psalm 84 how lovely is your tabernacle. background to the chief musician upon gittith (instrument of...
TRANSCRIPT
Psalm 84
How Lovely is
Your Tabernacle
Background
• To the chief musician upon Gittith (instrument of Gath)
• The sons of Korah – temple singers, doorkeepers of the temple (1 Chron. 6:31-32, 9:19, 31)
Psalm 84
Background
•Psalm 84 is a psalm of cherished worship and service to God. Descriptive of one who would rather worship God than engage in worldly pursuits
Psalm 84
Longing for the tabernacle (1-4)
•(1) “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts”
• The place where God met with Israel (Ex. 25:22, 29:42-43)
• A place holy and cherished by the righteous
Psalm 84
Longing for the tabernacle (1-4)
•(1) In our text, probably the temple of Solomon (cf. vs. 3)
• The psalmist was familiar with the temple, and was probably there frequently. As a son of Korah, he possibly worked there.
• To him it was not just a building, but THE HOUSE OF GOD!
Psalm 84
Longing for the tabernacle (1-4)
•(2) “My soul longs…for the courts of the Lord.”
• An intense longing to be where God is.
•(3) “Even sparrows and swallows nest there”
Psalm 84
Longing for the tabernacle (1-4)
•(4) “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house”
• How blessed are those privileged to be there all the time (to work there)
Psalm 84
Application (1-4)
• The importance of assembly – Heb. 10:24-25
• How many of us see the opportunity to worship as a blessing rather than a duty? Cf. Malachi 1:12-13
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(5) “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You”
• The character of the psalmist. God is his guide, i.e. the remnant.
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(5) “Whose heart is set on pilgrimage”
• NASU, “In whose heart are the highways to Zion!”KJV, “In whose heart are the ways of them.”
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(5) “Whose heart is set on pilgrimage”
• Three times a year, Israel met at the tabernacle/temple
• The more devout would anticipate it with excitement.
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(5) “Whose heart is set on pilgrimage”
• Figuratively: A heart set in the DIRECTION of God. Prov. 16:17, Isa. 40:2, (cf. Matt. 3:3, Jn. 1:23)
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(6) “As they pass through the Valley of Baca” (weeping)
• Figuratively: It could reference our wandering through life with disappointments, etc.
• Rain & spring – longing for the temple sustains them and keeps them going
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(7) “They go from strength to strength, each one appears before God in Zion”
• The assemblies are “strength”- between those times they are sustained by the strength gained while in God’s presence.
Psalm 84
A heart for assembling in His presence (5-7)
•(7) “They go from strength to strength, each one appears before God in Zion”
• Proper (frequent) worship keeps them from straying
• The downfall of Israel and Judah involved neglect of the feasts – both in quality and quantity!
Psalm 84
Application (5-7)• Is frequency of assembly
important to us? • Do we WANT to be here?• Consider: Why do we meet
Wednesdays? Gospel meetings? To give us strength!
Application (5-7)• If important, we will make
preparations to be here as often as possible?
• Do we make excuses for not assembling? (cf. Lk. 14:15-23)
• Do we have the attitude of this psalmist? Psalm 122:1, 84:4, Matt. 6:21
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(8-9) A prayer of the psalmist… Behold our shield, look upon the face of Your anointed
• An understanding of where the psalmist stands before God – HE protects & sustains!
Psalm 84
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(10) A day in Your courts is better than a thousand
• What an attitude! Do we cherish the assembly with this desire? NOTE: It says, “day” and not “hour”
Psalm 84
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(10) I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
• Better to be a lowly servant in God’s presence, than wealthy out of His presence!
Psalm 84
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(11) For the Lord is a sun and shield – He gives grace & glory
• Realization – He is our source of life (and light) and protection! Rom. 8:31 NO wonder he desires to be in God’s presence!
Psalm 84
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(11) NO good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly
• Conditional blessing: Hope rests in submitting to His will and seeking Him. Cf. Isaiah 55:6-7
Psalm 84
The value of assembly (8-12)
•(12) Blessed is the man who trusts in You
• Trust demonstrated by serving Him and assembling when He commands!
Psalm 84
Application (8-12)• Do we see worship as a
drudgery?• Will we let the world keep us
from assembling?• “WHY is the Lord not with me?”
Could it be that He is not a priority in our lives? We are NOT walking uprightly?
Application (Psalm 84)• We have made application to the
importance of assembling as often as we can!
• How we assemble to worship is a “spiritual indicator” of our faith and priorities.
• Do you look forward to assembling with the saints?
Final application!
• There is an even greater “assembly” we ought to anticipate -
• Heaven! How much do we look forward to spending eternity with Him?
Psalm 84
Psalm 84
Do we long for
the court of the Lord?