Psalms 84

How lovely are your dwellings, LORD of Armies! Loveliness of God's dwelling under the name LORD of hosts.

Amiability of the tabernacles is plain. Love the place where God hosts his people.

Calvin: David laments deprivation of access to the sanctuary; some wrongly make tabernacles only heaven—he was debarred from holy assemblies God appointed for sojourners who know their infirmity.

Lovely dwelling of the LORD of hosts. Long for the Church's courts as helps God gave, not as empty show.

Both agree: soul, heart, and flesh together desire the living God's courts.

Longing that faints is embodied piety. Sing for joy even while still approaching.

Calvin: soul longeth and fainteth after the courts; heart and flesh leap for joy toward the living God—desire aimed at worship and progress in faith, not mere sightseeing.

Longing for the courts; joy to the living God. Whole-person desire marks true pilgrims.

Yes, the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, near your altars, LORD of Armies, my King, and my God. Birds nest near altars; the exile envies their nearness; God is King and God.

Sparrow and swallow shame the banished worshiper. My King and my God—covenant address from outside the courts.

Calvin: sparrow and swallow find house and nest at thine altars; he would rather relinquish the world than remain excluded; My King and my God—life bitter when cast off from the territory of the Holy Land.

Nests at the altars; my King and my God. Nearness to worship outweighs safe retreats elsewhere.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah Wesley: They—who constantly abide; priests, Levites, or devout Jews perpetually there; They will—continually employed in praise. Dwelling issues in continual praise; Selah.

Those who live in God’s house and praise him are blessed. Desire their station; join the song when you can.

Calvin: Blessed who dwell in thy house—true worshippers offer the sacrifice of praise from the heart, relying on grace; distinguished from hypocrites of outward ceremony.

Dwell and ever sing. Heart praise, not empty attendance.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage. Wesley: Whose strength—who trusteth in thee as only strength; Thy ways—hearts set on Zion and the journey thither. Strength in God; highways to Zion in the heart.

Blessing expands from dwellers to pilgrims. Carry the road to Zion inside.

Calvin: Blessed whose strength is in thee—lean with whole heart upon God; pride laid in the dust; borrow strength by prayer. Ways in their hearts: highest ambition to have God as guide and draw near—not mere ceremony.

Strength in God; highways in the heart. Progress in faith is the end of desiring the sanctuary.

As they go through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings. Wesley: Baca—dry valley toward Jerusalem; Make a well—dig pits for relief; The rain—God recompenses diligence with rain. Dry Baca becomes springs by pilgrim labor and God's rain.

Weep-valley turned to water. Dig and pray; expect rain that fills what diligence starts.

Calvin: passing through the valley of weeping they make it a fountain; rain covers the cisterns—pilgrims transform affliction's path under God's gift.

The valley of Weeping becomes a place of springs. Tears and early rain together mark the road to Zion.

They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion. Wesley: They go—grow stronger and stronger; Appeareth—fruit of the long journey.

Strength to strength is pilgrimage math. The goal is appearing before God, not tourism.

Calvin: from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion—advancement until vision of God in the appointed place.

Strength to strength; appear in Zion. Persevering approach ends in God's presence.

LORD, God of Armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob; shared: prayer to the LORD of Armies and the God of Jacob.

Hosts and Jacob—power and covenant in one address. Ask hearing; rest at Selah.

Calvin: David directs wishes to God rather than tormenting himself inwardly; not ostentatious zeal with cold heart. Hear my prayer; God of Jacob—associate with true believers under protection.

Hear; God of Jacob. Prayer is the pilgrim's wisdom when cut off from ease of access.

Behold, God our shield, look at the face of your anointed! Wesley: Look—favourable eye; Anointed—of me, though a vile sinner, thine anointed king. God as shield; the anointed's face pleaded.

Wesley hears the praying king own both sin and anointing. Plead mercy on the anointed without self-righteousness.

Calvin: Our shield—ranks himself with the Church; Look upon the face of thy Anointed—royal anointing by Samuel encourages hope; yet his kingdom is shadow and type of something more illustrious.

David's plea opens toward the greater Anointed while remaining historically royal.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Wesley: Than dwell—in the greatest glory and plenty. One day in courts outweighs a thousand; doorkeeper beats wicked tents.

Threshold of God's house outranks luxurious wickedness. Prefer low holy place to high unholy plenty.

Calvin: better one day in thy courts than a thousand elsewhere; rather door-keeper in God's house than dwell in tents of wickedness—exclusion from worship is worse than lowly station inside.

Day in courts; doorkeeper over wicked tents. Value nearness to God above comfort with the ungodly.

For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. Wesley: Sun—enlighten, quicken, direct, comfort; Shield—save from enemies; Grace—favour better than life; Glory—honour here and eternal glory. Sun, shield, favor/grace, honor/glory; no good withheld from the upright.

Attributes of God fund the preference of v. 10. Walk uprightly; expect good he does not withhold.

Calvin: Jehovah God is sun and shield; will give grace and glory; withhold no good from those who walk uprightly. Provision for body and soul under fatherly care, without lulling hearts asleep on earth.

Sun and shield; grace and glory; no good withheld. Upright walking receives what God names good.

O LORD of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you! Shared close: blessing rests on trust in the LORD of hosts.

The LORD of Armies reigns above, and the one who trusts him below is blessed. End the pilgrimage psalm on confidence, not on the building alone.

Calvin: O Jehovah of Armies, blessed is the man who trusteth in thee—closes with trust as the blessed posture.

Blessed who trusts. The lovely courts serve the God who is trusted.