Psalm 84
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 84
The Joy of Worship in the Temple
To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!(A)
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.(B)
3 Even the sparrow finds a home
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.(C)
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. Selah(D)
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.[a](E)
6 As they go through the valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.(F)
7 They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.(G)
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.(H)
10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.(I)
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.(J)
12 O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.(K)
Footnotes
- 84.5 Heb lacks to Zion
Psalm 84
Evangelical Heritage Version
Psalm 84
How Loved Is Your Dwelling Place
Heading
For the choir director. According to gittith.[a] By the Sons of Korah.[b]
A psalm.
How Loved Is Your Dwelling Place
1 How I love your dwelling place, O Lord of Armies.
2 My soul grows weak and even wastes away,
as I long for the courtyards 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 has found a nest for herself,
where she may place her young near your altars,
O Lord of Armies, my King and my God.
The Blessings of Being There
4 How blessed are those who live in your house. Interlude
They are always praising you.
5 How blessed is everyone whose strength is found in you.
The highways to Jerusalem[c] are in their hearts.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,[d]
it becomes full of springs.[e]
The autumn rain also covers it with pools.[f]
7 They go from strength to strength.
Each one will appear before God in Zion.
Prayer
8 O Lord, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Interlude
Give ear, O God of Jacob.
9 Look upon our Shield, O God.
Look with favor on the face of your Anointed One.[g]
The Blessings of Being There
10 Yes, one day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather wait at the doorway of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord is a sun and shield.
God gives grace and glory.
The Lord does not withhold any good thing
from those who walk with integrity.
12 O Lord of Armies, how blessed is everyone who trusts in you.
Footnotes
- Psalm 84:1 Gittith means in the style of Gath or perhaps it is a tune, “Winepress.”
- Psalm 84:1 The Sons of Korah were a group of Levitical musicians, who apparently were descendants of the Korah who rebelled against Moses. In this section of Psalms, Psalms 84, 85, 87, and 88 were written by them.
- Psalm 84:5 The words to Jerusalem are added for clarity.
- Psalm 84:6 In Hebrew Valley of Baca sounds like Valley of Weeping.
- Psalm 84:6 The main Hebrew reading is they make it a place of springs. The words they make it function as an impersonal passive equal to It is made a place of springs. Some manuscripts read He [God] makes it a place of springs.
- Psalm 84:6 The translation pools follows an alternate reading of the Hebrew. The main Hebrew reading is blessings. Pools and blessings are a pun in Hebrew. The autumn rain is also called the early rain.
- Psalm 84:9 Shield and Anointed One are references to Israel’s king.
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