Embrace the Word for Wednesday, July 1, 2026

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Psalm 84 is a beautifully crafted expression of desire for the LORD. As the superscription informs us, this is the first Psalm by the sons of Korah in Book 3 of the Psalter: “To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.” The sons of Korah first appeared in Book 2 with a collection consisting of Psalms 42-49. Psalms 84 and 85, as well as Psalms 87 and 88 are a part of this second Korah collection. A common theme that runs through many of the Psalms in the Korah collection is a longing for God. It is hard to decipher much of the historical situation behind Psalm 84, but its placement in Book 3 may offer some suggestions. Up to this point in Book 3, most of the Psalms have focused on the devastation of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. It could very well be that Psalm 84 is placed here where it is to serve as a reminder of what Israel has lost with the destruction of the Temple. The Sons of Korah were among the men, “whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (See 1 Chronicles 6:31-32a). It seems probable that Psalm 84 was written sometime before the destruction of the Temple while David was still king, or it is possible that the men behind Psalm 84 could be a subsequent generation who crafted this Psalm after David’s time. Either way, whenever it was written, Psalm 84 expresses a longing for the LORD by desiring to visit the Temple. Psalm 84 begins with a longing to go to the Temple (84:1-4), then it describes a journey to the Temple (84:5-8), before concluding with a focus on the presence of the LORD (84:9-12).

Psalm 84 opens with a longing for the LORD: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God” (84:1-2). Two different ways of talking about the Temple are used in verses 1 and 2. Two more ways of talking about the Temple are used in verses 3 and 4. Altogether, the sons of Korah speak of “your dwelling place,” “the courts of the LORD,” “your altars O LORD of Hosts,” and “your house.” The deep desire that the sons of Korah express is to be near the presence of the LORD. This desire is referenced by a place—the Temple—but the essence of this desire is not a place but a person: “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” It is the LORD that the sons of Korah are saying is lovely, not the Temple. In fact the notion of “how lovely” is actually not statement a about beauty—although the LORD is beautiful—but intensity. The sons of Korah are not saying how lovely the Temple looks, but how fervent their love is for the LORD in His dwelling place. Their longing is so intense that they are drained from their activity of joyful singing.

Continuing to describe their longing to be in the presence of the LORD at the Temple, the sons of Korah add a word about the welcoming comfort that is found there: “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” (84:3). The sparrow and the swallow, just ordinary, common, perhaps even insignificant birds, are welcomed into the LORD’s presence, where they find comfort and refuge. The house of the LORD is home to the LORD’s people. The powerful and mighty LORD of hosts, who is the great King of the earth, welcomes His people into the protection and provision of His presence. In a word, the sons of Korah ascribe the term “blessed” to capture the enjoyment that is experienced in the presence of the LORD: “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah” (84:4).

Still expressing a great longing for the LORD, the sons of Korah shift from talking of the Temple itself, to describing the journey to the Temple: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion” (84:5-7). The sons of Korah describe being at the Temple as “blessed,” and they describe the pilgrimage to the Temple as “blessed.” The journey to the Temple, as it was prescribed in the Old Covenant was required a minimal of three times a year (See Deuteronomy 16:16). It was a difficult and even dangerous pilgrimage, but the desire to get there to be in the presence of the LORD was greater than the challenges, setbacks, hardships, and afflictions that one often experienced through the process. Those who embark on the journey trust that the LORD will grant the strength. Such strength enables the pilgrimage to begin and such strength is still at work as the journey ends. The “Valley of Baca” suggests that the trek often entails weeping or sorrow, but the LORD provides all that is needed to be sustained on the journey. The journey is made with much dependence upon the LORD: “O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah” (84:8).

Having described their longing to be in the presence of the LORD at the Temple, as well as how that longing translates into making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to be at the Temple, the sons of Korah, now shift their focus slightly to highlight their attention upon the LORD Himself: “Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!” (84:9). As the sons of Korah seek the LORD in prayer, the focus of this request seems to point to the king. They are praying for their “shield,” which the next line of the prayer identifies as “your anointed.” David and the Davidic kings who followed were men who protected the people as a shield. Yet, for the king to successfully protect his people, he would need the favor and blessing of the LORD upon Him. The surety of such blessing and favor would come by the fact that the LORD Himself had anointed His king over His people. In this context, the emphasis upon the king seems to be based on the notion that it would be the king who would ensure that access to the Temple was possible. Much would be at stake as to whether or not the king would guide and defend his people in their journey to the Temple.

If the king was successful, the pilgrimage to the Temple would be certain. The sons of Korah give some reasons why it was so important to safely reach the Temple. The first reason is stated in two ways: “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 dwell in the tents of wickedness” (84:10). One day in the presence of the LORD is better than a thousand days somewhere else. In addition, simply being at the entrance to the Temple is better than being comfortable inside a place of wickedness. Nothing compares to the LORD’s presence because of who He is for his people. Thus, nowhere compares to gathering in the LORD’s presence at the Temple. The second reason stated is a full focus on God Himself: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (84:11). Why is one day with the LORD better? Why is the entrance to the Temple better? The answer to both questions is because of the kind of God that He is—He is the God who safeguards and sustains His people. The LORD delights to gift His people with glory and grace. In fact, the essence of the goodness of God is ever on display as He only and always does good to His people, fully and forever suppling that which is good for His people. That is why people want to get at least one day in the presence of the LORD, even if it is just at the entrance to His presence. Such longing even stirs a resolve in the hearts of His people to “walk uprightly,” for there is no greater enjoyment in life than with the LORD: “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” (84:12).

As we reflect on Psalm 84, we can consider how the Lord Jesus Christ fits into this Psalm. As Psalm 84 gives a lot of attention to the Temple, we should remember that Jesus is greater than the Temple: “I tell you, something greater than the temple is here” (See Matthew 12:6). The longing that the sons of Korah expressed for the LORD through the Temple, is now redirected through Christ. Christ is now the altar through which we have access to the joyous presence of the LORD. It is now through Christ that God “bestows favor and honor.” It is now because of Christ that God does not withhold any good thing from His people. It is now due to the powerful presence of Christ in His people that we can seek to walk uprightly before God. These realities are ours already in Christ, but there are also fuller realities yet to come. The longing of God dwelling with His people is already here, but not yet fully here: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (See Revelation 21:3, compared to Psalm 84:1).

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, July 1, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, July 3, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 85.