“Remember O LORD in David’s favour, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the LORD and vowed …” (Psalm 132:1,2). The prayer and petition in Psalm 132 has a significant lesson. What particular thing did David vow to do that he should be remembered for favourably? Was it some great thing like the killing of Goliath, or defending the sheet against the wild animals? David’s vow was not regarded by human nature as great, but it is a vow we should consider making.

He vowed “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob” (verses 3-5).

David could mean that he is going to build a literal temple for the Almighty, rather like the Tabernacle, although the LORD had dwelt there for centuries. The answer is in Isaiah 57, where we read, “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit” (verse 15).

So the dwelling place that David vowed to find for the LORD was in his own heart. To do that he had to prostrate himself before the Lord! How to do that? Try to comprehend God’s immeasurable greatness and how He desires to dwell in the hearts of the humble.

Remember Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). Our heart becomes a Temple if we carry out the first commandment to the full! At the end of each day, we need to take stock, and repair any damage or make good any loss the events of the day have brought to the Father’s spiritual temple in our heart.