Beatitudes Of Psalm 84

Intro

This message will illustrate the harmony of Jesus’s Beatitudes with other beatitudes in Scripture. While expounding Psalm 84, we will identify consistencies in the beatitudes declared by the psalmist with some of the beatitudes pronounced by Jesus in Matthew 5. Three beatitudes are announced in Psalm 84.

1. “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You” v. (4).

2. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage” (v. 5).

3. “O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (v. 12).

Jesus’s Beatitudes are a result of God’s grace working in people’s lives.i The blessings declared in Psalm 84 are an expression of God’s grace as well. In fact, Psalm 84:11 explicitly declares that grace: “The Lord will give grace and glory.”ii

Our first hint of grace is found in the heading of this psalm. The heading reads: “To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.” This psalm belongs to the Korahites, was a part of their collection and probably authored by them.iii But who was Korah? Korah was one of the leaders, along with Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled against Moses in Numbers 16. God opened the earth, and they, including their families, went directly into the pit (v. 31-33). God’s displeasure with Korah and these other leaders was demonstrated by the immediacy and severity of their judgment for all to see. But there is a note of grace recorded in Numbers 26:11 with the comment, “Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.” Their father, Korah, had severely offended God. The curse could have extended through the family line.iv But grace preserved the children of Korah. That grace so prevailed that they were given the honor of serving as worship leaders in the temple.v Likewise, you and I are recipients of grace that has preserved us from the pit and made us “kings and priests to our God” (Rev. 5:10).

"Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all my sin.vi

When studying a psalm, be aware that the headings/titles are probably part of inspired Scripture.vii We can miss beautiful nuggets of revelation if we ignore them. The phrase “On an instrument of Gath” informs us of the positive nature of this Psalm. The instrument of Gath (gittith) was a stringed instrument used for pleasant and joyful songs.”viii This reference to the instrument of Gath immediately informs us of the positive nature of this Psalm in contrast to, for example, a lament.

We will deal with the three sections of this psalm under the following headings.

1. Blessing of God’s Presence (v. 1-4)

2. Blessing of God’s Empowerment (v. 5-7)

3. Blessing of Trusting God (v. 8-12)

BLESSING OF GOD’S PRESENCE (v. 1-4)

God’s presence is symbolized in this psalm by the tabernacle.ix In Exodus 25:8 God told Israel to make the tabernacle so that he could dwell among them. Without God’s presence it was nothing more than sticks and stones and precious metals. It was the presence of God at the tabernacle that caused the psalmist in verse 1 to sing, “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!” This is poetic language declaring his love for the presence of God.

Does your heart cry out like the psalmist, “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!” Is church attendance a privilege or a duty to you? Do you look forward to times of gathering with God’s people in worship and enjoying communion with the Lord? Our churches are nothing more than sticks and stones without God’s presence. The first order of business for any church is to invite the presence of the Lord. Then it is to nurture that presence with praise and thanksgiving (Ps. 22:3), avoiding anything that would grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). When a congregation becomes man-centered, rather than God-centered, the Holy Spirit is grieved and the primary reason for assembling is lost. The fellowship among believers is rich and rewarding when God’s love is operating in their hearts (Rom. 5:5). “How good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). But without the love of God being poured out in the hearts, the unity can not be maintained, and it can be anything but pleasant (Gal. 5:15; James 3:13).

We must jealously guard the presence of Yahweh in our midst. We must be sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and correct anything offensive to him. We must keep our focus on the Lord making the first commandment our first priority. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). When that love is in our hearts, our mouths will sing his praises, and we will edify one another. When all of that is happening, church is not a duty; it is a delight. And we find ourselves saying, “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!”