God’s house or dwelling place is in the midst of His people. First, it was the tabernacle in the wilderness, which was constructed at the foot of Mt. Sinai under the guidance of Moses, who had received the pattern from God at the top of the mount. Four hundred years later, the temple in Jerusalem became God’s house. In this dispensation, God’s house is the local assembly gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus according to the teaching given in the NT epistles.
I Tim 3:15 clearly teaches that a scriptural, local assembly of believers is God’s house. It is identified as the house of God, the Church (assembly) of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the Truth. In I Timothy, Paul teaches how God’s people should behave in God’s house. He gives instructions to men, women, elders, deacons (those who serve God in the assembly), and widows as to behavior and conduct in God’s House.
God gives us a wonderful example in the 0. T. King David had great affection for God and for His house, the tabernacle. In Psalm 18:1, David declared, “I will love Thee 0 Lord,” and, “I love the Lord” (Ps 116). In Psalm 26:8, David said, “Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honor dwelleth.” David loved God’s house because the God whom he loved dwelt there. God’s dwelling place that David loved was a tent, but was a figure or type of what is God’s dwelling place today.
Since God dwells in the local assembly today (Matt 18:20), do you and I love the assembly because the Lord Jesus is in our midst? How do we show that love? Do we attend every meeting we can, so that we can be with Him in His house? If we skip assembly meetings, the Lord Who is there will miss us and be grieved. In Psalm 26, David expressed his love for God’s house and how it affected his life.
Vs 1-3 Self Examination Before God: Judge me, examine me, prove me, try (test) my mind and heart.
David knew of nothing out of place in his life; he walked in God’s truth, but he asked God to examine him and to show him if there was anything in his life that did not please God so that he could confess and correct it before entering God’s house. Even the apostle Paul said, “For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but He that judgeth me is the Lord” (1 Cor 4:4).
Vs 4-5 Separation from Ungodly Companions
David knew that their influence would have a detrimental affect upon his spiritual life. God commands us in 2 Cor 6:14-18, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Separation from the ungodly of this world is vitally important for our spiritual welfare and our obedience to our heavenly Father.
Vs 4-5 A Clear Conscience before God and Testimony before the World
This was absolutely essential so that David could approach God’s altar for public praise and thanksgiving. We also need to get down before God and ask Him to show us anything in our lives that needs to be confessed and corrected before we come on Lord’s day morning to break bread with God’s people.
Vs 8 A Supreme Love for God’s House and His Honor
David had a strong desire to build a temple for God in place of the 400 year old, well worn, tabernacle. But God told David his son, Solomon, would build it for him. God gave David the pattern (plans) to pass on to Solomon. During the remainder of David’s life he prepared with all his heart – $2 billion worth of gold, silver, brass and hewn stones for the construction of God’s temple. Is it our chief desire to contribute all we can to the building up of the assembly and to the welfare of God’s people?
Vs 9-12 David’s Lifelong Desire:
David longed to be preserved from departure in heart, to be guided by God throughout his life, and to finish his life still blessing God along with God’s people. God granted David’s request.
Concluding Remarks, David said,
I love the Lord (Ps 16:1),
I love God’s House (Ps 26:8),
I love God’s people (Ps 16:3).
God loved David and said, “He is a man after my own heart.”
Like David, may we say with all our hearts: “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 inquire in His temple” (Psa 27:4). Let us make God’s assembly, which is our Lord’s dwelling place, the top priority in our lives.
