but one thing; not wealth or success or safety chiefly, but to dwell with God. This single desire rose above all the rest.

Notice the singleness of the psalmist's desire: one thing above all, to dwell with God. He does not name a long list of things he seeks; he names one thing, the one central desire that rises above all others: to dwell in God's house, to behold his beauty, to be in his presence. This was his single, central longing, more than any other good he might seek. Amid all the many things a person can want, the psalmist's one desire, above all, was for God himself, to dwell with him. His heart was set, singly, on this one thing.

That single-hearted desire is worth cultivating, for our desires can be scattered among many things rather than centered on the one thing that matters most. We can want many things, our desires scattered among wealth, success, comfort, safety, and a hundred other goods, with no single central longing; but the psalmist's one desire, above all, was to dwell with God. There is one thing worth desiring above all the rest: God himself, his presence, to dwell with him. Do not let your desires be scattered among many things, with no central longing; let your one central desire, above all the rest, be for God himself, to dwell in his presence, as the psalmist sought the one thing. Make God himself your single, central desire, above all the many things you might seek, as the psalmist asked one thing of the LORD, to dwell in his house all his days and behold his beauty; for the one thing worth desiring above all is God himself.

Lord, amid all the things a person might seek, the psalmist names one desire above all the rest: one thing I have asked of the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the LORD's house all the days of my life, to see the LORD's beauty, and to inquire in his temple. Of all he might ask, this is his one central desire: to dwell with you, to be in your presence, to behold your beauty. Not many things, but one thing. This single desire rose above all the rest. Show me the singleness of the psalmist's desire: one thing above all, to dwell with you. He does not name a long list of things he seeks; he names one thing, the one central desire that rises above all others: to dwell in your house, to behold your beauty. This was his single, central longing, more than any other good he might seek. His heart was set, singly, on this one thing. Help me cultivate that single-hearted desire, for my desires can be scattered among many things rather than centered on the one thing that matters most. I can want many things, my desires scattered among wealth, success, comfort, safety, with no single central longing; but the psalmist's one desire, above all, was to dwell with you. There is one thing worth desiring above all the rest: you yourself. Keep me from letting my desires be scattered among many things, with no central longing; let my one central desire, above all the rest, be for you yourself, Lord, to dwell in your presence, as the psalmist sought the one thing.