John Calvin Commentary Psalms 26:8

"Jehovah, I love the habitation of thy house, And the place where thy glory dwelleth." — Psalms 26:8 (ASV)

O Jehovah! I have loved, etc. In this verse he confirms what he had said before, that he did not come into the sanctuary in a careless manner, but with serious devotion. Irreligious men, although they often resort to the sacred assemblies, frequent them merely as lurking places, where they may escape the eye of God.

On the contrary, the truly pious and pure in heart resort to them, not for the sake of vain ostentation, but as they are sincerely bent on seeking God, they willingly and affectionately use the help He provides them there; and the benefit they receive from these things creates love for them in their hearts, and a longing for them.

This declaration further shows, that however David excelled others in faith, yet he was not without fear that the violence of his enemies might deprive him of the ordinary means of instruction which God had conferred on His Church. He felt his need of the Church’s common discipline and order, and he therefore anxiously labored to retain his enjoyment of them.

From this we infer the impious pride of those who look with contempt on the services of religion as unnecessary, although David himself could not live without them. Another consideration, indeed, existed in those days, I confess, while the law, like a schoolmaster, held the ancient people in a state of servitude compared with ours.

Our case, however, is the same as theirs in this respect, that the weakness of our faith requires help as well as theirs. And as God for this purpose has appointed the sacraments, as well as the whole order of the Church, woe to the pride of those who recklessly desert the services which we perceive to have been held in such high esteem by the pious servants of God.

The Hebrew word מעון, me-on, according to some, is derived from a word which means an eye; and they translate it comeliness, or appearance. This is the translation of the Septuagint. But as the word is almost everywhere used to mean a dwelling-place, which is simpler, I prefer to retain it.

The sanctuary is called God’s house, and the dwelling-place of His glory; and we know how frequently expressions of this kind are employed in Scripture to bear testimony to the presence of God. Not that God either dwelt in a tent, or wished to confine the minds of His people to earthly symbols; but it was necessary to remind the faithful of God’s present goodness, so that they would not think they sought Him in vain, as we have elsewhere already said.

Now, so that God’s glory may dwell among us, it is necessary that a lively image of it should shine forth in word and sacraments. From this it follows, that the temples which are regarded as such among Papists are only filthy brothels of Satan.