Psalm Chapter 84 (KJV)

Context

Psalm 84 is a song that celebrates Zion as the only place where God makes his presence known to his people. As a reminder, I want to reiterate that Zion is the City of Jerusalem. It is important for us to remember that back in the Ancient Near East the temple city was an important place for people. They visited the city to celebrate their most important religious holidays. Other songs of Zion are evidenced in Psalms 46, 48, 76, 87 and 122. The controlling emotion of the psalm is a euphorically intense yearning to be in the temple precincts. The psalm also implies that it was sung during pilgrimages. The psalm also has is a single petition (vv. 8– 9) on behalf of the king.

When we are close to God we are blessed.

The speaker of this psalm is enthralled with the prospects of being in the temple of God and participating in the act of worship with his fellow believers. The beauty of the temple mesmerizes him. (See Psalms 27; 42:1-2; 61:4; 63:1-2). It takes him to the place where all of God’s creation lives, in the presence of their creator. Today, God’s presence is with us where ever we go. In the future, the entire world will live-out

Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 reminds us that “. . . if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

In the meantime, the psalmist notes that creation cries out to its maker and acknowledges his action of creating them to worship him. The fact that he is their sustainer, provider, and protector is secondary to the fact they were all created to worship him – the one true God. In this day and age Christians all over the world long for Saturday/Sunday mornings. It is time when they will be bound together with one another in the act of corporate worship to YHWH. I have my own time of worship every single day. Sometimes many times during the day. But nothing, absolutely nothing, resonates with me more than when the music begins and everyone in the building lifts their voices in worship. It just takes my soul to another level of worship. How about you? Wouldn’t you like to experience that? Cayce stated,

We all have a need of belonging to someone. This someone we are seeking is God. I believe this Psalm is David’s and I believe he is saying, I must go to the altar and meet with the LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. This is a longing that cannot be satisfied anywhere else.

⁴Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. ⁵Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

“Blessed” is used three times in this psalm (verses 4, 5, 12). Blessed means “To make happy; to make successful; to prosper in temporal concerns; as we are blest with peace and plenty.” (Entry for blessed KJV Dictionary Definition: bless.) Each human being who realizes that their own strength is useless also understands that YHWH is the only source of any real strength that they have. 2 Corinthians 12:9 makes it abundantly clear to us that his”. . . grace is sufficient for [us]: for [his] strength is made perfect in weakness. [Therefore,] most gladly, therefore, will [we] rather glory in [our] infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon [us].” in order for scripture to make sense to us, we must personalize it.

⁶Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. “Baca” can be translated as “weeping” or “balsam/mulberry tree”. The only way that the people had water while they were traveling from Egypt to the promised land was through the system of wells. Even after Israel was established, the people used wells as the source of their water. Also, when the people travelled from their homes to celebrate the God’s Old Testament feast days these wells provided water for them. They would have have died from thirst. The people were told to appear before YHWH three times each year. Deuteronomy 16:16 (KJV)^“Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:” This is a commanded times of national worship. The people were reminded that they needed to make sure that they did not come before God empty. I am reminded every year how many times we have appeared before YHWH epty handed. Folks, we sometimes forget that we have what we have becauce of God’s grace in our lives. Without it we would have nothing. So, giving to his work is the least we can do. The psalmist is reminding the people of Israel that they have a commitment to God. He is already committed to them. As long as their worship was pure and from their hearts they would ⁷. . . go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

Compassion and care for the king

⁸O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. This feels to be a cry for an audience with God. The writer wants to go to the temple and worship. Consequently, if he cannot go – maybe he was unclean- he is asking YHWH to hear his prayer where he is. ⁹Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. David acknowledges God place in his life – he is his shield, or protector. The king is rrepeatedly described as God’s “anointed” (Psalms 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51). He knows that YHWH will take care of him. So, should you and I.

The temple is the best place to be – even for one day

My love for Sunday morning is tied to this scripture. I could spend the entire week doing other things. Talking to important leaders in my community. Talking to famous writers, ministers, teachers, and preachers online, but nothing, absolutely nothing compares to being in God’s house and being with his people. Why? Because on Sunday mornings I am reminded of this scripture in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:” Romans 8:17 talks about how we are heirs of the promises of God “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.” In the same way that God chooses “zion” to make his presence known to the world, today he makes his presence known through his precious children – Christians. See John 1:14; 1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph 2:19-12.