Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Psalm 132:4-5

By

Psalm 132:4-5    "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,  (5)  Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob."

David wanted very much to be able to build the temple for God.  He wanted to do something to honor the Lord Who had delivered him so many times. God would not allow it. God told David that he was a man of battle and blood and could not build the temple.  It seems that the intention was that the temple was not in any way attributed to David's cunning and skill.  David, you cannot build the temple.  And David's response? "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob." Please notice this wording. David was not saying that he was determined to go ahead and build the temple in spite of God's refusal. David was determined to do whatever he could to make sure the temple was built and an appropriate "habitation for the mighty God of Jacob".

What did David ultimately do? We know God determined David's son, Solomon, to be the builder of the temple; yet David was going to do everything that he could in order to be certain it was accomplished.  "... because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house." (1 Chronicles 29:3)  He could not oversee the construction, but he was able to give of that which the Lord had blessed. He was a wonderful example for the people. When they saw David giving so graciously, their hearts were opened and they began to bring materials for the work.

But there was one more thing that David did which cemented the work before the people and before Solomon, his son. David began to pray for God's blessings upon Solomon and upon the work of the builders. Here is a small portion of that prayer.  "O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:  And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision." (1 Chronicles 29:18-19)

David made the commitment to do whatever he could do in order for there to be "... a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob."  Should that not be the desire of our hearts as well?  Where is the temple of God located just now?  According to 1 Corinthians 6:19, our bodies are the temple of the Lord God as His Holy Spirit lives within us.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: An Important Question

By
In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...
Read more