God's Dwelling Place

Introduction

God’s Dwelling Place: Our Heart (1-5)

David’s Promise to God

David’s Hardships (1)

Psalm 132:1 NASB95

Remember, O Lord, on David’s behalf, All his affliction;

His afflictions included Saul and David’s own son, Absalom.

David was mocked by his wife for worshiping the Lord.

We have a tendency to think that the “great heroes of the Bible” were perfect. But they were not. They were sinners and strugglers and often scoundrels just as you and I can be.

Application:

David learned, as you and I should learn, that God does not abandon His children when we are going through hardships:

Hebrews 6:10 CSB

For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.

David’s Desires (2-5)

David’s desire was to institute Jerusalem as the place of worship. Look at verses 2-5.

Psalm 132:2–5 NASB95

How he swore to the Lord And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, “Surely I will not enter my house, Nor lie on 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 One of Jacob.”

It is interesting that David calls God The Mighty One of Jacob. This title is used for God 5 times in the OT. Two of them are in this Psalm. Why? It is identifying David with the promise and prophetic fulfillment of Jacob.

Genesis 28:20–22 NASB95

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

In other words, the very same God to whom Jacob made this prophetic commitment is the same God that David worships and desires to build a house for Him.

Primarily, this was signified by David’s desire to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. The first attempt was a magnificent failure when God struck Uzzah down for touching the ark as it was irreverently being carried (2 Samuel 6:6-7).

Then David spent years making plans and gathering materials in order to build a Temple.

Application

But God’s desire is not to dwell in a Temple that is made with hands: John 4; Acts 17. God’s desire is to dwell in the hearts of people.

Ephesians 3:14–17 NASB95

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Is your heart being made into a dwelling place? Despite the hardships that David faced, he wanted a dwelling place for God. We face hardships. But just as David wanted a dwelling place for God, we should want our hearts to be a dwelling place for God.

Transition:

Not only does God desire to dwell within our hearts, but God desires to dwell among our praises.

God’s Dwelling Place: Our Worship (6-9)

Psalm 132:6 NASB95

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah, We found it in the field of Jaar.

Ephrathah is another name for Jerusalem

Jaar is Kiriath Jearim, where the ark was kept during the time of Samuel.

Psalm 132:7–9 NASB95

Let us go into His dwelling place; Let us worship at His footstool. Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy.

The OT shows the presence of God among the people of worship:

At the dedication of the Temple

2 Chronicles 7:1–2 NASB95

Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house.

In the NT, God doesn’t dwell in a location. He dwells among a people:

2 Corinthians 6:16 NIV

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

He is the one who walks among the churches—the people of God—in Revelation 2:1.

Application

We know the presence of God as we worship God. Are you feeling separated from God? Worship Him. Are you feeling that God is distant? Worship Him. Are you feeling that you have drifted from God? Don’t try to return to Him by “cleaning yourself up.” Just begin to announce His praises. Declare His glory. Magnify His name. Right there where you are.

God’s Dwelling Place: Our Destiny (10-12)

The eternal hope that we have is not so much that God will dwell among us. It is that we will dwell with God. That we will be brought into His heavenly sanctuary. This is the promise of God (verse 11).

John 14:1–3 CSB

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Revelation 21:1–4 NASB95

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

God’s Dwelling Place: Our Victory (13-18)

God’s 7 “I Wills.”

Conclusion

The joy that we have is that God has brought us into fellowship with Him.

John 15:15 ESV

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Reflection/Invitation

How does it encourage you to know that you dwell in God’s presence? What does it mean for you?

It should give you confidence. God is with you.

It should give you hope. God is with you.

It should give you peace. God is with you.