Psalms 27:4

Context

27:4 I have asked the Lord for one thing –

this is what I desire!

I want to live¹ in the Lord’s house² all the days of my life,

so I can gaze at the splendor³ of the Lord

and contemplate in his temple.

Psalms 134:1

Context

Psalm 134⁴

A song of ascents.⁵

134:1 Attention!⁶ Praise the Lord,

all you servants of the Lord,

who serve⁷ in the Lord’s temple during the night.

[27:4] ¹tn Heb “my living.”

[27:4] ²sn The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).

[27:4] ³tn Or “beauty.”

[134:1] ⁴sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).

[134:1] ⁵sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[134:1] ⁶tn Heb “Look!”

[134:1] ⁷tn Heb “stand.”