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!”
In verse 2 the psalmist reveals why he loves the tabernacle. “My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Ps. 84:2). It was not about the beauty of the architecture and décor. His heart was crying out “for the living God.” And he knew he would find him at the house of God. When God’s people gather unto him, he is there in a very special way. He is always with us. But when we come together with the focused purpose of glorifying him and learning from him, wonderful things can happen. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” The number “two or three” is only there to indicate it can happen with very few. The key phrase in that verse is “in My name.” The gathering of few or many does not qualify for this promise of presence unless they gather in his name. What does it mean to gather in Christ’s name. It means we gather unto him, under his authority, making him central to it all. I have seen congregation degenerate into a social gathering without the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a sad exchange for what might have been. May Jesus be the center of our attention and worship when we come together. May we always gather in his name. And when doing that, may we always expect his presence to be demonstrated in our midst.
This verse is delightfully consistent with the Christ’s fourth beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” When we long for God’s presence and his righteousness, we will be filled. The infilling of the Holy Spirit solves many problems in a person’s life. Passion for God drives away illegitimate desires that plague the lukewarm Christian. Ephesians 5:18 admonishes believers to “be filled with the Spirit.” The Greek verb in that verse is present tense; it should be the ongoing experience of the believer. I am glad you were filled with the Spirit in 1995, but are you staying full? Check your passion gage more diligently than you would the fuel gage on your car.x
Do you sense the passion in Psalm 84? “My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” I want to live with kind of hunger and thirst for God and his righteousness. I want the refreshing that accompanies his companionship. I want the empowerment inherent in living to please him (2 Cor. 5:9). Paul told Timothy to stir up the gift of God in him. May we all do that. I hope this message is stirring you toward more of God. May we covenant together that we will love the Lord with all that is in us, that we will seek his face together.
The desire in this verse is intense and consuming: “My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” By the phrase “My heart and my flesh,” the psalmist means his entire being. He is crying out from the inside out. He is passionately desiring God. Commenting on the word translated “cry out,” Thomas Brooks said, “The Hebrew word notes a strong cry, or to cry as a child cries when it is sadly hungry, for now every whit of the child cries, hands cry, and face cries, and feet cry.”xi This is not a mere whimper; this is all-out desire. Every mother has seen it. There on his back, the baby is crying to the top of his lungs, red faced with arms and legs swinging. “My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” It’s a hunger and thirst for God and his righteousness that is all-consuming.
There is a poetic allusion to fruitfulness in Psalm 84:3. “Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young — Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God.” Fruitfulness flows out of intimacy with God. Fruitfulness is found first and foremost at the altars of the Lord. We do not just visit God’s presence. We build our nests there. We settle into the presence of God as the place of our dwelling. Christ’s promise is if we abide in him, we will bear much fruit (John 15:5).
The sparrow and swallow are small birds. They might be considered insignificant (Luke 12:6). They are weak little creatures. But they find a place in God. You do not have to be great in the eyes of man to find intimacy with God. You do not have to be a majestic eagle. You just have to be “poor in spirit.” “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit . . .” (Isa. 57:15).
This section of Psalm 84 concludes in verse 4 with this pronouncement of blessing: “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You.” Those who abide in God’s presence are sustained. They will always have good reason to be praising God. Regardless of what is going on in the world, “They will still be praising” the Lord. They are preserved through every storm. They can say of God, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Ps. 32:7). And with every deliverance, they lift their voices in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.
Selah probably signals a musical rest, but its meaning is uncertain. Some think it is a call to pause and ponder.xii Certainly, this is a good place to pause and think about what has been revealed in the first section of the Psalm.
BLESSING OF GOD’S EMPOWERMENT (v. 5-7)
This section of the Psalm begins in verse 5 with the beatitude: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,” The verses that follow explain why that is the case. We learned in our study of Christ’s Beatitudes that those who are “poor in spirit” recognize the inadequacy of their own strength. They humble themselves and learn to depend on the Lord. This mindset is manifest as meekness in their lives. “Blessed are the meek,” Jesus said, “For they shall inherit the earth” (Matt 5:5). Meek people can afford to be gentle in their dealings with others because they are trusting God. They do not see the outcome to be a result of their own force or aggression. Instead, they have surrendered themselves to the Lord and simply do as he instructs, entrusting the outcome to him. Their strength is in the Lord, and that is reflected in their meekness.
Their “heart is set on pilgrimage” with God. Where he leads, they will follow. In their earthly journey they are blessed because God is with them. This worshiper has set his heart to go to Zion for worship.xiii He is committed and determined. He will keep going no matter what difficulties he encounters along the way. There will be mountains to climb and valleys to descend. But through it all, he will find his strength in God.
“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools” (v. 6). Baca means weeping,xiv It implies sorrow and tears. The Voice translates it: “On their way through the valley of Baca, they stop and dig wells to collect the refreshing spring water, and the early rains fill the pools.” Can you do that in your valleys? Have you discovered strength in God to transform valleys of weeping into wells of refreshing for yourself and others. Blessed is the person who learns how to receive encouragement from the Lord in the low places.xv
The pilgrim’s journey has some valleys in it. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). They shall be refreshed; they shall be comforted and strengthened.xvi They may have to dig a well in their Valley of Baca. They may have to cry some tears in that low place. But it’s possible to tap into the refreshing of the Holy Spirit even in mournful experiences.
Character is built in the Valley of Weeping. Springs of refreshing are discovered in that place of sorrow and mourning. Blessing is experienced because God comforts those who are cast down in such places. Paul understood this when he wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Do you want ministry? “Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5-6). It is not all fun and games, but God knows how to refresh us when we need it.
Those who will walk with God through this pilgrimage will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). They will learn from their experiences. They will be progressively conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Psalm 84:7 says, “They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.” Although our physical bodies naturally decline in strength, our inner man can be renewed daily (2 Cor. 4:16). Each day we can grow stronger in spirit than we were the day before. Caleb did not conclude his life with a whimper (Josh. 14:11). His strength was in the Lord and it carried him all the way through his journey. God can take you and me “from strength to strength.” And as we behold the glory of the Lord along the way, we can be changed into his image from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18).
The Jews made three annual pilgrimages corresponding with the three major feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Lev. 23:14-17). Travel in those days was both difficult and dangerous. But the promise in Psalm 84:7 is “Each one appears before God in Zion.” Your journey may be challenging. But “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). You will make it because God is with you to help you make it. And in the process, you can experience ever increasing strength. Blessed are those whose strength is in the Lord.
BLESSING OF TRUSTING GOD (v. 8-12)
The psalmist concludes this last section by stating the beatitude in verse 12: “O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!” What an appropriate conclusion for the whole psalm. “The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17). Faith in God will always get you through. God will always prove faithful. Notice how the psalmist declares his confidence in the Lord in the verses that follow.
The section begins in verse 8 with a prayer: “O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob!” Judging from the whole Psalm, the prayer is for God himself, his presence, and his favor. Remember the desire stated in verse 2: “My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” He longs “for the courts of the Lord” because that is where God’s presence can be enjoyed.
He addresses his request to the “God of Jacob” rather than the “God of Israel.” We can draw encouragement even from this seemingly insignificant detail. Israel was the name of honor given Jacob when he, “as a prince” (KJV), prevailed with God. But the name Jacob means supplanter or schemer, something less honorable.xvii Jacob needed grace, and so did the psalmist, and so do we. The good news is found in verse 11. There we are assured that God will give grace.
The specific petition in verse 9 is “O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed.” This is probably a prayer for the king as protector of the people and the anointed of the Lord. As the leadership of a nation goes, so goes the nation. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul wrote, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” In our individualist society we tend to minimize the importance of praying for those in authority. But their success is our success. Consider the terrible judgment that fell on the nation of Israel when David sinned by numbering the people (2 Sam. 24:15). That leader’s failure affected the whole nation.
The psalmist’s value system is declared in verse 10: “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” A place of privilege and affluence with the wicked is far inferior to the lowest place in the kingdom of God. Just a little bit of God’s goodness far exceeds the best that the world has to offer. One day in God’s presence and under his favor is better than a thousand in worldly pleasure.
The psalm began with a declaration of how lovely the tabernacle of God is because the presence of God can be enjoyed there. Now the psalmist reinforces that sentiment in this comparison with what the world has to offer. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” The doorkeepers at the tabernacle were “the sons of Korah.” As singers and musicians, they led the worship, but they also guarded the entrances as well.xviii Assignment as a doorkeeper may have been a more humble positon. But no matter how humble the service God gives us to do, it is altogether superior to serving the devil in the tents of the wicked.
Hear the burst of faith in Psalm 84:11. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield. . . .” He is our provider and protector. When Abraham was feeling the threat of retaliation from the five kings that he defeated in Genesis 14, God came to him and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward’ (Gen 15:1). God was “a sun and shield” for Abraham, and he is “a sun and shield” for you and me. If God is for you, it does not matter who or what is against you (Rom. 8:31). He will shield you from harm and bless you in the process.
“The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.” Do you believe that last statement? “No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.” What a powerful faith booster that is! Do you mean that if I just walk with the Lord in sincere, whole-hearted consecration, he will withhold no good thing from me? That is exactly the promise here.
The Hebrew word translated “uprightly” indicates wholeness or spiritual soundness.xix It is not a promise to half-hearted, lukewarm, double-minded people. But it is a promise to imperfect people who are pure in heart. The Voice translates it “those who live with integrity.” The Contemporary English Version simply says, “those who live right.” “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matt. 5:6) No good thing will he withhold from them. “Blessed are the merciful For they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:5). Mercy is one of those good things God will give. What an inspiration for prayer: “No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.” I think I hear in that statement Christ’s invitation, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
Does that mean you get everything you ask for? No, God loves us too much for that. But if it is a good thing for you, he will not withhold it. It will come at the right time and in the right way. The Lord is a good Shepherd. He takes care of his own. He leads us into green pastures. Follow him and you eat the good of the land (Isa. 1:19).
“The Lord will give grace and glory.” Could we not camp on that promise endlessly? Ponder the vastness of the statement: “The Lord will give grace and glory.” Is that not everything you need? Without grace we are hopeless. But “the Lord will give grace.” Do you need grace today? He has an infinite supply available for you. We do not presume upon that grace (Rom. 6:1-2). We do not use that grace as “a license for immorality” (Jude 1:4 NIV). But our Father’s throne is a throne of grace. We can come to that throne and receive forgiveness of sin. We can receive whatever help we may need (Heb. 4:16). “No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.”
The grace will lead to glory for God’s people. Spurgeon says something that interfaces with Jesus’s beatitudes in a precious way. “Glory’” says Spurgeon, “is really nothing more than grace fully developed; and when Christians begin to get spiritually ripe, something of the sweetness of heaven is seen in them even here below.”xx May God work such a transformation in every one of us. “The Lord will give grace and glory.”
ENDNOTES:
i Cf. John 1:17; 1 Cor. 15:10.
ii All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
iii Psalms 42:1
The Hebrew expressing "for" l-, or belonging to, marks the author or authors. In the psalms written by the sons of Korah, the name °Elohiym, or GOD, is the favourite one; whereas in the Psalms of David, which, compose the first book, Yahweh, or "the LORD," is the prevalent name. The Korahites, or Korhites, are mentioned as late as the time of Jehoshaphat, as singers, so that their psalms seem to have been productions of various ages.” Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Psalm 41:1, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
iv Cf. Ex. 34:7; Deut. 5:9. Dealing with the complexities of this subject is beyond the scope of this study, but other passages such as Jer. 31:29; Ezek. 18:2-4, and Gal. 3:13-14 must be considered as well.
v Cf. Ps. 86:5, 13; 145:8; Rom. 9:15; Eph. 2:4-9; Titus 3:5.
vi Julia H. Johnston, “Grace Greater Than Our Sin,” in Hymns of Glorious Praise (Gospel Publishing House, 1969), 200.
vii This issue is debated among theologians. Even if not inspired, they can be helpful information. Cf. Mark Futato, Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook, Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis, David Howard Jr., ed. (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publication, 2007), 119-122. Contra: John Goldingay, Psalms, Vol. 1: Psalms 1-41, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms, T. Longman III, ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 2006), 26-29.
viii “This harp of Gath was used for psalms of a pleasant and joyful character. For it was usual to vary the instrument according to the strain of each psalm.” Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Ps. 84, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Musical instruments at that time were not as versatile as those available in modern times.
ix The Hebrew plural is used for tabernacle to indicate all the sections of this place of worship: Holy of Holies, Holy Place, etc.
x Cf. Matt. 25:1-13.
xi Thomas Brooks, in C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: An Expository and Devotional Commentary on the Psalms, vol. IV (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1978), 70.
xii “Selah: A music mark denoting a pause, during which the singers ceased to sing and only the instruments were heard. Septuagint diapsalma, a break in the psalm introduced where the sense requires a rest. It is a call to calm reflection on the preceding words.” (from Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright © 1998, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
xiii The Hebrew word “mecillah” is difficult to translate in this verse. Given the context of the Psalm as a whole, it probably indicates the highway/pilgrimage to the tabernacle/temple for worship. Young’s Literal Translation says, “O the happiness of a man whose strength is in Thee, Highways [are] in their heart.” But the Amplified Bible (Classic Edition) agrees more closely with the NIV and NKJV: “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.”
xiv James Strong, New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary (Originally published: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Cincinnati: Jennings & Graham, 1890. Accessed in electronic data base: Biblesoft 2000) s. v. “OT:1056.”.
xv Cf. 1 Sam. 30:6; John 7:38.
xvi Cf. Gen. 16:7; Isa. 12:3. In the wilderness, rather than making “it a spring,” the children of Israel complained and rebelled in unbelief (Ex. 17:1-7). Cf. Ps. 78:17-22.
xvii For the change of Jacob’s name to Israel see Gen. 32:24-28. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, Gen. 32:28, PC Study Bible Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All Rights reserved.
xviii “This is a Korhite psalm, and the descendants of Korah were, in fact, porters, and ‘keepers of the gates of the tabernacle, and keepers of the entry,’ as well as being permitted to swell the chorus of the inspired singers of Israel.” Bosuet, quoted by Neale and Littledale in C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: An Expository and Devotional Commentary on the Psalms, vol. IV (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1978), 76.
xix James Strong, New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary (Originally published: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Cincinnati: Jennings & Graham, 1890. Accessed in electronic data base: Biblesoft 2000) s. v. “OT:8549.”
xx Charles Spurgeon, “Grace and Glory” in Spurgeon’s Expository Encyclopedia: Sermons by Charles H. Spurgeon (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), 235. Matthew Wilks wrote, “Heaven, or glory, is grace matured and brought to infinite perfection; there we shall se his face, and have his name written in our foreheads; and we shall reign with him for ever and ever.” Matthew Wilks in C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: An Expository and Devotional Commentary on the Psalms, vol. IV (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1978), 79. “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8),
