Martin Luther on Psalms 132:5

Verse. 5. Vntill I haue found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the God of Iacob.

This plenty of words is vsed of ye Hebrewes when they would expresse any great or earnest desire. Notwithstanding all that is herein conteyned we may briefty comprise in these few wordes: I will not rest vntill I haue founde out an habitation for the Lorde. And here we neede not to answere that childish question, how this oth could stand, since that Dauid did not him selfe build the temple: And againe, if he had builded it, yet he must needes often times haue gone to his bedde & slept, before the worke could haue bene finished. For he speaketh here of the good will and earnest desire which Dauid had to finish this worke: and the good will or minde of the workeman comprehendeth all, as if the worke were fully accomplished. Therefore, where as Dauid (as it appeareth in the booke of the Kinges) thought it a dishonor vnto the Lord, that the Arke shoulde remayne in a Tabernacle couered with skinnes, when he him selfe did dwell in a house builded with Cedar trees, the maner of speech here vsed doth declare that great desire he had to take away this dishonor and reproche from God.

Moreouer, ye must here againe note, that when he speaketh of the Tabernacle of the mightie in Iacob, The tabernacle of God. the holy fathers did not simply seeke or worship God dwelling in heauen: but they sought him and worshipped him as he was to be comprehended & founde in one certeine place, and, as ye would say, clothed with a certeine person. For God of his owne nature is infinite, and therefore can not simply be comprehended by mans imaginations. Dauid therefore looketh vnto the word, whereby God did bind him selfe vnto the Arke, & when he went about to place the Arke in the temple, he called the temple the tabernacle or habitation of the God of Iacob. Reason can not see how God, which is infinite and vnsearchable, should be worshipped rather in this place then in any other. But the spirituall eyes of Dauid, Salomon and other holy men following the word, did seeke and worship God in that place onely, where, by his word he had reueiled, that he would be founde. They which offered in that place, were sayd to offer before the Lorde. They which worshipped there, were sayd to worship before ye Lord. So Adam, Abraham, Iacob had their Altars where God did reueile him selfe, and with a signe from heauen did testifie that he was there present with them. For seeing that no man can auoyd the sinne of Idolatrie, if God him selfe do not shew both the place where and the maner how he will be worshipped: therefore there was a certeine place limited vnto the faithfull, where God had promised that he woulde be present with them, woulde heare them, speake vnto them, &c. We nowe haue no corporall place: but all thinges are in Christ. Vppon him onely must our eyes and hartes be fired. He alone is the God of our worship: So that we may truely say: Without this man Iesus there is no God. Who so apprehendeth him by fayth, he it is that hath God in deede: but he that apprehendeth him not, hath no God.