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Psalm 84

How Loved Is Your Dwelling Place

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For the choir director. According to gittith.[a] By the Sons of Korah.[b]
A psalm.

How Loved Is Your Dwelling Place

How I love your dwelling place, O Lord of Armies.
My soul grows weak and even wastes away,
as I long for the courtyards of the Lord.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow has found a nest for herself,
where she may place her young near your altars,
O Lord of Armies, my King and my God.

The Blessings of Being There

How blessed are those who live in your house. Interlude
They are always praising you.
How blessed is everyone whose strength is found in you.
The highways to Jerusalem[c] are in their hearts.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,[d]
    it becomes full of springs.[e]
The autumn rain also covers it with pools.[f]
They go from strength to strength.
Each one will appear before God in Zion.

Prayer

O Lord, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Interlude
Give ear, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our Shield, O God.
Look with favor on the face of your Anointed One.[g]

The Blessings of Being There

10 Yes, one day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather wait at the doorway of the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord is a sun and shield.
God gives grace and glory.
The Lord does not withhold any good thing
    from those who walk with integrity.
12 O Lord of Armies, how blessed is everyone who trusts in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 Gittith means in the style of Gath or perhaps it is a tune, “Winepress.”
  2. Psalm 84:1 The Sons of Korah were a group of Levitical musicians, who apparently were descendants of the Korah who rebelled against Moses. In this section of Psalms, Psalms 84, 85, 87, and 88 were written by them.
  3. Psalm 84:5 The words to Jerusalem are added for clarity.
  4. Psalm 84:6 In Hebrew Valley of Baca sounds like Valley of Weeping.
  5. Psalm 84:6 The main Hebrew reading is they make it a place of springs. The words they make it function as an impersonal passive equal to It is made a place of springs. Some manuscripts read He [God] makes it a place of springs.
  6. Psalm 84:6 The translation pools follows an alternate reading of the Hebrew. The main Hebrew reading is blessings. Pools and blessings are a pun in Hebrew. The autumn rain is also called the early rain.
  7. Psalm 84:9 Shield and Anointed One are references to Israel’s king.

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  2. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign