John Trapp on Psalms 27:4

Verſ. 4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord] One thing above the reſt. Every of Gods ſuppliants hath ſome one ſpecial requeſt that he mainly inſiſteth on;Ut cultu Del libeto & legitimouti poſſit Jun. and King Davids was the liberty of Gods Sanctuary, and enjoyment of his publick Ordinances.

Hoc primus petit, hoc poſtremus omittit.

This was dearer to him than Wife, Children, Goods, all. This Sute he knew to be honeſt, and therefore he began it; and being ſo, he is reſolved never to give it over, but to proſecute it to the utmoſt, and to perſevere in prayer (which is a great vertue, Rom. 12.12.) till he had prevailed.

That will I ſeek after] As Gods conſtant Remembrancer, who loveth to be importuned, and as it were jogged by his praying people. Herein David ſhewed himſelf a true Iſraelite, a Prince of God, and (as Nazianzen ſtileth Baſil the Great) [non-Latin text not transcribed], a man of deſires flowing from the Spirit. He knew well that a faint Suter doth but beg a denial.

That I may dwell in the Houſe of the Lord] i.e. In the place where was the Ark, with the Prophets, Prieſts, Levites, Aſaph and his brethren, &c. with whom David deſired to be taken up in the ſervice of God, free from Secular cares and delights, at times convenient. Pyrrhus told Cyneas, that when he had finiſhed his Wars once, he would then ſit ſtill and be merry. The Roman Generals when they had once triumphed over their enemies, might take their eaſe and pleaſure for ever after. But good David reſolves to improve his reſt when ever God ſhall grant it him, to perpetual piety, That I may dwell, ſaith he, or ſit in the houſe of Jehovah all the dayes of my life; this was the height of his ambition, this was Davids delight.

To behold the beauty of the Lord] Heb. The delight, amenity, or pleaſantneſſe of Jehovah; hoc eſt cultum Dei ordinatum, ſaith Kimchi, thoſe ceremoniall ſervices which were their Goſpell, and Chriſt in figure, Heb. 8.5. whom David deſired to contemplate

And to enquire in his Temple] Heb. Early to enquire, that is, earneſtly, what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is. Here it was that David uſed to ſeek ſatisfaction and reſolution of his doubts and ſcruples; when at any time he was gravelled, Pſal. 73.16, 17. Some render it, ut luſtrem Templum ejus.