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 ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
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.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, …
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God …
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it …