Psalm 84

An appropriate Psalm for this day......Sabbath eve.

The psalmist looks with longing at the temple--the place of God's dwelling with the Israelites.  Perhaps he is on a pilgrimage there....and has just caught sight of it in the distance.  Or perhaps he is thinking of it and can't wait to get there.  He longs, however, not just for the place, but for the One who dwells there......his God.

He envies the birds who have build nests there for their own dwelling....wishing he could dwell there himself!  

Blessed (enjoying God's special favor and grace) is the one who dwells in God's presence.

Blessed....is the one whose strength is in God, whose heart longs for and seeks Him.

Verse 6:  The valley of Baca is unknown to us today.   Study notes indicate that this word sounds like the Hebrew for 'weeping'.  Perhaps he is speaking of the hard journey, which ends in joy upon seeing the temple?  Or maybe an arid, dry place transformed by their presence?

Oh God....hear!  Look upon our king and the face of Your anointed.
   (this verse has both 'now' and 'not yet' implications.......'now' indicating the current king in Israel, but 'not yet' in that it is pointing to Christ)

To be in God's house is better than all else.....one day better than a thousand elsewhere!  Just to stand on the threshold is good enough!

God is our light and defense......"no good thing will He uphold from the upright."

I think of Romans 8:28-32.....God has indeed promised us good.....and that good is that we become more Christlike through all things.  He is working this in us.....through every situation in life.

I, too, love to be in God's house.   I am so thankful for the day He set aside for us to rest, and to focus our attentions on Him.