Psalm 84
Sunday, 23 October 2022
“My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” -Psalm 84:2
The main theme of this Psalm is the longing of the Psalmist to be in God’s Presence. He yearns for the courts of the place of worship, expressing his love for the sanctuary as one who truly worships God. The Psalm portrays three stages of Spiritual Experience: i) Abiding ii) Growing iii) Accepting.
Abiding:
“Blessed are those who dwell in your house; there are ever praising you.” (v.4) There is a blessedness in abiding in Christ. Our soul yearns and craves to be in His presence because His love compels us and draws us always to be in His grace.
The signs of Abiding are:
• Joy: John 15:10&11 tells us of abiding in Christ. To continue and remain in His love is just to obey Christ, which will enable us to have Christ’s joy in us and the peace which the world doesn’t give us. For such a person, praise will be overflowing through him.
• Praise: The Psalmist describes how his heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God always. It indicates an attitude of praise in our being.
• Yearning: A yearning to be in God’s Presence when we experience His love.
Growing:
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” (V.5)
Those who have decided to abide in Christ have to walk with Him—it’s a pilgrim walk, just as the Israelites did to Jerusalem to the house of the LORD. We will experience His love through the Valley of Baca -our rugged times of life. We will be drawing from the living water from the Springs of Life (Christ Jesus) through the Holy Spirit, just like the pilgrims who transform the difficult ways into places of refreshment. This is the great care and the Sustainer’s life protection to His children in the Valley of Baca (in the valley of tears).
This will enable us to grow from strength to strength as the pilgrims who were walking to God’s temple in Zion. So too will we be strengthened as we expectantly await Christ Jesus’ coming.
Accepting:
“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.” (V.10)
Choosing to be door keeper is counted worthy than being anywhere else in the world. By faith Moses chose rather to share the ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin (Hebrews 11:25). There must be decisive choice to abide in the presence of God. Commitment is one of the traits that is needed for those who walk uprightly and with an undivided heart to God.
Vs. 12 says, “O LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
The Reward for those who trust in Him: God will be their sun and shield and giving His grace and favor. He will not withhold any good thing to them (Vs. 11) Jim Elliot said: “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.” His way is the best!
Prayer: Almighty Father I surrender my whole being into Your hands. Rule and reign in my life always till I meet You….through Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
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