The Lord’s Presence
Psalm 27:4-9
I was thinking about my best day on Planet Earth.
I can think of many good days. I remember skiing on Lake Berryessa, I remember my first big buck on my first day ever hunting, and I have had many good days of horseback riding.
I remember buying our wholesale business, along with our new warehouse building, and better than that, I remember selling that same business as well.
I remember the birth of all four of my sons. I remember getting my first car which was the 68 Camaro.
But, there are two specific days that bring back fond memories; one was in 1982, I remember walking down the aisle of Good News Fellowship in Daly City CA to receive Christ.
The other was a day that only happened because God performed a miracle and opened up some closed roads for me and Sandra to be able to get to Lake Tahoe and get married.
Please open your Bibles to Psalm 27 as we continue in our current series surveying through that book.
Last week in Psalm 24 we heard everything belongs to the Lord. Most commentators say David wrote this Psalm, during the time he was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem.
The Children of Israel were instructed to sprinkle blood from the animal sacrifices on the Mercy Seat because it foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice for all sin, the shed blood of Christ.
Christ’s reward is the gift of salvation, the righteousness of God.
We also learned that the King of Glory shall come. The Lord Jesus Christ was always and will forever, be God.
Ultimately, the LORD of Hosts refers to the Almighty God who fights on behalf of those who are His own. Jesus offers forgiveness, protection, and provision as our King.
Today, in Psalm 27, David declared that he desired to live in the Lord’s presence all the days of his life.
I. Seek after the Lord’s beauty.
Read Psalm 27:4
Wiersbe said, “The word beauty in verse 4 means not only the glory of God’s character but also the richness of His goodness and favor to His people.”
Before the Cross, the Holy Spirit would come on a person to fulfill a task, and then leave. At Pentecost, after the resurrection, the Spirit was promised as a permanent part of a believer’s life.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. NKJV
As we study his writings, it is helpful for us to remember who David was.
From his humble beginnings as a shepherd boy, until becoming the 2nd King of the nation of Israel, he was amazing.
David was the youngest son of Jesse, and the prophet Samuel was told by the Lord to anoint him as the future king of Israel.
1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. NKJV
Although David sinned and made plenty of mistakes in his life, he always had a heart to repent and love the Lord, so he was special to the Lord and known as a man after God’s own heart.
Here in Psalm 27:4, David seems to be communicating that the main desire of his heart is to dwell in the house of the Lord.
As David said, “That I may dwell in the house of the LORD”, it is equivalent to a New Covenant believer, abiding in Christ.
Some believe David was referring to the Tabernacle and its awesome beauty, and others believe David was referencing heaven with the presence of the LORD and His heavenly hosts.
The Lord told David he could not build the Temple because of "blood on his hands". David had killed many, including Bathsheba’s husband after he had committed adultery with her.
David said in 1 Chronicles 22:7, "My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the LORD my God;
1 Chronicles 22:8 but the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. NKJV
We do not have time for a comprehensive list, but let’s discuss the meanings of some of the different parts of the Tabernacle.
Exodus 36:1 every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded." NKJV
The Tabernacle was a tent with a frame and a series of coverings, and the first covering described was a fine linen curtain, it was sewed together with five separate curtains.
The inner curtain used gold clasps, but the set of curtains was joined together with a series of loops and bronze clasps.
Gold represents divinity. Bronze represents suffering or judgment; it symbolizes divine judgment. When Jesus became sin for us on the cross, He suffered our judgment for sin.
The only way to have fellowship with the Lord is to have our sins judged and then atoned for!
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. NKJV
There was only one gate to enter the Tabernacle, there were no back entrances.
John 10:7 Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
• Inside the Tabernacle, the Golden Lampstand represents Jesus as the Light of the World.
• The Table of the Bread of the Presence (Show Bread) represents Jesus as the Bread of Life.
• The altar of incense represents the prayers of the Saints.
• The Ark of the Covenant, with the Mercy Seat represents God’s throne because the Lord spoke to Moses from between the winged cherubim in the Most Holy Place.
From the Holy Place in the Tabernacle, you would then see a veil that separated the Most Holy place from the rest of the tent.
The veil hung on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold.
Exodus 26:31 "You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim”. NKJV
This veil was a barrier, and no priest could go beyond the veil into the Most Holy place except the High Priest and he could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. NKJV
By dying for our sins, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once and for all and obtained eternal redemption with His blood.
Two main points of the Tabernacle are vital for us:
1. Every piece of furniture and every piece of building material used in the Tabernacle is a picture of Jesus Christ.
2. The Tabernacle was designed by the artisans and was to be an exact rendering of what the Lord ordered in Exodus because it represented the Tabernacle in heaven.
David said he wanted “To behold the beauty of the LORD” and experience the beauty of the LORD in the Lord’s presence.
A beauty that could only be experienced by the eyes of faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
David had a single-minded focus that filled his mind and heart which was the greatness and goodness of the Lord.
David experienced this under the Old Covenant but believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have the ever-present Holy Spirit and some of us have never experienced God’s presence in this way.
Andrew Gray said, “The character of God is attractive, and fitted to inspire us with love for Him, and to make us, as it were, run after Him.”
II. Blessings that come with the Lord’s presence.
Read Psalm 27:5-6
The Lord offers a blessing and protection for those who earnestly seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV
It is not that the Lord keeps us from storms, but He promises to be there during the storms of life. During trials, the Lord hides us in His pavilion, in the secret place of His Tabernacle.
David was symbolically pointing to the Holy of Holies and saying the Lord was hiding him there.
Again, only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
The High Priest would burn incense and sprinkle blood around the Holy of Holies to atone for his sins and the sins of others.
If anyone entered the Holy of Holies who was not allowed in, they would immediately die as they entered.
They even tied a rope to the High Priest's ankle and bells were placed on his robe, before he entered the Holy of Holies, in order to retrieve his body if he died while in there.
David was saying, that since no one can enter into the Holy of Holies, the Lord spiritually places us there and no one can get us
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Then notice, verse 5, “He shall set me high upon a rock.”
Warren Wiersbe said, “David took time to meditate and to contemplate the wonders of God’s grace.
“David came away from his times of worship feeling the rock under his feet and seeing above and beyond the enemy to the victory God had prepared.”
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies
David went from being dejected with his head low because he was feeling attacked, to being able to hold his head high, knowing he was protected and cared for by the Lord almighty.
As a response to the protection and peace offered to David from the Lord, he says, “Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy.”
What are sacrifices of joy?
Throughout scripture, the Children of Israel sounded the trumpets, shouted, and offered sacrifices as a way to show joy and to thank the Lord for all He had done for them.
Choosing joy can be a sacrifice especially if you are melancholy or you gravitate towards the negative. Maybe you are a glass-half-empty type of person.
Ephesians 5:18 do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, NKJV
The new person in Christ is admonished to be filled (controlled by the Spirit), and in the original language, this verse teaches us to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.
Paul said in Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. NKJV
Once controlled by the Holy Spirit of God, worship and joy are an overflow, naturally flowing out of the Christ follower.
John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." NKJV
The joy the believer possesses is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Paul and Silas were preaching and were put in prison
Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Acts 16:26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
Acts 16:27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
Acts 16:28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."
As Paul and Silas were praising the Lord and expressing joy, through the trial, the result was that non-believers got saved because they witnessed the power of God through these men.
Why should Christians be joy-filled?
• The Lord created us to enjoy the taste of food, the beauty of sight, the emotions of relationships, and so much more.
• It is the Lord who offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
• It is the Lord who offers abundant, meaningful, and purposeful life right now.
• The Lord is the One who empowers us to live for Him.
• He is the One that allows our trials to grow and mature us.
When a believer lives the Spirit-filled life, worship, joy, submission, and thankfulness are natural by-products of the overflow.
Our worship of the Lord is shown as the joy of the Lord is displayed in us, for everyone to see.
III. A prayer for mercy.
Read Psalm 27:7-9
David just finished speaking about the Lord’s faithfulness to protect him, now he struggles asking the Lord to hear his prayer.
This reminds me of the man in the Gospel of Mark whose son was demon-possessed and was brought to Jesus to be healed.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" NKJV
The Lord will not disown us for moments of doubt and failure, He knows that we are frail creatures.
Psalm 103:13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. NKJV
David Guzik said, “David showed us that even he, the one who sought God with such passion, sometimes felt that God did not hear him immediately.” (David Guzik)
“When You said, “Seek My face” The Lord invited David to seek after Him, but David felt as if God was hiding from him.
Making a promise to Israel, the Lord said in Jeremiah 29:13 you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. NKJV
Even though that was spoken to Israel, the same is true for us.
Jesus said in John 4:23, the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. NKJV
In Psalm 27:9 David said, “Do not hide Your face from me. Do not leave me nor forsake me. You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me.”
The Lord promises to never leave us, nor forsake us. We should rely on the Lord’s past faithfulness to remind our hearts that the Lord will answer us, and He will never forsake us.
IV. Practical Application.
A catchphrase, “Give me an awareness of His thereness”.
Some people want to manufacture or manipulate moments of God’s presence, while other people act as if He is not present.
The Lord is always present, whether we feel or realize it.
There are moments when we can sense the manifest presence of the Lord more than other times.
We do not want to live for emotions or try to remanufacture moments with the Lord, but there are sweet moments when we experience the manifest presence of God that we desire.
David desired God’s presence and said, Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: 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. NKJV
I desire to always live sensing the manifest presence of the Lord not just by having faith or an intellectual knowledge He is here.
God's manifest presence is when the Lord reveals Himself in a way that is clear and convincing and interacts with His people.
God's manifest presence is different from God's omnipresence, God is everywhere at all times, even if people don't realize it.
I never want to rely simply on feelings, but we were created with feelings so as long as they are backed up by Biblical fact, we can use our feelings.
I asked myself how I experience the presence of the Lord with my walk with Christ and I came up with four main ways.
In my prayer life, during worship, times of need and trials, and celebration. God's manifest presence is spiritual, not physical, but it is just as real as if it were physical, for a Christian.
When I truly enter in; and allow my mind’s eye to go before the throne of God in prayer, I sense the manifest presence of God.
We have to turn off the world, our flesh, and every other thing that tries to exalt itself above the Lord in our life, to experience true fellowship with the Lord in prayer and worship.
When I allow myself to concentrate on who the Lord is, during times of worship, I sense the manifest presence of God.
There are certain songs and certain situations that bring me before the throne more than others.
However, if we die to ourselves and concentrate on who Jesus is, we enter into authentic worship experiencing His presence
During times of need or intense spiritual trials, I also can sense the manifest presence of God. I believe the Lord allows certain situations in my life so that I can authentically experience Him.
When Daniel was in the Lion’s den, Jesus was there with him.
And finally, during times of celebration, I sense the manifest presence of God. When the Lord gives me mountain-top experiences, I know He is near.
Of course, there are times when I try but I cannot sense the Lord and these are the times I have to rely on my faith and what the Word of God tells me, that the Lord will never nor forsake me.
I desire to always live sensing the manifest presence of the Lord not just by having faith or an intellectual knowledge He is here.
David also said in Psalm 84:10, For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. The song by Matt Redman was inspired by a few different Psalms including Psalm 24 and Psalm 84.
Time with the Lord is so important for His followers. It refreshes us, renews us, and re-energizes us. If you are struggling in life, try seeking the manifest presence of the Lord.
I believe personal fellowship is different for each follower of Christ, but the more time we spend getting to know Him and His Word, the more we will have an awareness of His thereness.
Spending more time with the Lord won’t necessarily stop the trials in our lives, but it will help us to know that Jesus walks through the fires of life with us.
Jesus will either remove the trials or He will give us the strength to endure them.
We should rely on the Lord’s past faithfulness to remind our hearts the Lord will answer us, and He will never forsake us.
Thinking about my best day on Planet Earth, I can think of many good days, but in 1982, I remember walking down the aisle of Good News Fellowship in Daly City CA to receive Christ.
Jeremiah 29:13 you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. NKJV
Even though that was spoken to Israel, the same is true for us, in Christ, the Lord promises to never leave us nor forsake us.
The Lord is not hiding or trying to make it difficult to find Him. He is seeking people who will receive His gift of salvation.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. NKJV
The Lord desires none to perish, but all to come to repentance. If you are tired of trying to manage this life on your own, call out to Jesus and allow Him to take over and direct your paths.
