David: Psalmist And Planner

by Keith Dorricott, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Category: Lovers Of God's House | May 1999

David's great desire

Can you imagine being described by the God of heaven as a person 'after My own heart'? But this is how God Himself described the young man David (Acts 13:22). What better commendation could we possibly have than that? And why did He say this? It was because 'he will do all My will'. This was not because David was without fault, as we know, but he had the servant heart that set him apart and qualified him to be God's appointed king. When David came to the latter part of his life and had finally been able to settle down in a new palace, being at rest from his enemies both outside and inside the kingdom, he turned his attention to something that he believed would be of great pleasure to God - building Him a house, just as he was now realizing the benefit of being in a permanent house of his own. In Psalm 132 he said:

Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty God of Jacob (vv. 3-5).

God's house hadn't been particularly important to his predecessor Saul; he had made no effort that we know of to restore the ark to its own place in the sanctuary, from which it had been absent for over twenty years. But it was vitally important to David.

David's regard for God's house is evident both from how he talked about it and by what he did about it. When Jesus spoke those angry words in John 2:16 to the Temple money-changers in Jerusalem hundreds of years later, 'Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!' it caused his disciples to remember the words of King David (recorded in Psalm 69:9): 'Zeal for Your house has eaten me up'. This passion for God's dwelling place was certainly true of Christ when He came, but it was true also of David. He had a deep love for God's residence among His people. The famous words of delight of Psalm 23 are also attributed to David: 'I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever'.

This is all the more remarkable when we remember that the house of God that existed during David's lifetime was not the glorious Temple that Solomon built later, but the dreary-looking Tabernacle tent, which was located at Shiloh and then at Gibeon. The Tabernacle's chief component, the ark of the covenant, was missing from it. So what then was it about the house of God that made David love it so much?

He knew it was the place of God's presence

David's first priority when he became king over the twelve tribes in Jerusalem was to restore the ark to its proper place. He knew he could not hope to reign successfully over a united people unless God was in His rightful place among them, and so he proceeded to bring the ark to the city of David. God had forsaken His Tabernacle at Shiloh when the ark was captured by the Philistines, because of His fury at the idolatry of His people (Ps. 78:60). The ark needed to be restored. David's first attempt was fatal for Uzzah, who was guiding the cart, because, while David's attitude was right, his method was not. The ark was one of the very holy things of God; carelessness and irreverence are not permitted. A right heart demands obedience as well as enthusiasm. This delayed the arrival of the ark for three months, after which David completed its journey. And when David later expressed his desire to build a house for God, it was for the purpose that this ark could have a home. He knew that the ark represented the presence of the God of Israel among them.

He knew it was the place of God's rest

David's life had been a life of wandering and conflict for many years. On one occasion he had despaired and said: 'Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul' (1 Sam. 27:1), despite the fact that he knew he had been anointed of God to be king, and so nothing could prevent it. And so the rest he enjoyed towards the end of his reign must have been delightful to him. Times of difficulty make the good times shine more brightly. In Psalm 132 he said:

Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength, and also...the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation: this is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it (vv. 8,13,14).

The Lord had given Israel their land by Joshua, within it He had given them the city of Jerusalem by David to be the place where His Name would be put, and now David wanted to give Him a house in that city. But it would be Solomon who would fulfil that.

He knew it was the place of God's beauty

In Psalm 27:4 David said:

One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: 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.

David was not a priest, so he was not allowed inside the Tabernacle structure, and certainly not inside the most holy place where the ark should be. But he understood to some degree the sanctity of that place. It had a beauty about it that commanded worship - it was 'the beauty of holiness' (Ps. 29:2). The beauty of God was not seen on the outside of the Tabernacle, with its outer drab cover of sealskin; but everything was gold inside, proclaiming the majesty of the One whose house it was. It required someone like David, who could never see inside, to appreciate something of the greatness of God to be able to consider it beautiful.

He knew it was the place of prayer

The other reason that David gave in Psalm 27 was 'to inquire in His temple'. David distinguished himself from those around him when he first became king in that, while they were often prone to jump into action, David would first seek the counsel of the Lord. Despite being a king, he had learned from experience to depend on the Lord for his decisions and his victories. And he knew that God's house was a house of prayer. That was where God communed with His people (Ex. 25:22). It was where sin was confessed, and where intercession was made (Josh. 7:6).

He knew it was the place of heart-felt praise

David was an accomplished musician; he was 'the sweet psalmist of Israel' (2 Sam. 23:1). He had soothed king Saul by the playing of his harp, and he had the ability to express profound thoughts poetically, as many of his psalms show. It is not surprising then that he organized the musical service that would characterize the new Temple, as Psalm 84:4 says: 'Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You'. His effort to bring the ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem was accompanied by music and dancing and celebration. God's house is a place of continual praise. 'Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name' (Heb. 13:15).

And so how do I today as a follower of Christ show the value that I place on God's house?

by the fact that my regard for it is not diminished by its lack of visible glory at this time;

by my willing obedience to all that it requires;

by my evident desire that others might see it and be in it;

by my realization that it really is the presence of Almighty God among us as His collective people;

by my constant use of it with others as a house of prayer;

by my expression of joyfulness in serving within it;

by the extent to which I avoid places and things that are contrary to it; and

by the importance and priority I give it in my daily life.

Although David was not permitted to give effect to his longing to build God's house, he devoted his energies in his last years to making rigorous preparations for it. He organized the service of the house, and the responsibility of the gatekeepers and the treasurers. And he gave written instructions to his son Solomon. That is how this great man occupied the final phase of his life. By this time David was a wealthy man, and his kingdom had amassed great wealth from the conquests of the nations around. From both of these resources David gave abundantly - gold, silver, bronze, and precious stones, so that he became an example to others to give also. We are not in God's house today primarily for our benefit; that blessing is just a by-product. The chief purpose is that we might give of ourselves to God so that God might enjoy His people. It is in this way we today show our love for it.

Biblical quotations are from the NKJV.

Keith Dorricott, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | May 1999
Lovers Of God's House