The House of the LORD

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1, NKJV).

Historically this psalm has been ascribed to David, and if the attribution is correct, “the house of the LORD” in this passage cannot be an allusion to the literal temple built several years later in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5:3). Granted, the tabernacle of Moses, representing God’s presence among his people, was described as “the house of the LORD,”¹ as was the temple that replaced it,² but the biblical concept of God’s “house” predates both of these material structures.

After Jacob saw in a dream God’s angels descending and ascending between heaven and earth, the LORD promised, “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go … I will not leave you …” And Jacob said, “Surely the LORD is in this place …” (Gen. 28:10-16), naming the place “Bethel,” which means “the house of God” (v. 19). The key concept here is God’s presence.

The Hebrew word translated “house” is bayith [בּיִת], meaning “dwelling,” “habitation,” “abode,” but also used as a metonymy for “household” or “family” (cf. Lev. 16:6, 11, 17).³ Throughout the book of Psalms, the term is employed in this sense (cf. Psa. 115:10, 12; 118:3; 135:19-20). Note, here in Psalm 122, “the house of David” (v. 5) is in reference to the royal family of David. Seeing that God does not dwell in a physical edifice like humans do,⁴ the more natural sense of “the house of the LORD,” particularly in the context of Hebrew poetry, is the collective family of God among whom God dwells.

Jesus speaks of “My Father’s house” into which he invites us and grants us access (John 14:2-6). We are called “the household of God” because he is our “Father” and we belong to his “family” (Eph. 2:19; 3:15). As God’s church, we are his spiritual house, his building, his temple, his dwelling place (1 Cor. 3:9-17).

Whenever we, as the household of God, have the opportunity to assemble for fellowship and worship, we ought to have the heartfelt perspective of David: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD’.” What a joyous blessing it is to be God’s family and to be together as God’s family!

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Ex. 23:19; 34:26; 23:18; Josh. 6:24; Judg. 19:18; 1 Sam. 1:7, 24; 3:15; 2 Sam. 12:20.

     ² 1 Kings 3:1; 6:1–9:1; Ezra 1:5; Isa. 37:1, 14; et al.

     ³ See also Gen. 7:1; 12:1, 17; 24:2; 35:2; 42:33; 50:7, 22; Ex. 1:1, 21; 12:4; Num 18:21; Deut. 6:22; 11:6; 1 Sam. 25:28; 1 Chron. 4:21; 2 Kings 21:13; Isa. 22:22; et al.

     ⁴ 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chron. 2:6; 6:18; Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 7:48-50; 17:24.

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