As silly as it sounds, it has never occurred to me before to consider Psalm 84 from ‘outside’. I’ll quote Psalm in full at the end – but key phrases are things like
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord
, and Blessed are those who dwell in your house
, my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
, Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
I’ve always understood this psalm to be an explosion of praise – Sort of blessed are we who dwell in your house
. But actually there’s a kind of sense of deep longing – blessed are those who dwell in your house, and if I could only be there too.
Perhaps it’s just where I’m at right now, feeling a very long way away from the courts of God…
Anyway, here’s the Psalm, from the NIV – make up your own mind!
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,O Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord,
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her youngâ€â€Â
a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
9 Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O Lord Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.