One thing have I asked 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 gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. ( Psalms 27:4 4 One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple. )

God is not unresponsive to the contrite longing of the soul. He comes and lifts the load of sin and fills our heart with gladness and gratitude. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” ( Psalms 30:11 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; –12).

But our joy does not just rise from the backward glance in gratitude. It also rises from the forward glance in hope: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” ( Psalms 42:5 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And `why' art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him `For' the help of his countenance. –6).

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope” ( Psalms 130:5 5 I wait for Jehovah, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope. ).

In the end, the heart longs not for any of God’s good gifts, but for God himself. To see him and know him and be in his presence is the soul’s final feast. Beyond this there is no quest. Words fail. We call it pleasure, joy, delight. But these are weak pointers to the unspeakable experience:

“One thing have I asked 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 gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” ( Psalms 27:4 4 One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple. ).

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” ( Psalms 16:11 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 17 A Prayer of David. ).

“Delight yourself in the Lord” ( Psalms 37:4 4 Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart. ).