John Gill Commentary Psalms 26:8

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

Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house
Meaning the tabernacle, for as yet the temple was not built; which was an habitation for the saints, where they chose to dwell, and reckoned it their happiness, and was the habitation of the Lord himself: the sanctuary was built for that purpose; and between the cherubim, over the mercy seat, he took up his residence; hence it follows,

and the place where your honour dwells :
or "glory" ^F1 : when the tabernacle was set up, the glory of the Lord filled it, as it did the temple, when it was dedicated, (Exodus 40:35) . The psalmist expresses his love to this place, in opposition to the, congregation of evildoers, which he hated, (Psalms 26:5) ; and to remove a calumny from him, that being among the Philistines, and at a distance from the house of God, his affections were alienated from it; whereas it was his greatest concern that he was debarred the privileges of it; see (Psalms 42:1Psalms 42:2) (63:1) (1 Samuel 26:19) ; besides, he has shown his great regard to it by his constant attendance before his exile, as he did after it, (Psalms 42:3) (55:14) ; and it was out of pure love to the worship of God, and with real pleasure and delight, that he did attend; and not through custom, and in mere form, (Psalms 122:1) (Psalms 84:1Psalms 84:2Psalms 84:10) . The Lord's house is loved by his people, because of his word and ordinances, which are ministered there, and because of his presence in it:

Or else what was typified by the tabernacle in here designed; either the tabernacle of Christ's human nature, called the true tabernacle, (Hebrews 8:2) ; in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells; which the Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, inhabits; and in the redemption and salvation wrought out in it the glory of all the divine attributes is displayed; and Christ incarnate is the mercy seat from which God communes with his people, and is their way of access unto him, and by which they have fellowship with him; and who is loved by the saints sincerely, above all creatures and things, and in the most ardent and affectionate manner: or heaven itself, of which the tabernacle was a figure, (Hebrews 9:24) ; which is the habitation of the holiness and glory of God, and in which are many mansions or dwelling places for his people; and is the continuing city they seek, the heavenly and better country they are desirous of, and where their hearts and affections are; because there their God, their Savior, and their treasure are; which sense seems to be confirmed by what follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F1: (Kkwbk) "gloria tua", Musculus, Piscator; "tabernaculum gloriae tuae", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius, Gejerus; so Ainsworth.