“A PSALMIST’S YEARNING TO BE IN GOD’S HOUSE” PSALM 84:1-12

Psalm 84 has been labeled as a pilgrim psalm – one that depicts the yearning of a pilgrim whose passion was to dwell in God’s house.  There ought to be a yearning for every child of God to dwell in the church.  The context of the psalmist’s yearning is to dwell in the tabernacle, or the central sanctuary; however, saints of this age of grace should have a passion to dwell in church.  The prophecy of the formation of the church in the New Testament was first mentioned in Matthew 16:18, – “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Also another reference was made in Matthew 18:17.   However, the Lord grants a promise of His presence, when He said:  “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, There am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

We should gather united “in His name” always to praise and esteem His name.  When we are united “in His Name” we are gathering to exalt His name and to edify one another from God’s word.  As believers in this dispensation of grace, we should yearn to be where other believers dwell, for Hebrews 10:25 states – “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  Continuing with the subject, we should always yearn for God’s word to cultivate our being, for Colossians 3:16-17 states – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”

In verses 1-2, the psalmist exudes with a yearning for the tabernacle of the Lord Almighty.  He states, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!  My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”  As the psalmist expresses his yearning for God’s house, he  also expresses his yearning for God, Himself.  It is indeed a blessing to dwell in God’s house says the psalmist, for even the birds have made their nest there (vv. 3-4).

As one makes his pilgrim to God’s house, his faith is being declared and their strength will be sustained by the blessings of God (vv. 5-7). He explicitly declares in verse 5, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.” The Lord will bless those who have a yearning for His house!  And as one comes to God’s house, we need to be in prayer for one another, especially God’s leader (vv. 8-9).  The Lord is the only one who can protect the leader.  The anointed in verse 9 is the king – “Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed”; however, the leader we should be praying for is the pastor.  I pray that God will protect all pastors, as well as, all of His people!

This psalm concludes with the psalmist’s intense love for God’s house, knowing that God would grant His favor on those who will walk uprightly before Him –  “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee” (vv. 10-12).

May God Bless!