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PSALM 84
STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| NASB | NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB |
| Longing For the Temple Worship MT Intro For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah |
The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God | Sons Praising Zion as the Longed-for Goal of the Pilgrim | Longing for God's House | Pilgrimage Sons |
| 84:1-4 | 84:1-2 | 84:1-2 | 84:1-4 | 84:1-2 |
| 84:3-4 | 84:3-4 | 84:3 | ||
| 84:4-5 | ||||
| 84:5-7 | 84:5-7 | 84:5-7 | 84:5-7 | |
| 84:6-7 | ||||
| 84:8-12 | 84:8-9 | 84:8-9 | 84:8-9 | 84:8-9 |
| 84:10-11 | 84:10-12 | 84:10-12 | 84:10 | |
| 84:11 | ||||
| 84:12 | 84:12 |
READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 84:1-4
1How lovely are Your
dwelling places,
O
Lord of hosts!
2My soul longed and
even yearned for the courts of the
Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for
joy to the living God.
3The bird also has
found a house,
And the swallow a nest for
herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4How blessed are
those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You.
Selah.
84:1 "lovely" This ADJECTIVE is literally "beloved" (BDB 391). Jerusalem, the city of the Great God, is beautiful, but even more, it is "beloved" (cf. Isa. 5:1; Jer. 11:15).
▣ "Your dwelling places" This is a parallel poetic relationship with Ps. 84:2. Therefore, it must refer to the courts of the temple in Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 43:3; 46:4), where God Himself chose to dwell (cf. Deut. 12:5,11,14,18,21,26; 14:23-25; 15:20; 16:2,6,11,15; 17:8,10; 18:6; 26:2; 31:11).
▣ "Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord of Hosts
84:2 This verse has three VERBS that describe how the psalmist feels about YHWH. It is very similar to another Psalm of Korah—Psalm 42 (also note Psalm 63).
This emotive language is very powerful. It reminds faithful followers of the wonderful personal side of fellowship with God. The goal is to be with Him! For Israelites that was linked to the temple. For NT believers it is linked to Jesus, the new temple (cf. John 2:18-22)!
▣ "the living God" This is a word play on the meaning of YHWH ("I Am Who I Am," cf. Exod. 3:14). The God of Israel is the ever-living, only-living God! (cf. Ps. 42:2).
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.
84:3 "bird" This can refer to two things, one literal and one symbolic.
▣ "Lord. . .God" Notice how these two most common titles/terms for Israel's Deity are put in a synonymous parallel relationship.
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C., D.
M SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY
▣ "My King" YHWH was the true "king" of the covenant people (cf. 1 Sam. 8:7). Biblical faith is not a democracy but a theocracy! Jesus put it well in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD
84:4 "How blessed are those who dwell in Your house" This Psalm is structured around the three uses of the term "blessed" (BDB 80, Ps. 84:4,5,12). It basically means "happy" (cf. Ps. 9:1). It could refer, in this context, to priests or to guests (cf. Ps. 23:6; 27:4-6; 65:4).
▣ "They are ever praising You" Praise characterizes YHWH's true followers (cf. Ps. 42:5,11).
"Ever" (BDB 728) is used often in this section of the Psalms (cf. Ps. 77:7; 78:17,30,32; 83:4). There is an eternal aspect to fellowship with YHWH (cf. Ps. 23:6)!
▣ "Selah" See notes at Ps. 3:2
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 84:5-7
5How blessed is the
man whose strength is in You,
In whose heart are the
highways to Zion!
6Passing through the
valley of Baca they make it a spring;
The early rain also covers it
with blessings.
7They go from
strength to strength,
Every one of them
appears before God in Zion.
84:5 "How blessed is the man whose. . ." This is terminology of Wisdom Literature. "Blessed" (BDB 80) is used 26 times in Psalms and 8 times in Proverbs. See note at Ps. 1:1.
SPECIAL TOPIC: WISDOM LITERATURE
▣ "In whose heart are the highways to Zion" Many commentators (and BDB) interpret this as a reference to pilgrims approaching the temple. Male Jews over the age of 21, who lived close enough and were able, were commanded to attend three annual feasts at the temple (i.e., Leviticus 23 and Exodus 23).
SPECIAL TOPIC: FEASTS OF ISRAEL
▣ "highways" This term (BDB 700) has wonderful connotations of restoration, both physically (i.e., from exile) and spiritually (i.e., coming of YHWH's special deliverer, Messiah).
The following is my note from Isaiah 19:23.
Isaiah 19:23 There will be a free-flowing movement between nations for the purpose of worshiping YHWH. The nations have come!
It is interesting how many times Isaiah uses the imagery of a highway.
- a highway for the exiled Jews to return, Isa. 11:16; 57:14
- a highway for Gentile worshipers to come, Isa. 19:23
- a highway of holiness, Isa. 26:7; 35:8; 43:19; 49:11; 51:10
- a Messianic highway, Isa. 40:3; 42:16
84:6 "Baca" The term (BDB 113) means "weeping." Some take this literally and apply it to a valley close to Jerusalem (i.e., 2 Sam. 5:22-24). Others take it symbolically as the problems encountered on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or a return from exile.
▣ "spring" This term (BDB 745), like "Baca," is taken by some as a literal site of water and by others as imagery for God's care on the journey.
▣ "early rain" The LXX and the Vulgate translate this (BDB 435) as "lawgiver" (cf. NASB margin note at Joel 2:23), which would be an allusion to YHWH's Sinaitic covenant (cf. Exodus 19-20). In this context it refers to the temple in Jerusalem.
| ▣ | |
| NASB, JPSOA, LXX, Peshitta | "blessings" |
| NKJV, NRSV, REB, TEV | "pools" |
| LXX | "the lawgiver" |
The MT has "blessings" (BDB 139), but the KJV has "pools" (BDB 140), parallel to the term "spring." This involves only a vowel change.
84:7 "from strength to strength" What does this unique phrase mean?
▣ "Every one of them appears before God in Zion" Again, the NASB and NKJV are interpreting this as a pilgrim's journey. See note below.
| ▣ | |
| NASB, NKJV, JPSOA | "before God in Zion" |
| NRSV, REB, TEV, LXX, Peshitta | "the God of gods will be seen in Zion" |
| NJB | "God shows Himself to them in Zion" |
The MT has "God (of gods) will be seen in Zion." The textual issue is how to view the beginning two Hebrew letters of the name/title Elohim in this context.
The UBS Text Project, p. 344, gives option #1 an "A" rating.
This is another allusion for pilgrims journeying to the temple for annual feast days.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 84:8-12
8O
Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob!
Selah.
9Behold our shield,
O God,
And look upon the face of Your
anointed.
10For a day in Your
courts is better than a thousand
outside.
I would rather stand at the
threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of
wickedness.
11For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The
Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12O
Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who
trusts in You!
84:8-9 Notice the different titles/names for Israel's Deity.
Using multiple titles/names for Israel's Deity is common in this book of the Psalter.
▣ There are four IMPERATIVES OF REQUEST used in two parallel lines.
These are prayer requests for YHWH to restore access to temple worship. Notice how the PLURALS of Ps. 84:4-7 return to the SINGULARS of Ps. 84:2-3! Many of the Psalms start out as individual prayers and concerns, but over time turned into liturgy of corporate worship.
Psalm 84:8-9 is a prayer for a person's restoration to temple worship and for this to come about by God strengthening and empowering Israel's king (Ps. 84:9b)!
84:8 "God of hosts" "Sabaoth" (BDB 838) usually has a military connotation (i.e., Joshua), "God, the commander of the heavenly army." In a Babylonian astral idolatry context it refers to the "stars." YHWH is the creator and controller of all heavenly lights.
84:9 "our shield" This is a title for God (cf. Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 18:2; 115:9-11) or Israel's king (i.e., Ps. 89:18).
▣ "Your anointed" This could refer to the High Priest (cf. Lev. 4:3; Zechariah 3-4), but probably the King (cf. Ps. 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:51; 132:10,17; 1 Sam. 2:35; 16:6; 2 Sam. 19:21). In Ps. 89:18 both "shield" and "king" are used of the King of Israel.
For "anointed" see SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE.
84:10 "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside" This is the use of the term "thousand" in a symbolic way (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND [eleph]). The comparison is not fully stated, "One day with YHWH in His temple is better than a thousand days anywhere else!" (i.e., Ps. 27:4).
▣ "the threshold" It is true that in the ancient world, the threshold (BDB 706) was viewed as potentially demon filled, especially in Roman culture. However, in this context it seems obvious that this is a comparative statement. The psalmist would rather be at the outskirts of the temple than in the plush comfort and hospitality of the wicked.
Some commentators try to make "threshold" (BDB 706) a title for the Levite gatekeepers (cf. 1 Chr. 9:19,22; 2 Chr. 23:4). I think "threshold" (cf. Jdgs. 19:27; 1 Kgs. 14:17; 2 Chr. 3:7) fits this context best.
▣ "tents of wickedness" This is an anachronism from the nomadic days of Israel. The opposite is expressed in Ps. 27:5-6.
84:11 "a sun" The Aramaic Targums interpret "sun" (BDB 1039) as "bulwark."
Battlement fits the parallelism with shield better.
The OT was reluctant to use "sun" in connection with YHWH because of the widespread worship of the sun in the ANE. If "sun" is original, then it is Canaanite imagery (i.e., Ugarit) that focuses on YHWH as light, truth, health, revelation, blessing, etc. Deity is described in this way in Isa. 60:19-20; Mal. 4:2; Rev. 21:23. He is the true, eternal light.
84:11-12 This is a summary of the believer's worldview. God is with us and for us, even when we are physically separated from the designated place of worship. To faithful followers YHWH
▣ Notice again the multiple names/titles for Israel's God.
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C. D.
| 84:11b | |
| NASB, NKJV, JPSOA, NJB, Peshitta | "grace and glory" |
| NRSV | "favor and honor" |
| REB | "grace and honor" |
| TEV | "kindness and honor" |
| LXX | "favor and glory" |
These are two major theological terms.
So, this is a wonderful group to be a part of. Here, it denotes pilgrims on a journey to the temple for a feast day.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
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