The home of God on earth! What does this mean? There can be no change in God. He cannot move into a new house. No, the change is in human beings! God is everywhere, but consecrates certain places where people can meet him and feel his presence more deeply. There is a power there, without which not a sparrow falls to the ground, but also a peace that encourages the sparrow to build its nest. Such a home of God stood on the hill of Zion. It is a weary climb for the pilgrim at the end of his journey, but it strengthens him when he pauses to lift his eyes. The end of every pilgrimage lies further ahead, and it is a very tiring climb for all. Our city is heaven, but in a sense, it is here too: ‘You came near to Mount Zion, the city of the living God’ (Heb 12:22), because the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us: in a new sense, the earth is the Lord’s.
Some people visit the Temple but do not experience the love of God who dwells therein. They do not see a transformation in their conduct because they trust in the Temple of God, not the God of the Temple. This psalm can guide us on pilgrimages and religious festivals.