Longing for the Courts of the Lord in Psalm 84 and Finding Favor

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!” Psalm 84:1

Anyone who has come face-to-face with their own sinfulness, their utter hopelessness, and has tasted of God’s goodness fully understands Psalm 84:1. An invitation into God’s family and his home is lovely. Our very created nature thirsts for God.

“My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:2

Surrender, while seen as a weakness oftentimes, delivers a powerful advantage in life. To surrender is to advance. Surrender and recognize that your soul longs, even faints, for God’s presence. And so we long to go into his courts. My soul yearns, yes. But also my heart and flesh sing out for joy—even in the depths of sorrow—to the living God.

“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” Psalm 84:3-4

Ecclesiastes 3:11 is appropriate at this point: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Eternity is placed in our hearts by the creative order around us. Sparrows seek to find a home, swallows a nest.

Likewise, blessed are we—blessed are any—who find their dwelling to be in God’s house. The rapture of belonging erupts in worshipful song. He invites us into his dwelling and his family, and we lift our voices as we sing his praise.

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.” Psalm 84:5

We learn in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “…when I am weak, then I am strong.” We are blessed when we find our strength in God. Verse five carries interesting language: “…in whose heart are the highways of Zion.” We are reminded that while our way is sprinkled with numerous pains, sorrows, and weaknesses, we are traveling through the heart of God to Zion. Pain now will give birth to salvation—glorification in heaven. We go from strength to strength when we are with God.

“O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!” Psalm 84:8-9

From the confidence of God’s dwelling and from the highways in the heart of God, the Sons of Korah cry out to the Lord God of hosts to hear their prayer. To give ear. They ask God, who is their shield, to look upon the face of his anointed.

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:10

We have lots of choices. One good choice. It is better to be given the privilege of being in the courts of the Lord for one single day than a thousand days in the courts of any other. It is better to be a doorkeeper in God’s house than to dwell—and embrace and enjoy—any of the fruits of the tents of wickedness. Choices are many. One is preferable for the wise.

The reasons should be obvious. God is a sun to darkness and a shield to the weak. The Lord graciously gives favor and honor. He does not withhold any good thing from those who walk in his ways, who walk in complete trust.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84:11-12