Key Verse:
Psalm 84:4 NKJV
4
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah.
. Our every desire, Lord, is to abide in your Presence.
Where to begin?
...at the beginning. The superscription for Psalm 84 may offer clues in how it is to be approached. Let’s take a look.
To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
The superscription of this Psalm tells us a couple of things. First, it is an instruction to the worship leader of the day. Which day? Everyday. The publisher of the Psalm instructs that every time this Psalm is rendered, that it be accompanied by a musical instrument from the region of Gath. Gath was a city of the Philistines, southwest of the region of Judah, the tribe of David. The bible does not specify what instrument, but scholars believe it to be an instrument known as a Kinnor (Hebrew). This instrument is similar to a lyre; a handheld stringed instrument similar in tone to a standing harp. The Kinnor is reputed to have been a favorite instrument of David, who, being from Judea, which was in close proximity to Gath, had become familiar with the instrument in his youth. In that David was regarded a prophet, the Kinnor was believed to be instrumental in providing a prophetic unction or environment within the congregation. In essence, it was a critical instrument for setting the tone for worship. So then, it seems that the publisher of Psalm 84 intended that the Kinnor be used to accompany the singing of Psalm 84.
Also, the publisher establishes that the original authors, and possibly performers of this song were the ‘Sons of Korah’, a prominent clan from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of Israel set apart to God for service to God. The tribe of Levi did not receive land as an inheritance when Israel divide the promised land. Rather, God informed them that He (God) was their inheritance. Imagine. No need for money, wealth, or fame. God was their portion. That being said, the clan of Korah’s specific responsibility before God and the nation of Israel was the function of musical worship. They were assigned to the ministry of music.
One more thing. In light of the fact that the ‘Sons of Korah’ (plural) were the original performers of this Psalm, it is probable that the Psalm was intended to be sung in separate ‘voices’, each bringing a different perspective or aspect to the observance of worship. For the sake of illustration, I will use the names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to give ‘person’ to each ‘voice’. I’m dating myself here, but please indulge me. I am reminded of the groups like ‘The Temptations’, or ‘Earth, Wind, and Fire’, or if you want a gospel comparison (and there are many), then ‘The Winans, or ‘Take 6’ come to mind. These groups blended harmonies and melodies and instrumentation so seamlessly that you were left in awe in hearing them, especially in live performances. Such were the ‘Sons of Korah’.
And so, without further ado, and with no more gilding of the lily, “Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you…., the Son’s of Korah!"
The Lesson
Psalm 84:1-2 NKJV (Matthew)
1
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
2
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
The first voice (Matthew) in this harmony has been here before. All of Israel was commanded by the Law of Moses to assemble in Jerusalem three times a year. The three pilgrimages were known collectively as Shalosh Regalim (The Three Pilgrimages). Separately, they are Pesach (the Passover), Shavuot (the Feast of Pentecost), and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles). The Psalm suggests that it is written in reference to the tri-annual pilgrimage. For Matthew, three visits a year is not nearly enough. He longs for the courts of the Lord with all of His being. When he is home, he is not. His heart abides with the Lord.
Psalm 84:3 NKJV (Luke)
3
Even the sparrow has found a home,
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.
Luke, the second vocalist builds on Matthew’s sentiment by pointing out that the sparrows of the air make their nests in the upper reaches of the tents that house the altar of the Lord and the sacred Ark of the Covenant. You can sense a hint of envy as the singer makes such a simple observation. As though he wished to, himself be able to ‘nest’ in the Presence of the Almighty. There were a plethora of requirements that had to be observed by those who served in the Tabernacles, yet the sparrows had no such cares. They simply dwell under the watchful eye of a loving God.
Psalm 84:4 NKJV (John)
4
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah
You can hear the third vocalist, Johnn counter with his own observation: those who do dwell in the tabernacles of the Lord; the ministers, the administrators, the deacons, even the janitors are blessed, blessed I tell you! Why? Because they are able to spend so much time in the Lord’s Presence. Better than riches, time spent in the Presence of the Lord is priceless.
Selah - denotes a musical interlude, possible with the music reaching a crescendo. At this point, the three vocalists join the instrumentation, bringing their voices together in harmony as the fourth vocalist takes the lead...
Psalm 84:5 NKJV (Mark)
5
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6
As they pass through the Valley of [c]Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with [d]pools.
Mark has made the pilgrimage from a place beyond the Valley of Baca, south of Jerusalem and he details his journey as he takes the lead. The Valley of Baca has three different names according to which translation of scripture you refer to. Each is significant. David’s greatest victory against the Philistines was there. At that time it was called the Valley of Rephaim, a reference to the giants that dwelt in that region from before the time of Abraham until the time of David, over five hundred years. Imagine for a moment, the dread that accompanied one who would have to travel through that place in order to come into ancient Israel.
That’s why the next name for this place was also apropos. It was called by many, the Valley of Weeping. How many had lost their lives to the beasts; the giants who dwelt there. How many had lost loved ones to the evil that lurked therein. No wonder it had been called a place of weeping.
Finally, the Philistines and the Raphaim were permanently vanquished by the armies of Israel under the leadership of King David. It was there that the Lord told David not to attack the Philistines until he heard the sound of marching over the tops of the Baca trees. That would indicate that the Lord, Himself had gone before David to defeat the Philistines. They were never a threat after that time. (2 Samuel 5:24)
Because the Rephaim were now a distant memory, the place where they formerly dwelt was transformed by God into a place of beauty and tranquility. It became known as the Valley of Baca, a place where God caused springs to come forth and healing to be made available to the nation of Israel through the Baca trees that grew there. It is from the Baca tree that frankincense is harvested. Frankincense was a very valuable commodity used for making healing balm and incense.
Mark’s vocals reflect on the wonder-working power of the God that we serve. Yes, God cares for His people. He delivers, He heals, He provides. He gives us victory over all our enemies…
Psalm 84:6-7 NKJV (Mark and the Chorus)
6
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
7
They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.
I reprint verse 6 because, in this illustration, Matthew, Luke, and John are bringing up the refrain, while Mark leads the song. In verse 7, all four singers join together, each pointing at the other as they revel in the thought that they journey from strength to strength, from place to place, in God, we are carried from glory to glory,
Let me put it another way. As Mark recalls his journey through the Valley of Baca, a place made pleasant, yes holy by God, he reminds his audience that the destination; the Tabernacle is much more glorious because there is where God’s Presence dwells. Each vocalist affirms Mark’s refrain separately, then in unison. The same is true of us who are looking forward to appearing before and celebrating at His glorious throne of mercy. Amen.
Psalm 84:8 NKJV (Matthew and the Chorus)
8
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah (the Chorus echoes Matthew’s thought)
Matthew takes the lead here: “Lord of hosts, hear my prayer!”, the others echo his plea; “Give ear, O God of Jacob”, building on the thought that collectively they are drawing on their position as heirs of Jacob to request an audience of the King of Heaven, with the expectation that He will hear them. Wait! What? The Sons of Korah intimate that God will hear them because of whose they are, not only acknowledging them as heirs but embracing them as children.
Selah - Another musical refrain (bridge) into the next phrase.
Psalm 84:9 NKJV (Matthew and Luke in unison)
9
O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
Luke joins Matthew as they share their desire for God’s rapt attention toward and prophetic revelation of Christ, God’s own anointed Son, and our eternal Shield and Buckler. God does not hold us accountable for our sins. He forgives us because Jesus paid the price. He was a ransom for many.
Psalm 84:10 NKJV (John)
10
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
John takes over as this psalm comes to a close. It was John who observed the blessing that attends those who serve in the Lord’s tabernacle. He reiterates the point with his well-known and celebrated declaration that “...a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” This simple, yet powerful statement has been used by ministers and laypersons from the time it was spoken unto this very day. Should the Lord tarry, it will be repeated as many more times.
Psalm 84:10 NKJV (Chorus)
11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12
O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
In harmony, their voices combine in prophetic utterance with visions of the New Covenant:
The Lord is a sun and a shield (Jesus is the very expression of God to mankind).
The Lord will give grace and glory (The New Covenant will provide salvation by
grace through faith).
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God).
Blessed is the man who trusts in you! (The just shall live by faith).
Selah - (As the music builds and then slowly ebbs, with the Kinnor gently bringing the entire movement to a close and all of the congregation gently weeps with tears of gratitude and thankfulness in the Presence of the Lord)
wb
ps... I intentionally selected each of the Gospel authors for specific verses within Psalm Eighty Four. Feel free to offer feedback any thought on my reasoning based on your own observations. Blessings!
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