Psalms 84
HAWEISPsalms 84:1-7
David is supposed the author of this psalm, and is thought to have composed it during his absence from the sanctuary, occasioned by Absalom’s rebellion: though it may also be equally the breathing of his devout spirits at any other time. He expresseth his affection, 1. To the ordinances of God; his value for them, ver. 1. defers towards them, ver. 2, 3. His conviction of the happiness of those that did enjoy them, ver. 4—7. And his placing his own happiness so very much in the enjoyment of them, ver. 10. 2. To the God of the ordinances; his defers towards him, ver. 8, 9. His faith in him, ver. 11. And his conviction of the happiness of those that put their confidence in him, ver. 12. In feigning this psalm, we should have the same devout affections working towards God that David had.
¶ To the chief musician, ‘upon Gittith, A psalm for the sons of Korah. a PC. viii. viii.
- HOW amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of both? 2. My soul longeth, yea, even fairieth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and 3. & lii.
8 E my Pf. lex. 2. Or, malberry-rem. 1 Sam. v. 2 Au. v. 6 Peue. ix. 18. 2 Or, from company to company. my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3. Yes, the sparrow hath found an houfe, and the swallow a neft for herself, where the may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hofts, my King and my God. 4. I Blefed are they that dwell in thy houfe: they will be still praifing thee. Selah. 5. Blefed is the man whofe strength is in thee: in whofe heart are the ways of them. 6. Who paffing through the valley of Baca, make it a well: the rain also fillet the pools. 7. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. We have here, 1. The pfalmift admiring the beauty of God’s ordinances. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hofts! Externally the tabernacle appeared without beauty, but within all was glorious; there dwelt the Shechinh: there the incenfe thundred upon the golden altar, and the miniifers of God performed the facord service. More amiable ftill the gofied church appears, where God incarnate dwells, where incenfe of prayer and praife is continually offered, and the glad tidings of falvation proclaimed. 2. The fervent longings of his foul burft forth after God: probably now he was at a distance from the fancituary, but his heart was there. My foul length, yea, even faineteth for the courts of the Lord; so intensely were his desires after them: my heart and my fiqh crieth out for the living God; importunate to be refloored to the fancituary, but moft importunate to meet God there, and maintain delightful communion with him in the ordinances of his service. Note, (1.) A foul who hath no delight in God’s houfe, can have no lot in his kingdom. (2.) The thing which makes all the acts of worship fo desirable, is the communion therein maintained with the living God, the life and joy of our fouls; and without this they are dry, barren, and formal. 3. He looks upon the little birds, and envies them as it were their happiness. Tea, the sparrow hath found an houfe, and the fawilme a neft, &c. even thine altars: not that we can tappofe they literally built their nefts in thefe altars, but near them; either in the houfe adjoining to the fancituary, or perhaps within the facord inofolure; and this was a situation fo desirable to the pfalmift, that with them he longed to dwell. Some interpret the words in another fenfe: The birds have their nefts, and lodge fecurely; but I, a wanderer, can find no refting-place absent from thine altars, my King and my God. As fuch by faith the pfalmift regarded him, and intimates the hope he had, that as a faithful fubjeft, and true worthipper, the Lord would hear his prayer, and bring him to this bleft abode. Note, (1.) The meaneft abode with God’s prefence, is better than a palace without him. (2.) They who know the value of the ordinances of God, will ferk a fettlement where they may be moft probably enjoyed. (3.) When faith can lay, My King, and my God, we are fure all our prayers will fpeed. 4. He counts them moft blefed, who are continually employed in the service and praife of God. Blefed are they that dwell in thy houfe; the miniifers of the fancituary, who were in confluent attendance: they will be ftill praifing thee; and forely, if there be ought like heaven upon earth, it is this blefed work. Note, (1.) However defpicable in the eyes of men: the service of the miniifry may appear, it is of all employments the moft blefed and honourable. (2.) They who draw neareft to God, and ferve him moft faithfully, fee moft abundant caufe to praife him continually. 5. He not only counts the priefs and Levites happy, but regards it as the portion of all the people of God, who have liberty of acceft to the courts where his honour dwelleth. Blefed is the man whofe strength is in thee; fuch as are enabled to go up to celebrate the appointed feafts, and find their fouls as well as their bodies strengthened for the work and service of the fanctuary: in whofe heart are the ways of them, earnestly engaged in the service of God, and delighted to be found in the ways of Zion; who paffing through the vale of Baca, a rough and barren road, make it a well; overlook the difficulties of the way, and find divine confolations like a well of water; or, make him a well, meditating upon God, and thus renew their strength. The rain also fillet the pools; the Lord providing them with a rich fupply of his graces and comforts. They go from strength to strength, more vigorous as they advance nearer Zion; or from company to company, in which way they went up to Jerusalem from the country, Luke xi. 44. and thofe who were earneft, would be overtaking thofe who were before. Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God; and in this their happierth the pfalmift longed to partake. Note, (1.) All our strength cometh from the Lord; without him we cannot take our fiqh heavenward. (2.) When the heart is engaged, we thall walk with pleafure in God’s ways. (3.) They who have a relith for the lively administration of the word and ordinances, will cheerfully travel far, in order to partake of them, and count the labour amply repaid. (4.) Our way to heaven lies through many a difficult pafs, and they who would be fodiers of Christ, moft be ready to endure hardfhip. But when our tribulations abound, our confolations abound aflo; and perhaps the favoreft hours of our lives were thofe in which we struggled with the greatest obftacles. (5.) The farther a foul goes in the ways of God, the stronger he grows. Influeraibit iter vires. (6.) They can never faint, who make God the strength of their heart. (7.) It will be the unut-erable felicity of the faithful foul in the heavenly Zion, to behold the King in his beauty, and to enjoy the uninterrupted vision of the blefed God. 8. O LORD God of hofts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. 9. Behold, O God our fheid, and look upon the face of thine anointed. 10. I For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door keeper in the houfe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickednefs. 11. For the LORD God is a fun and fheid: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12. O LORD of hofts, fblefed is the man that trufteth in thee.
Psalms 84:8-12
Having teftified his earneft desire after the courts of God’s houfe, the pfalmift here, 1. Intrests a gracious acceptance of his prayer. O Lord God of hofts, able to save to the uttermoth, and fupply the desires of every longing foul, hear my prayer, and give an answer of peace: give ear, O God of Jacob, our covenant God. Behold my pretext situation, and the ardent breathings of my heart, O God our fheid, my protector, and the fure hope of every believer; and look upon the face of thine anointed; either himself, God’s anointed king, as the Meffiah, for whofe fake he hoped God would be gracious to him; and on whofe interceffion he trufled, more than on his own fupplications. Note, (1.) The feed of Jacob, his praying children, may confidently expect their father’s bleffing, and be affaired they thall not ferk God’s face in vain. (2.) When God is our fheid, then thall we be fale from fear of evil. (3.) Our confidence towards God stands folely on the foundation of the Redeemer’s all-prevalitely advocacy: when we look to him with an eye of faith, God will look on us with an eye of favour. 2. He prieffits the high regard he had for God’s courts. For a day in thy courts, spent in the blefed work of prayer and praife, meditation and communion with God, is better than a thousand spent in every delight that earth can give. I had rather be a door-keeper, employed in the meaneft offices, as the lower Levites in the temple, or stand at the thro’hold, as the poor beggar, Acts iii. 1, 2. in the houfe of my God, which endeared relation afforded him the moft enliveted fatiafaction, and made the houfe of God fo desirable, than to live among the tents of wickednefs, where perhaps by fad neceffity he might now, as formerly, Plod. cxx. 5. he compelled to take up his abode. Note, (1.) They who never found delight in God’s houfe and worthip, prove themselves utter strangers to his grace and truth. (2.) One hour’s communion with God is as much fuperior to all the joys of pleafurable fun, as heaven is higher than the earth. 3. He throws the ground of this preference. For the Lord God is a fun and fheid: a fun, to enlighten our fpiritual darknefs, and cheat us with his bright beams of love; a fheid, to protect us from every danger. The Lord will grow, fovereignly and abundantly, grace, according to all our neceffities; preventing, pardoning, justifying, fancifying, comforting, petfevering grace; and glory eternal in the heavens, the free gift of God in Jefon Christ our Lord. No good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. Indeed, what good can be conceived, which thefe two, grace and glory, do not include? be it therefore our care to walk under the influence of fuch great and precious promises, and in simplicity and godly fincerity to approve our fidelity to God. 4. They who truft God’s promises are partakers of all this blefednefs. O Lord of hofts, blefed is the man that trufteth in thee. Though he may be unable to appear before God in his courts, he thall have all the bleffings of the ordinances of which he is deprived. God is his portion, and what can he with for more?