Let Me Dwell In Your Tent Forever
Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! (Psalm 61:4)
Have you ever been told that a certain spot is a “safe place”? It’s a buzz word in our culture. A safe place is often thought of as somewhere you can safely express yourself without fear of judgment. But sometimes a safe place is also somewhere you don’t have to be afraid of physical harm. If you’re afraid of someone or something, you don’t have to be afraid in a safe place. They can’t hurt you there. Have you ever been so afraid that you wished you had a safe place?
King David was living about 1000 years before Christ. There were many times in his life when he needed a safe place. Earlier in his life he was hounded by his predecessor King Saul. Saul viewed David as a rival and wanted him dead. Later in David’s life he faced the violent revolt of his son Absalom. David had many reasons for fear. We don’t know which of those were in the background of Psalm 61. That makes this psalm directly relevant for all believers. When we have fears, when our heart is faint, there is a God to whom we can cry. There is a God who will be our safe place. Let’s take a brief look at how verse 4 of Psalm 61 works this out.
David cries out that he might safely dwell in God’s tent forever. What is God’s tent? That’s a reference to the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the portable sanctuary the Israelites built during the Exodus from Egypt. It was the center of Israel’s worship. The tabernacle (or tent of meeting) was where God dwelt in the midst of his people. God had his dwelling place in the most central part of the tabernacle, the Most Holy Place. That was where the ark of the covenant was found. God dwelt between the golden cherubim, the angels with their wings outstretched over the ark. So if an Israelite wanted to meet with God, he’d do so by going to the tabernacle. The tabernacle was still around in the days of David. It would be replaced by the temple during the reign of David’s son, Solomon.
Now here’s an important detail about the tabernacle: no one was allowed to dwell in it. It was God’s dwelling and God alone. By God’s command, the High Priest came into the Most Holy Place once per year. He came on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. The High Priest sprinkled blood on the ark of the covenant. But he didn’t linger in the Most Holy Place and he certainly didn’t dwell there. He had to go in, do his work, and then immediately leave. The High Priest was a sinful human being coming into the presence of infinite holiness. There was a danger in that. There was a reason why someone like Isaiah was terrified when he was confronted with God’s holiness in Isaiah 6. You see, the Most Holy Place didn’t give the impression of being a safe place to stay for any period of time. All that makes what David says here all the more remarkable.
David isn’t a High Priest. He wasn’t even from the tribe of Levi (the tribe of the priests) – he was from the tribe of Judah. Even though he’s the king, David has no right to dwell in the tabernacle. He doesn’t have the right to find shelter under the wings of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place. He’s not allowed in there. And the idea of dwelling in God’s tent forever? How could it be possible for a sinful human being to do that? The prayer David expresses here doesn’t seem to have any remote possibility of being answered.
But God has answered it. He has answered it for David and for every believer. It’s important to understand that the tabernacle and the temple weren’t ends in themselves. They were shadows of gospel realities. They were shadows of Christ. In the Old Testament, people lived in the shadows and those shadows had limitations. However, we live in the light, in full view of the one who cast those shadows.
In the New Testament, Christ is the fulfillment of these ideas of God’s dwelling with his people in the tabernacle and later the temple. For example, John 1:14 says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” Literally it says that God has pitched his tent among us. He’s done that in the Word, in his Son Jesus Christ.
This glorious New Testament fulfillment now adds profound depth to Psalm 61 for us as Christians. Christ is the dwelling place of God and Christians may dwell in him forever. We say, “Let me dwell in your tent forever!” God answers, “You may, as you rest and trust in Christ as your Saviour.” We say, “Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!” God answers, “You will, as you believe in Christ and what he did for you in his life and his death on the cross.” In this life already Christians are united to Christ, inseparably joined to him. If you are one with Christ, who is Almighty God, who will touch you? You are safe. In the hereafter, we will be dwelling with God forever in the fullest sense. Because of what Christ has done for us, we’ll be safe into eternity. Praise God for this gospel hope he’s graciously given!
Dear believer, in this life you may have fears. Your heart may be faint even right now. Different things can weigh us down and concern us deeply. But because you have Jesus as your Saviour, be assured that God is alert to your fears and concerns. He knows them, as he knew those of David. He calls you to trust him that he will be your rock and refuge, as he was for David. He will not allow anything to bring ultimate harm to those who are his children in Christ. Look to him as your safe place. He will never let you down.
