Psalm 84

A Doorkeeper in the House of my God

The author of this psalm longs for the place where the Lord lives.  He uses several words to describe it; house of my God, dwelling place, courts, Zion.  He expresses admiration for those pilgrims who face worrisome travels to visit the house of the Lord.  He expresses jealousy for the birds who build their nests in the Lord's dwelling.  Being a person in ancient Judea, our author was certainly referring to the Temple in Jerusalem, which was the focal point of Jewish religious practice.  Without being able to visit the temple, he feels apart from God, and yearns for the happiness he feels when in the presence of God.

In the Gospels, Jesus frequently directs his ire at the so-called hypocrites in the Jewish religious order.  These were people who, Jesus tells us, were more concerned with the ceremony and appearance in their religion instead of developing a relationship with God.  I can't help but wonder if the author of this psalm could be one of those people Jesus would target.  He clearly loves God, but he seems to be very concerned with the external trappings of his religion.  Maybe he should look for God in his heart, rather than looking for God in the Temple.

That being said, I feel that worship in a holy space is important, especially together with a congregation.  But your relationship with God shouldn't be confined to one space.  God isn't a friend you stop and visit once a week.  God is supposed to be with you anywhere and everywhere.  The author tells us "My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord", which I find a strange attitude.  In the Christian world, we consider the courts of the Lord to be all around us.  After all, Jesus came to us as God on Earth, therefore, all of the Earth is God's dwelling.  Jesus tore down the Temple when he rose again.

To take this a step further, if we invite God into our lives, we are dwelling with him.  he lives in us.  The author writes "better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere", which tells us that a life lived with God is better and more meaningful than a life lived without Him.  We don't have to yearn for a space to commune with God, like this psalm tells us, nor do we have to wait for death to live with God.  We can live with God right here, and right now.  God's dwelling place is the hearts and minds of those who seek Him.  When you find where the Lord dwells, he'll always open the door.

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.[c]

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.[d]
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,[e] 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.