Psalm 84:1-5, 7, 9-12 NIV
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns,
even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
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,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
Look on our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Palm 84 is the inspiration of a favorite praise song of mine, "Better Is One Day" by Matt Redman. It's a psalm of pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem. Three times a year the whole nation of Israel came together in Jerusalem for the festivals required by the covenant with the Lord. They came for Passover, Pentecost and Sukkot, or the Festival of Booths. The psalm expresses a deep yearning to be at the temple, to be near the Lord.
My only experience that might parallel this is perhaps how we gather as an nation for Super Bowl. While maybe 70,000 to 100,000 actually see the contest live, over a million watch together on live broadcast. It's a time of excitement and joy, but also frustration. Our pilgrimage may only be down the block to visit a friend's Super Bowl party, but you feel like you are part of something the whole nation is into.
The psalmist dreams of being near the Lord at His holy temple. He envies the birds who nest in the temple high above the altar where Israel brings their offerings and sacrifices. He fantasizes how blessed it must be to work at the temple all year. He sees places along the way that reminds him he is getting closer. What are the signs along your journey that show you are getting closer to the of your heart's desire?
How often have I said I'd like to have been a fly on the wall at something special? How cool would it be to work security or tech at a rock concert and hang with the band? The psalmist has these fantasies trumped with his desire for the Lord.
I suppose our hope in heaven is like this deep desire expressed in Psalm 84. Our lives are a pilgrimage to the true throne room of God. Our journey is long and filled with many challenges before we reach our destination. The wonderful thing about being a pilgrim is that the very One we journey toward is journeying with us. The throne we hope to see with the countless multitudes, from every tribe, tongue, and nation, is within our hearts. Our hope gives us strength. Our Lord is our strength and shield.
Join the blessed as we journey as pilgrims in this life toward our hearts deepest desire, the presence of the Lord. No good thing does He withhold from those who worship Him.
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