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Longing for God's House[a]

84 How I love your Temple, Lord Almighty!
    How I want to be there!
    I long to be in the Lord's Temple.
With my whole being I sing for joy
    to the living God.
Even the sparrows have built a nest,
    and the swallows have their own home;
they keep their young near your altars,
    Lord Almighty, my king and my God.
How happy are those who live in your Temple,
    always singing praise to you.

How happy are those whose strength comes from you,
    who are eager to make the pilgrimage to Mount Zion.
As they pass through the dry valley of Baca,
    it becomes a place of springs;
    the autumn rain fills it with pools.
They grow stronger as they go;
    they will see the God of gods on Zion.

Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty.
    Listen, O God of Jacob!
Bless our king, O God,
    the king you have chosen.

10 One day spent in your Temple
    is better than a thousand anywhere else;
I would rather stand at the gate of the house of my God
    than live in the homes of the wicked.
11 The Lord is our protector and glorious king,
    blessing us with kindness and honor.
He does not refuse any good thing
    to those who do what is right.
12 Lord Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by the clan of Korah.

Psalm 84[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

How lovely is your dwelling place,(A)
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns,(B) even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.(C)
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,(D)
    Lord Almighty,(E) my King(F) and my God.(G)
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.[c]

Blessed are those whose strength(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(I)
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;(J)
    the autumn(K) rains also cover it with pools.[d]
They go from strength to strength,(L)
    till each appears(M) before God in Zion.(N)

Hear my prayer,(O) Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
Look on our shield,[e](P) O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.(Q)

10 Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper(R) in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun(S) and shield;(T)
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold(U)
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed(V) is the one who trusts in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
  2. Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
  4. Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
  5. Psalm 84:9 Or sovereign