Psalms 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.
Study Note
Study Note
The psalmist's declaration of singular desire — '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' — is the Old Testament's most concentrated expression of contemplative theology: the reduction of all religious desire to divine presence. The 'one thing' motif (cf. Luke 10:42: 'one thing is needful') and the 'behold the beauty of the Lord' (lachazot benoam YHWH) anticipate the New Testament's beatific vision and the Christian mystical tradition's unio mystica. The Hebrew 'noam' (pleasantness, beauty, delight) is rarely used of God — its deployment here makes the Psalm the nearest Old Testament approach to the Johannine 'God is love' in experiential terms. Augustine's 'our heart is restless until it rests in thee' (Confessions 1.1) is essentially a paraphrase of this verse's theology of desire ordered by divine beauty.
Other Translations
One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple.
One <FI>thing<Fi> I asked of Jehovah--it I seek. My dwelling in the house of Jehovah, All the days of my life, To look on the pleasantness of Jehovah, And to inquire in His temple.
One prayer have I made to the Lord, and this is my heart's desire; that I may have a place in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, looking on his glory, and getting wisdom in his Temple.
Cross References
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of …
And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the …
And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered …
Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the …
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which …
And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house …
I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.