Psalm 84
The phrase "appears before God in Zion" (v. 7 nasb) suggests that this psalm was penned by a Jewish man
Psalm 84—85
circumstances may be. "Blessed are those whose strength is in you" (v. 5 niv).
who could not go to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the three annual feasts (Ex. 23:17; 34:23). For forty years after their exodus from Egypt, the Jews were a wandering people, but even after they had moved into the Promised Land, the three feasts reminded them that they were still pilgrims on this earth (1 Chron. 29:15), as are God's people today (1 Peter 1:1; 2:11). A vagabond has no home; a fugitive is running from home; a stranger is away from home; a pilgrim is heading home. The psalmist's inability to attend the feast did not rob him of the blessings of fellowship with the Lord. All who are true pilgrims can make the same three affirmations that he made.
My Trust Is in the Lord (vv. 9–12) From pleading "Hear my prayer" (v. 8), the psalmist then lifted his petitions to the Lord, beginning with a prayer for the king (v. 9). A "shield" is a symbol of both the Lord (3:3; 7:10; 18:2, 30; Gen. 15:1) and Israel's anointed king (89:18; see 2 Sam. 1:21). But why pray for the king? Because the future of the messianic promise rested with the line of King David (2 Sam. 7), and the psalmist wanted the Messiah to come. Believers today should pray faithfully for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–4).
My Delight Is in the Lord (vv. 1–4) In his opening statement, the psalmist said two things: "The temple is beautiful" and "The temple is beloved by all who love the Lord." It was the dwelling place of the Lord, His house (vv. 4, 10), the place where His glory dwelt (26:8). Although God doesn't live today in manmade buildings (Acts 7:47–50), we still show special reverence toward edifices dedicated to Him. We can worship God anytime and anywhere, but special places and stated rituals are important in structuring our worship experience. The important thing is that we have a heart devoted to the Lord, a spiritual "appetite" that cries out for nourishing fellowship with the Lord (42:1–4; Matt. 5:6). The psalmist cried out for God with his entire being. He envied the birds that were permitted to nest in the temple courts, near the altar, as well as the priests and Levites who lived and worked in the sacred precincts (v. 4). How easy it is for us to take for granted the privilege of worshipping "the living God" (see 115:1–8), a privilege purchased for us on the cross.
When you walk by faith, you put the Lord and His will first, and you keep your priorities straight (v. 10). This is the Old Testament version of Matthew 6:33 and Philippians 1:21. According to the inscription, this psalm is associated with "the Sons of Korah," who were Levites assigned to guard the threshold of the sanctuary (1 Chron. 9:19), an important and honorable office. Their ancestor rebelled against God and Moses and was slain by the Lord (Num. 16; note "tents of wickedness" in 84:10; Num. 16:26). Korah's children were not killed because of their father's sins (Num. 26:11) but continued to serve at the sanctuary. The psalmist didn't aspire to a high office ("gatekeeper" in 1 Chron. 9:19 is not the same word as "doorkeeper" in 84:10) but was willing to "sit at the threshold" of the temple, just to be close to the Lord.
To men and women of faith, the Lord is all they need. He is to them what the sun is to our universe— the source of life and light (27:1; Isa. 10:17; 60:19–20; Mal. 4:2). Without the sun, life would vanish from the earth, and without God, we would have neither physical life (Acts 17:24–28) nor spiritual life (John 1:1–14). God is our provision and our protection ("shield"; see references at vv. 8–9). He is the giving God, and He gives grace and glory—grace for the journey and glory at the end of the journey (see Rom. 5:1–2; 1 Peter 5:10). If we walk by faith, then whatever begins with grace will ultimately end with glory. God does not give us everything we want, but He bestows upon us all that is good for us, all that we need. (See 1:1–3.) Although times of solitude and spiritual retreat can be very beneficial to us spiritually, believers today have constant open access into the presence of God because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His constant intercession for us in heaven (Heb. 7:25; 10:19–25). Do we delight in the Lord and seek Him? Do we depend on His strength? Do we walk and work by faith? Are we among those who walk uprightly (v. 11)?
My Strength Is in the Lord (vv. 5–8) Though he had to remain at home, the psalmist's heart was set on pilgrimage, and the very map to Jerusalem was written on that heart. His love for God and His house helped him make right decisions in life so that he did not go astray. A geographic site named "the Valley of Baca" is nowhere identified in Scripture. "Baca" is a Hebrew word meaning "balsam tree," and the sap of this tree oozes like tears. The "Valley of Baca" is a name for any difficult and painful place in life, where everything seems hopeless and you feel helpless, like "the pit of despair." The people who love God expect to pass through this valley and not remain there. They get a blessing from the experience, and they leave a blessing behind. Like Abraham and Isaac, they "dig a well" (Gen. 21:22–34; 26:17–33), and like Samuel and Elijah, they pray down the rain (1 Sam. 12:16–25; 1 Kings 18). It's wonderful to receive a blessing, but it's even greater to be a blessing and transform a desert into a garden. True pilgrims "go from strength to strength" (Deut. 33:25; Isa. 40:28–31; Phil. 4:13) and trust God to enable them to walk a step at a time and work a day at a time. They are people of prayer who keep in communion with the Lord, no matter what their