Does God dwell in Zion or in heaven?

The passages

Psalms 9:11

“Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion.”

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

Psalms 76:2

“In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.”

In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

Joel 3:17

“I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.”

So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

Psalms 123:1

“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”

A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 5:2

Be slow to speak before God, “for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth”.

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

1 Kings 8:27–30

Solomon prays that God will hear prayers made “toward this place”, and asks, “hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place”.

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

Several psalms and Joel say that the Lord dwells in Zion. Others say that he dwells in the heavens, and Ecclesiastes says plainly, “God is in heaven, and thou upon earth”. Critics ask where God actually lives.

The answer

The Old Testament says both, often in the same breath, because it means two different things by them. Heaven is where God is enthroned over all; Zion is the place on earth that he chose for his presence among his people. Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple holds the two together. He asks God to hear the prayers that Israel would make “toward this place”, the house where God had said “My name shall be there”, and in the same sentence, “hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place” (1 Kings 8:29–30). He had just said that “the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee” (8:27).

So ‘dwelling in Zion’ is said of God’s special, gracious presence with Israel. The ark was there, and the Lord was worshipped there: “the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation” (Psalm 132:13). Poole puts it this way on Psalm 9:11: his special and gracious presence is there, because the ark was there. Isaiah 66:1 gives a picture for the whole: heaven is God’s throne, and earth his footstool, and the Psalms speak of worshipping “at his footstool” (Psalm 99:5; 132:7). No writer thought that God lived only in one place. God himself asks, “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 23:24).

Ecclesiastes 5:2 makes a different point, about reverence: God is high above us, so we should not pour out rash words before him. Isaiah 57:15 sums up the Bible’s view: God dwells “in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit”. See also the entry on whether God dwells in temples made by people.

Does God dwell in Zion or in heaven?

The passages

The objection

The answer

From the classic commentators

Sources

Further reading