Psalm 84: How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

• Forest Hills Bible Chapel
• 15 June 2008

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Background to Psalm 84

• This is a Psalm which speaks of the wonder and
  blessedness of the house, or dwelling place, of
  God.
• Within Scripture, the dwelling place of God is
  both a physical, material structure, as well as a
  relationship which His people are to enjoy and
  cherish.

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Background to Psalm 84
The Tabernacle in the Wilderness
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Background to Psalm 84
The Temple of Solomon
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The History of the Tabernacle/Temple

• The Tabernacle was built following the Exodus,
  according to Gods instruction ca. 1400 B.C.
• The Temple was built by Solomon ca. 944 B.C.
• Solomons Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians
  in 586 B.C.
• The Temple was rebuilt in 516 B.C., and then
  destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.

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The History of the Tabernacle/Temple

• The Synagogue arose some time prior to the birth
  of Jesus.
• The Synagogue was a meeting place where all
  matters of Jewish life were practiced weddings,
  funerals, education, prayer, worship, study of
  Torah, etc.

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The History of the Tabernacle/Temple

• Gods dwelling place is, and indeed has always
  been, with and among His people.
• We are His body, and we are his building, and the
  temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 39
  1212-20.
• We must balance the fact that we have a
  place/building where we meet as Gods people, and
  that we ourselves are the church, the dwelling
  place of God.

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Other Historical Background

• The Valley of Baca (v. 6) or the Valley of
  Weeping.
• It is not known whether the valley of Baca in
  Psalm 84 was a literal place or a symbolic
  expression for grief or difficulty in life. For
  those who seek to follow in the Lords steps, the
  psalmist said, that valley becomes a pool of
  blessing and refreshment. - BEB

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

• 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O 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, O Lord
  Almighty, my King and my God

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

• 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house
• they are ever praising you.     Selah
• 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who
  have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 6 As they
  pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a
  place of springs the autumn rains also cover it
  with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength,
  till each appears before God in Zion.

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

• 8 Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty listen to
  me, O God of Jacob.     Selah
• 9 Look upon our shield, 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.

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place!

• 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 O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts
  in you

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Psalm 84 How Lovely is YourDwelling Place!

1. The Psalmist exalts in being able to be in the
   dwelling place of God vv. 1-4.
2. The Psalmist rejoices in how God blesses and
   strengthens those whose pilgrimage leads them to
   pursue God vv. 5-8.
3. The Psalmist rejoices in the blessedness of being
   in the presence of God vv. 9-12