Longing for the Temple Worship.
For the choir director; [a]on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
84 How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You. [b]Selah.5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
In [c]whose heart are the highways to Zion!
6 Passing through the valley of [d]Baca they make it a [e]spring;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength,
[f]Every one of them appears before God in Zion.8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
9 Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold [g]from those who walk [h]uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
In this chapter, I’m going to start at the end. In verse 11 we find that God is a sun and shield, He gives us grace and glory, and does not withhold any good thing from those who walk with integrity. One might read that and think, “Great! If I follow God, I get all the good stuff!” You’d be right, but what are you really hoping for, and where is your heart? What “good” things do you expect from God?
Think on this for a minute: Paul tells us that, “God works all things for the good (of those who seek Him).” Jesus promised us, “In this world you will have trouble… but I have overcome the world.” If you are a parent, think of this (if you’re not, imagine it): do your kids think all the things you do for them are “good”? And yet, when you show love for your children, it means teaching them hard lessons. It means they can’t have candy all day long, they can’t sleep until noon every day, they have to go to school, etc.
Going backwards a bit through the chapter then… If we walk with integrity and are seeking God’s grace and glory, we would rather stand on God’s threshold than dwell with the wicked. Even if they have the biggest TV, or the nicest house, the most immaculate lawn, the sweetest ride (car or truck, you pick), it all pales in comparison to just a taste of God’s glory. He is our light, our shield and security, none of those things, fun as they may be, can hold a candle compared to God.
Anything we have on this earth, even our family and our children, are gifts from God. We own nothing, but are stewards, of whatever He can trust us with. If God gave us 100k, and we blew it all on ourselves, do you think He’d do it again? Better yet, He already knows your heart, would he even give you 50k in the first place?
If we want “good things”, we need to go through the tests and trials necessary to handle the good things. And those in themselves are good, because they work in us the character of Christ. The tests we endure, if we keep our eyes on Him, and don’t give up halfway, shape our character to be more like God. He doesn’t want a bunch of spoiled brats playing on the porch.
No, we are to be sons, daughters, heirs of the King of glory, so lets start acting like it. Put away selfish motives, and do your best with what He has given you. Even more, do His best with what He has given you. As the psalmist writes in vv. 5-7, don’t just lean on your own strength and understanding, but put your trust firmly in His strength, guidance and direction. Which also means you need to dig into His word and find out what that is! Seek Him first, in all things.