O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield! Show favor to the one you have anointed.
A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Psalm 84:9-11
Berekiah and Elkanah were chosen to guard the Ark. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer—all of whom were priests—were chosen to blow the trumpets as they marched in front of the Ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were chosen to guard the Ark.
Then David and the elders of Israel and the generals of the army went to the house of Obed-edom to bring the Ark of the Lord ’s Covenant up to Jerusalem with a great celebration. And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the Lord ’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, and also the singers, and Kenaniah the choir leader. David was also wearing a priestly garment. So all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord ’s Covenant with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.
1 Chronicles 15:23-28
There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
John 14:2-3
God called forth a people, and we responded to His call
‘Rebuild this ancient ruin, restore my city walls.’
He has led us day by day, as we listened to His voice
and we were fed on finest wheat, and manna from the skies.
When we started, we were strangers. We hardly knew each other’s names.
Now we are brothers and sisters, and we will never be the same.
As we built, brick by brick, we discovered the corner stone,
and as we let Him mould and fashion us, He built us up in love.
Now we have seen, and we have heard, that the Lord our God is great.
For a wilderness has been transformed, into His holy place.