Do You Agree With the Psalmist?

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!
² My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.
³ 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,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
⁷ They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

⁸ Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
⁹ Look on our shield, O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.

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

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

Psalm 84 NIV

This Psalm is very good at showing us our current relationship with God. Let’s say there are three types of people who read this Psalm, with three different relationships. This happens with every good song written about the Most High and I have heard hymns, worship songs, and Psalms from all three of these points of view. So let’s talk about the three points of view that this Psalm can be read from.

The first person has no relationship with God. If you have no relationship with God, you can’t even identify with this Psalmist. It’s hard to have an interest in what he’s saying. The tune may be nice, and you may call yourself a Christian, but as of right now, you wouldn’t trade one thousand days of this earthly life for one day in His presence.

Maybe it’s easy to identify with the psalmist when he asks that God would hear his requests. This is something you do, but being with Him can’t possibly feel like ecstasy. You may not even trust that the author believes what he is saying. Brainwashing, anyone? What’s so good about being around God? Maybe the promise of heaven, where you finally have no issues and receive all the promises of God, and sure God is there but your most excited about how amazing everything else will be. The mansion, the streets of gold and no pain. Heaven is a reward after having to struggle through this difficult life where things don’t go right, people aren’t kind, and everything is so much work.

Then there is the second person. You are growing in your knowledge of God and in your relationship with Him. You speak to Him and make your requests, and maybe even hear from Him in return. You believe that Jesus is who He says He is and have decided to follow Him. You see Him working around you and are grateful for what He has done in your life. You work hard to obey, and you read your Bible sometimes, but when you hear this song, the words concern you because you realize they aren’t true for you.

Your soul doesn’t yearn or faint to be close to God. Your heart and flesh don’t cry out to God. Does everyone around you feel this way? Is this how it’s supposed to be? What are you doing wrong, is it your fault?

The third person reads this Psalm and feels something in their chest. It’s easy to identify with the Psalmist. Maybe they are overcome by the Holy Spirit or get excited at the thought that they are in the presence of God right now. They read the Psalm with God and to God and renew the sentiment. Blessed are we who dwell in your house, God! We are ever praising you. My whole body and soul react to your presence. If this person has been neglecting their intimate time with God, they repent and run back to God.

Like I said, I have been all three of the people I just mentioned. I have read Psalms and sang worship songs throughout my life and had very different reactions to them.

Whitney number one went to church sporadically over 15 years with no connection to God. I called myself Christian, I sang the songs, and sometimes cried, though I didn’t understand why. I barely noticed the lyrics to the songs and instead enjoyed the music and singing. Then I went home and ignored God until I wanted something from Him. I would tell that Whitney that Jesus loves her and that the pain she was always feeling was her separation from Him. I would tell her to trust that the Psalm was absolutely true and to go speak to God about it because in His presence was true pleasure, healing, purpose, love, and protection. These things only come through submission and covenant.

Whitney number two was more and more excited about Jesus but didn’t really understand that the Triune God loved her. She followed and obeyed and felt Him sometimes but there will still plenty of things she preferred to the presence of God. I would tell her that the knowledge that her heart wasn’t right yet was a fabulous thing! It was a revelation from God and His call for her to come closer to experience all that He had for her. It was a promise of what His presence would feel like in the future. It was an invitation to pour herself out as an offering and ask for the revelation of His love. More time in the Word, more time with Jesus, more worship, prayer, and thanksgiving.

I have been all three people and I am thrilled to be Whitney number three now. I have experienced God’s love and have spent more and more time in His presence. Jesus convinced me that He loved me and that enabled me to love Him. The Holy Spirit is my constant companion and reveals all the love He pours out on me. It feels good to be with the One I love.

The more time I spend in His presence, the sweeter it is. He is so gracious to allow us into His presence while we walk this earth. Sometimes in worship and prayer, I feel His presence immediately and other times I have to believe He is there and call on our memories for reality. I must trust what His word says about who He is and how He feels about me.

It’s better to spend one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere. Believe it.

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