24. Resting in the LORD, Psalm 84
Hymns: RHC 323 Trust and Obey, 325 Trusting Jesus 70 Jesus, I Am Resting
Psalm 84 (KJV)
1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. 6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
Resting in the LORD
OUTLINE
(1) Satisfaction (v1-4)
(2) Strength (v5-8)
(3) Sufficiency (v9-12)
INTRODUCTION
The human soul is restless and in a state of unrest until it is rested in God. He is then no more tossed to and fro, unsettled, unsettling but restful and rested. The heart that is not anchored in God is highly distressed, disturbed, and depraved. But the soul that has tasted and experienced the goodness of God will long for that fellowship with God.
This is what the psalmist is conveying to us of the precious relationship that he has with his God. He says how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! How lovely are thy tents, a description of God being with His people in the wilderness when they came out of Egypt and are on the way to the Promised Land. They were instructed to construct the tabernacle that will be a visible presence of God with them in the wilderness. The 12 tribes of Israel were encamped surrounding the tabernacle. When they looked in they see the visible presence of God in the pillar of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day. When they looked outside the camp, in the wilderness they see barrenness, danger, and death.
The Lord of hosts, used 4 times, described God has the commander of His army leading His people from victory to victory!
Israel was the theocracy. God led Israel. Only one nation had the living and true God as her leader.
The Tabernacle was the focal point of Israel’s community and life, with the tribes dwelling around its four sides (Num. 2).
The year of the Exodus is 1446 B.C. The political landscape consisted the Shang Dynasty in China (1450 B.C. – 1027 B.C.) and Egypt ruled Amenhotep II followed by Thutmose IV (1453 B.C. – 1416 B.C.), pagan emperors and pharaoh who knew not God. God was working out His plan of redemption for all mankind through Israel, unknown perhaps to the world at large at that time.
The family of Israel, descendants of Jacob, were a multitude in Egypt under cruel oppression when God led them out of Egypt on “eagles’ wings”. By His Almighty hand, God fed them in the utter barrenness of the wilderness with Quail and Manna and water came out of the rock (Ex. 1-17).
Scripture has 5 names to describe the Tabernacle:
- It was called “a sanctuary” (Ex. 25:8), denoting that it was set apart for a holy God.
- “Tabernacle” (Ex. 25:9) reveals that it was the dwelling place of God among His people.
- “Tent” (Ex. 26:36) designated it as a temporary dwelling place of God.
- It was called “the tabernacle of the congregation” (Ex. 29:42) because it was where God met with His people.
- The final expression “the tabernacle of testimony” (Ex. 38:21), described the law given to Moses, which was kept in the ark of the covenant located in the holy of holies.
Concerning the 5th name, David M. Levy “What an appropriate appellation for the Tabernacle, which stood, as a testimony to Israel and the world of God’s truth and glory.”[1]
When Israel was safely placed in the Promised Land in Canaan, God instructed that a house be built by Solomon for the worship of God in Jerusalem in Mount Zion.
The psalmist is speaking of the blessing of His people with their God. Three thoughts he brings for us in that relationship:
(1) Satisfaction (v1-4)
(2) Strength (v5-8)
(3) Sufficiency (v9-12)
(1) Satisfaction (v1-4)
1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
The beautiful language that the psalmist describes of God’s House is the result of his experience. He wrote with such intensity and affinity for God’s house. It is altogether lovely. Therefore, it is his desire never to be away from His house. Never to be away from his God.
God’s house is described as lovely (v1). It satisfies the soul (v2).
He seemed to be away from the place of worship and he has that longing, even to the point of fainting to be in the house of the Lord. He seemed to be prevented from going to the house of God and he sought to be connected to be in the very presence with God’s people to worship his God.
This is a description of the awakened soul, who have tasted the goodness of God. Jesus gave the description of the blessed man of God when He said:
Matthew 5:3-6 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
The godly man is characterized by a poverty of spirit (v3), a mourner’s heart (v4), meekness (v5), an unquenchable thirst and hunger for learning and doing according to God’s word (v6).
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
It is also a place of rest (v3), a place of blessing (v4a) and a place of thanksgiving (v4b).
The sparrow is a common bird of little value. Yet, it finds in God’s house a special place of rest. All who may not be ‘great’ in the eyes of the world is, however, valuable in the sight of God. They would find rest in God.
The swallow is a bird that is most active, yet when it needs an abode to rear its young, God’s house provides that solace of shelter and security.
There is indeed cause for much thanksgiving for those who dwell in God’s house.
When Luther died, he left behind no estate. As he sets forth his will, he had “no ready money, no treasure of coin of any description.” But his life, changed by the deep study of God’s Word, was the blessed picture of a godly man. He was vastly more honoured and followed than all the princes of Germany! His 95 statements sparked off the Protestant Reformation.
His translation of the Bible into German showed the way to spiritual freedom and happiness to his people who had lived in spiritual darkness and misery for a thousand years. This revival spread all over Europe and the gospel light began to shine again.
This year we remember the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
(2) Strength (v5-8)
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. 6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
The man who trusts in God’s strength is blessed (v5). God provides nourishment for him even when he is in the midst of afflictions (v6). He who dwells with God increases in his strength (v7) and God hears his prayers (v8).
God cares for him and ensures that he grows spiritually as he spends time in worship.
The word man is the “adam”, the man made from the dust of the ground, feeble and sinful. Unless he is endued with God’s strength, he is wandering and lost.
But for the man who has a personal relationship with this living God, he will experience His nourishment even in times of great affliction. The word “Baca” means “weeping”. He shall be nourished in the valley moments of life.
What does it mean when the psalmist say, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee”?
He means as the psalmist says in Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
There is no doubt that God’s people who binds the truth about their neck and live by God’s laws will succeed with God’s help to overcome the most severe of trial. This understanding causes the psalmist to be established in his heart when he said again twice as he had sought for mercy, ‘My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.’
The renewal of his faith finds renewal of strength when he experienced the steadfastness of God in delivering him from yet another impasse caused him to break forth in singing of praise and thanksgiving. His heart is stirred to glory and praise God and to sound forth the testimony of God’s exceeding goodness to him so that others too may experience the joy of a close walk with God.
Our Lord Jesus sets for us the supreme example of endurance amidst sufferings and afflictions, Isaiah 53:7 ‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.’ We can come to Him to cast all our burdens upon Him in our every affliction.
Although the enemy King Saul, is very powerful, able to inflict grave harm, David was always on the run to avoid being javelined to death. He succeeded with God’s help through constant prayer and righteous conduct.
Our Lord Jesus said, ‘But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.’ (Luke 6:27-28)
He found strength in abiding in his God.
Jesus says to His disciples in John 15:4-8 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
(3) Sufficiency (9-12)
9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
God protects His children (v9). He is the irresistible choice of the humble (v10), and the Provider of every good thing (v11). God blesses the faithful (v12).
God is described as the sun because He gives the glory of His brightness to His children. And He supplies all that they need.
Shields were peculiar to the hand-to-hand warfare of ancient times. God is thought of as our shield that protects us.
He chooses rather to be a doorkeeper in God’s house, the lowly work of a servant, yet he will have nothing else. He will not seek after his own profit (in tents of wickedness) for he knows he will suffer loss.
Luke 9:23-26 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
As the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
God is ever ready to bless all who trust in Him and seek Him.
CONCLUSION
May the Lord help us to abide in Him moment by moment finding peace, joy and strength. Amen.
[1] David M. Levy, The Tabernacle – Shadows of the Messiah, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1993, 16.