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To the Director: On the Gittith.

A Psalm by the descendants of Korah.

Longing for God

84 How lovely are your dwelling places,
    Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
I desire and long
    for the Temple[a] courts of the Lord.
My heart and body[b] sing for joy
    to the living God.[c]
Even the sparrow found a house for herself
    and the swallow a nest
to lay[d] her young at your altar,
    Lord of the Heavenly Armies,
        my king and God.
How happy are those who live in your Temple,
    for they can praise you continuously.
Interlude

How happy are those whose strength is in you,
    whose heart is on your path.
They will pass through the Baca Valley
    where he will prepare a spring for them;
        even the early rain will cover it with blessings.
They will walk from strength to strength;
    each will appear before God in Zion.

Lord God of the Heavenly Armies, hear my prayer!
    Listen, God of Jacob!
Interlude

God, look at our shield,
    and show favor to your anointed,
10 for a day in your Temple[e] courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather stand
    at the entrance of God’s house
        than live in the tent of wickedness.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord grants grace and favor;
the Lord will not withhold any good thing
    from those who walk blamelessly.
12 Lord of Heavenly Armies,
    how happy are those who trust in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 84:2 The Heb. lacks temple
  2. Psalm 84:2 Lit. flesh
  3. Psalm 84:2 Or the God of life
  4. Psalm 84:3 Or to set up
  5. Psalm 84:10 The Heb. lacks temple

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