Original Meaning
The Heading (84:0)
SEE THE COMMENTS ON PSALM 81:0 regarding the heading. Psalm 84, however, is a psalm of the Sons of Korah rather than an Asaph composition. The Sons of Korah are associated with worship in the temple during the Solomonic period. Korah himself was one of the musicians appointed to lead the people’s worship at this temple in Jerusalem (1 Chr 6:16–47), and the literal “Sons of Korah” were appointed as gatekeepers of the tent of meeting before the building of the temple (1 Chr 9:17–22). So Korah and his sons are associated with the public worship of Yahweh in the central sanctuary. Second Chronicles 20:19 also describes the Korahites as one of the singing groups that led public worship in the temple during the reign of Jehoshaphat. It is this thoroughgoing association with corporate praise and the temple that probably led to the attribution of psalms to the “Sons of Korah.” For the purpose of our reading of the book of Psalms, the heading indicates a change of subgroup within Book 3. We have moved from the Asaphite collection, dominated by lament (Pss 73–83), to a Korahite collection that is more mixed in tone, including both praises and laments and both corporate and individual psalms (Pss 84–88, apart from Ps 86). Effectively, from the perspective of the editorial shape of Book 3, we move on to a different discussion in Psalms 84 and following. The laments over the loss of the temple and Jerusalem have been answered in Yahweh’s responses in Psalms 82 and 83, so the conversation moves on to consider other matters, namely, worship and what it means to walk with Yahweh.
Bridging Contexts
PRESENCE, SACRIFICE, AND FORGIVENESS. In some ways Psalm 84 is one of these passages of the Old Testament that subtly reveals to the Christian reader just how full and freeing is the redemption secured for the believer in Christ Jesus. Imagine the deep longing of the pilgrim believer who knows that in sacrificing on the altar in Jerusalem he receives forgiveness yet is also fully aware that, soon after leaving the temple sanctuary, he will require forgiveness and restoration again. That first flash of anger, that first ill-considered choice of words, thoughts that dishonor God—all these matters and a thousand beside place the pilgrim worshiper in need of redemption again. The believer is left needing the comfort of knowing that his sins are forgiven and that he is right with God again—hence the deep desire expressed by the pilgrim poet in verses 1–4 for God’s presence and for nearness to the altar, for it is at the altar that oneness with God is attained. I do not mean to imply that the Old Testament believer had no experience of forgiveness apart from sacrifice in the temple. There is substantial evidence in the Psalter itself that the Old Testament believer could and did experience the forgiveness of sins even apart from sacrifice in the temple (e.g., see Pss 50:15; 51:16–17 et al.). But inescapably, the Old Testament system of belief accentuates the cleansing of sins resulting from sacrifice, and this cleansing becomes irrevocably associated with the central sanctuary. So, it is easy to understand the poet’s longing for the experience of forgiveness secured before the “real” presence of God in the temple.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the rich fullness of forgiveness that is won for the believer through the work of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews speaks of Jesus as being a high priest in the line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who met with Abraham in Gen 14. The writer of this letter draws our attention to the fact that Jesus is a better high priest, a better sacrifice, and the guarantor of access before the throne of grace (Heb 7–10). The price for sin is paid once for all through the great sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross (Heb 9:23–28; 10:11–14); therefore, the significance of holy space is transformed for believers in the Christian era. We do not have to go to a special place to meet with God. Our longing for the presence of God is met by way of the sacrifice of Christ. We now have access into the very throne room of God’s presence because of the all-encompassing work of Jesus on the cross. So yes, we may share the same longing to meet with God as is expressed in Psalm 84, but our pilgrimage is not a physical one to Jerusalem; rather, a spiritual one in a Godward direction: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb 10:14). That one sacrifice has transformed our spiritual reality. We are made right with God and therefore can delight in immediate access into his presence. But, at the same time, we are still people who are “being made holy”—this transformation is our pilgrimage.
Psalm 84 in the New Testament. No direct citations from Psalm 84 are found in the New Testament, but the poem’s central theme is radically transformed through the ministry of Christ Jesus. The major threads running through this psalm are the ideas of pilgrimage and presence—access into the real presence of God. Both of these ideas are radically transformed in the New Testament. Not only is the concept of sacrifice and access completely fulfilled through the work of Jesus, but so too is the idea of pilgrimage.23
Being a pilgrim in the Christian era does not involve long journeys on foot to a particular holy place. From the time of Christ onward, for the community of faith pilgrimage has become basically equivalent to discipleship. Pilgrimage now is all about lifestyle choices. It is about choosing “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 et al.). Both of these ideas, presence and pilgrimage, are completely renewed through the work Jesus has done on behalf of humanity.
Contemporary Significance
IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WORSHIP. One message is absolutely clear in Psalm 84: public worship is vital to the spiritual experience of every believer! The delight of the psalmist in gathering together with the people of God is absolutely unmistakable. He desires to experience the presence of God amid the community of the saints. Clearly, he delights in the place of worship and celebrates pilgrimage together with the massed ranks of other believers. As far as the poet is concerned, the whole package of gathering with others to praise God and meet with him is a source of great joy and happiness (vv. 4–5).
Somehow, fellowship and public worship seem to have become optional in contemporary Christianity. The faith of the individual believer is elevated to such an extent that attending church to worship with other Christians has come to be seen as an act that is, at best, a chore and, at worst, completely unnecessary. The attitude of the psalmist explodes that myth with shouts of joy and great celebration as a massive community of the people of God gathers together for the sole purpose of meeting with him and praising his name! From the days of Abraham onward, to be a believer means to be in community, and we neglect that community at our own peril because worship in togetherness has always been part of biblical faith. Just as any pilgrim would be in great danger on the journey to Jerusalem were he or she to make that trip in isolation, so believers who separate themselves from fellowship place themselves in great danger with regard to their spiritual pilgrimage.
There is great happiness to be found in coming together with other believers to worship God (v. 4). There is great strength to be derived for the journey of discipleship by making the pilgrimage in community (vv. 5–7). Why then would people neglect meeting together with the family of believers? Such fellowship is a source of great joy and a reservoir of strength to keep going in the Christian faith, so let us “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
Holy space. Clearly, in Christ and through his sacrifice we enjoy real and immediate access to the presence of God wherever we are. The New Testament makes it plain that the Jerusalem temple is replaced in spiritual form by the body of Christ, that is, the universal church. Collectively, the family of believers is that point of access between God and the surrounding world. There is a real sense in which the church is designed to fulfill the idea of holy space that we see in Psalm 84 (Eph 2:11–22).
The psalmist longed to meet with God in the temple. The holy space of the temple precinct provided a forum in which business could be done with Yahweh—praises were sung, prayers voiced, sacrifices offered up, and sins forgiven. The holy space where all those things happened was the temple itself. As a physical site, it fulfilled an intermediary function as the place where people could meet with God and experience the reality of relationship with him. Today, the church of Christ fulfils that same intermediary function. We are not “space” in the same sense that the temple was a physical place, but the church is meant to provide the same sort of forum in which people can come to do business with God—where they too can praise and pray and hear the good news that sins can be forgiven and peace with God secured. The real question that every local community of faith has to answer is, do we genuinely provide an arena for the people around us to meet with God?
Another aspect of the question of holy space concerns the relationship between physical place and spiritual experience. Undoubtedly, there is no need for holy places in the life of the Christian. We do not need to make pilgrimage to specific holy places, be they particular meccas in our own country or elsewhere in the world. We are not obliged to visit the biggest churches or the most beautiful cathedrals. There is no sense that any particular place is more “holy” than another in the Christian economy. As in the Old Testament, God is everywhere, and because we can meet with God everywhere, every single place on this earth may be or become holy ground. Nevertheless, the fact that there is no need for holy places in our Christian reality does not mean we cannot benefit from the beauty or stillness or peace of particular places that can enhance our spiritual experience of God.
Many a climber describes the summit of a hill or mountain as a spiritual place. There is just something special about standing high enough to see all the beauty of creation displayed before you. Often mountaintops seem like sacred places, so in the ancient world shrines tended to be built on the tops of mountains. There is, therefore, a sense in which place can heighten our experience of God. Equally, many of us have probably sat in one of the great cathedrals of the world and understood why it was built as a meeting place with God. The length of the nave draws us forward to meet with God at the communion table and pulpit, and the height of the transept directs our attention upward to consider the Maker of heaven and earth. Perhaps there is a space in your house where you just find it easier to meditate, where, in some increased sense, you “feel” the presence of God. Or maybe there is a particular walk or view that inspires you to worship.
It may well be true that there is no need for particular holy places in the Christian faith, but we should be aware that physical space can influence our spiritual awareness. So, we should make the most of our environment and enjoy those places that heighten our awareness of God’s presence with us.24
Original Meaning
Dwelling with the Lord (84:1–4)
HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE, LORD ALMIGHTY. Psalm 84 begins with a eulogy to the beauty and benefits of dwelling in the presence of God. “Lovely” here is slightly misleading inasmuch as the root word points to the dwelling place of God as being “well loved” (yadid) rather than simply having aesthetic beauty. The latter may also be implied in the description of the divine sanctuary, but the root word and the context point more naturally to the psalmist’s response to the presence of God—he loves to be where God is, so the dwelling place of God is a beloved place in that sense. For the pilgrim people there may be an element of amazement at the beauty of the temple complex when it comes into view for the first time,2
but these opening verses speak more to the immense desire the psalmist voices (on behalf of the people) to be in the presence of God.3
There is an interesting juxtaposition of language in this opening verse of Psalm 84. The tone is very gentle and contemplative. It is focused on the delights of dwelling in the presence of God, yet the psalmist addresses his exclamation to the “LORD Almighty” (“Yahweh of Hosts [or ‘Armies’]”; see comments on Ps 80:4, 7, 14, 19). The contrast of foci is surprising, but the point seems quite clear. The God who is King dwells with his people. The Warrior God is also the God who meets with his people. It is a remarkable conjunction of imagery—the people love to dwell in the presence of the God of Armies. He may well be terrifying to all enemies, but those under his protection are attracted to his presence. There is an element of surprise in this opening verse, but its meaning is clarified by the parallel closing verse of Psalm 84. Those who dwell in the presence of the Lord of Hosts come under his blessing (v. 12)—that God is knowable and capable is the point of the surprising language of verse 1. Basically, the God whose presence the people love is also strong to hear and to answer prayers (v. 8) because he is the strong and sovereign King.
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD. This delight in God’s presence is expressed in terms of longing and desire. The language of the “soul” and “heart” and “flesh” is used to express the completeness of this desire. Every aspect of the psalmist’s being deeply yearns for the presence of the Lord, the Warrior God of Israel. There is nothing superficial about this longing—it is physical, spiritual, and emotional. It is positively all-consuming.
Even the sparrow has found a home. That the sparrow and swallow find their dwelling places in the temple courts furthers the psalmist’s expression of desire. The comparison here is the common Jewish association of the lesser to the greater. If the birds of the air can make their homes at the temple, how much more so should God’s people be able to do so? The reference to the sparrows and swallows is a reminder of something of the greatness of the Solomonic temple. It was a vast structure with outer and inner courts surrounded by walls and buildings of substantial stature. Birds would easily be able to make nests for themselves within the temple complex, and the pilgrim people would have witnessed their flight to and from their nests. So, the comparison is one that would come readily to mind: if swallow and sparrow can make their home there, how much more should the people of God be able to do so?
A place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. There is some debate in the commentaries regarding why birds would congregate near the place of the altar. It is, after all, a busy, smoky place where animals are sacrificed. For that reason, it seems to be an unlikely place for birds to find shelter.4
Focusing on this detail misses the point, however, inasmuch as the poet is not really thinking about birds—he is expressing his own desire! And once again, proximity is the focus of the poet’s desire. His longing is to be close to God, and the temple with its altar is the means by which this closeness can happen. The poet’s concern is not precision regarding where birds are found in the temple complex; rather, he uses birds as a literary device to express his own desire—to be near the place of sacrifice. The significance of the altar is, of course, its role in the restoration of relationship between God and his people. It is at the foot of the altar that sacrifices were made. Blood was sprinkled on that altar for the forgiveness of sins (Lev1–9). So, the psalmist’s longing is to dwell, like the birds, close to the altar, where forgiveness of sins may readily be sought and received.
We should note also the seeming dissonance of terminology used to describe the psalmist’s God in Psalm 84:3. Clearly, the psalmist’s desire is for presence with God, yet the language he uses to describe his God is the language of authority, not intimacy—“LORD Almighty, my King and my God.” But the terminology of verse 3 actually implies a strong degree of intimacy that goes beyond the distance of the titles Lord, King, and God. “LORD Almighty,” as it is translated in the NIV, literally means “Yahweh of Armies.” This imagery points to the great power of God in that he commands hosts of heavenly warriors, but this same God is Yahweh—a personal God who reveals himself to his people using a personal name. The comments from Terrence Fretheim are helpful:
Moreover, in God’s giving of God’s name (e.g. Exod 6:2–3), God thereby identifies himself as a personal, individual, distinctive member of the community of those who have names. In fact, naming entails a certain kind of relationship. Giving the name opens up the possibility for, indeed admits a desire for, a certain intimacy in relationship. A relationship without a name inevitably means some distance. Naming the name makes for a certain closeness of relationship, enabling truer encounter and communication. God and people can now meet and address one another, and at a level that makes for intimacy and depth.5
What is more, the powerful images of “King” and “God” are personalized by the psalmist’s confident declaration that he is talking about his King and God. The use of the personal pronoun “my” adds intimacy to the idea of approach before such an all-powerful being. This being is not just any king or God, but the poet’s King and God. “The titles, my king and my God (i.e., my personal guardian Deity), bring together the corporate and individual roles that Yahweh fulfills for the people.”6
So, despite the titles that may at first glance seem to distance God, the language of this verse really points toward intimacy of relationship with God for every singer of this psalm.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house. This statement summarizes the overall message of the opening verses. The pilgrim on his way to Jerusalem is excited by the possibility of being “physically” present before his God in the temple. We tend to take a spiritualized view of the idea of blessedness, but in reality the psalmist is simply pointing out that those who meet with God in his temple are happy. Hebrew uses two different words for the idea of blessing: baruk, which seems to have the more typically religious connotations of blessing, and ’ashre, which presents an image of happiness flowing from the experience of God’s goodness.7
The pilgrim poet’s thoughts are absorbed with the simple joy that there is to be found in relationship with God—happy are those who dwell in his presence. In the psalm’s original, historical context there is probably an element of delight in the protection provided by God’s house because Zion was seen as impregnable (Pss 46; 48), but the real joy is to be found in the ability to praise God continuously (Ps 84:4b).
Bridging Contexts
PRESENCE, SACRIFICE, AND FORGIVENESS. In some ways Psalm 84 is one of these passages of the Old Testament that subtly reveals to the Christian reader just how full and freeing is the redemption secured for the believer in Christ Jesus. Imagine the deep longing of the pilgrim believer who knows that in sacrificing on the altar in Jerusalem he receives forgiveness yet is also fully aware that, soon after leaving the temple sanctuary, he will require forgiveness and restoration again. That first flash of anger, that first ill-considered choice of words, thoughts that dishonor God—all these matters and a thousand beside place the pilgrim worshiper in need of redemption again. The believer is left needing the comfort of knowing that his sins are forgiven and that he is right with God again—hence the deep desire expressed by the pilgrim poet in verses 1–4 for God’s presence and for nearness to the altar, for it is at the altar that oneness with God is attained. I do not mean to imply that the Old Testament believer had no experience of forgiveness apart from sacrifice in the temple. There is substantial evidence in the Psalter itself that the Old Testament believer could and did experience the forgiveness of sins even apart from sacrifice in the temple (e.g., see Pss 50:15; 51:16–17 et al.). But inescapably, the Old Testament system of belief accentuates the cleansing of sins resulting from sacrifice, and this cleansing becomes irrevocably associated with the central sanctuary. So, it is easy to understand the poet’s longing for the experience of forgiveness secured before the “real” presence of God in the temple.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the rich fullness of forgiveness that is won for the believer through the work of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews speaks of Jesus as being a high priest in the line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who met with Abraham in Gen 14. The writer of this letter draws our attention to the fact that Jesus is a better high priest, a better sacrifice, and the guarantor of access before the throne of grace (Heb 7–10). The price for sin is paid once for all through the great sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross (Heb 9:23–28; 10:11–14); therefore, the significance of holy space is transformed for believers in the Christian era. We do not have to go to a special place to meet with God. Our longing for the presence of God is met by way of the sacrifice of Christ. We now have access into the very throne room of God’s presence because of the all-encompassing work of Jesus on the cross. So yes, we may share the same longing to meet with God as is expressed in Psalm 84, but our pilgrimage is not a physical one to Jerusalem; rather, a spiritual one in a Godward direction: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb 10:14). That one sacrifice has transformed our spiritual reality. We are made right with God and therefore can delight in immediate access into his presence. But, at the same time, we are still people who are “being made holy”—this transformation is our pilgrimage.
Psalm 84 in the New Testament. No direct citations from Psalm 84 are found in the New Testament, but the poem’s central theme is radically transformed through the ministry of Christ Jesus. The major threads running through this psalm are the ideas of pilgrimage and presence—access into the real presence of God. Both of these ideas are radically transformed in the New Testament. Not only is the concept of sacrifice and access completely fulfilled through the work of Jesus, but so too is the idea of pilgrimage.23
Being a pilgrim in the Christian era does not involve long journeys on foot to a particular holy place. From the time of Christ onward, for the community of faith pilgrimage has become basically equivalent to discipleship. Pilgrimage now is all about lifestyle choices. It is about choosing “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 et al.). Both of these ideas, presence and pilgrimage, are completely renewed through the work Jesus has done on behalf of humanity.
Contemporary Significance
IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WORSHIP. One message is absolutely clear in Psalm 84: public worship is vital to the spiritual experience of every believer! The delight of the psalmist in gathering together with the people of God is absolutely unmistakable. He desires to experience the presence of God amid the community of the saints. Clearly, he delights in the place of worship and celebrates pilgrimage together with the massed ranks of other believers. As far as the poet is concerned, the whole package of gathering with others to praise God and meet with him is a source of great joy and happiness (vv. 4–5).
Somehow, fellowship and public worship seem to have become optional in contemporary Christianity. The faith of the individual believer is elevated to such an extent that attending church to worship with other Christians has come to be seen as an act that is, at best, a chore and, at worst, completely unnecessary. The attitude of the psalmist explodes that myth with shouts of joy and great celebration as a massive community of the people of God gathers together for the sole purpose of meeting with him and praising his name! From the days of Abraham onward, to be a believer means to be in community, and we neglect that community at our own peril because worship in togetherness has always been part of biblical faith. Just as any pilgrim would be in great danger on the journey to Jerusalem were he or she to make that trip in isolation, so believers who separate themselves from fellowship place themselves in great danger with regard to their spiritual pilgrimage.
There is great happiness to be found in coming together with other believers to worship God (v. 4). There is great strength to be derived for the journey of discipleship by making the pilgrimage in community (vv. 5–7). Why then would people neglect meeting together with the family of believers? Such fellowship is a source of great joy and a reservoir of strength to keep going in the Christian faith, so let us “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
Holy space. Clearly, in Christ and through his sacrifice we enjoy real and immediate access to the presence of God wherever we are. The New Testament makes it plain that the Jerusalem temple is replaced in spiritual form by the body of Christ, that is, the universal church. Collectively, the family of believers is that point of access between God and the surrounding world. There is a real sense in which the church is designed to fulfill the idea of holy space that we see in Psalm 84 (Eph 2:11–22).
The psalmist longed to meet with God in the temple. The holy space of the temple precinct provided a forum in which business could be done with Yahweh—praises were sung, prayers voiced, sacrifices offered up, and sins forgiven. The holy space where all those things happened was the temple itself. As a physical site, it fulfilled an intermediary function as the place where people could meet with God and experience the reality of relationship with him. Today, the church of Christ fulfils that same intermediary function. We are not “space” in the same sense that the temple was a physical place, but the church is meant to provide the same sort of forum in which people can come to do business with God—where they too can praise and pray and hear the good news that sins can be forgiven and peace with God secured. The real question that every local community of faith has to answer is, do we genuinely provide an arena for the people around us to meet with God?
Another aspect of the question of holy space concerns the relationship between physical place and spiritual experience. Undoubtedly, there is no need for holy places in the life of the Christian. We do not need to make pilgrimage to specific holy places, be they particular meccas in our own country or elsewhere in the world. We are not obliged to visit the biggest churches or the most beautiful cathedrals. There is no sense that any particular place is more “holy” than another in the Christian economy. As in the Old Testament, God is everywhere, and because we can meet with God everywhere, every single place on this earth may be or become holy ground. Nevertheless, the fact that there is no need for holy places in our Christian reality does not mean we cannot benefit from the beauty or stillness or peace of particular places that can enhance our spiritual experience of God.
Many a climber describes the summit of a hill or mountain as a spiritual place. There is just something special about standing high enough to see all the beauty of creation displayed before you. Often mountaintops seem like sacred places, so in the ancient world shrines tended to be built on the tops of mountains. There is, therefore, a sense in which place can heighten our experience of God. Equally, many of us have probably sat in one of the great cathedrals of the world and understood why it was built as a meeting place with God. The length of the nave draws us forward to meet with God at the communion table and pulpit, and the height of the transept directs our attention upward to consider the Maker of heaven and earth. Perhaps there is a space in your house where you just find it easier to meditate, where, in some increased sense, you “feel” the presence of God. Or maybe there is a particular walk or view that inspires you to worship.
It may well be true that there is no need for particular holy places in the Christian faith, but we should be aware that physical space can influence our spiritual awareness. So, we should make the most of our environment and enjoy those places that heighten our awareness of God’s presence with us.24
Original Meaning
The Blessings of the Way (84:5–7)
PSALM 84:1–4 ANTICIPATES ARRIVAL in Jerusalem and the delights of worshiping God in the temple, but verses 5–7 address the joys and challenges of the pilgrims’ journey to Jerusalem.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you. Again, the Hebrew points to the root of true and lasting happiness in this statement. Happy are those whose strength is in God! Plain and simple. To use a modern idiom, “It’s not rocket science!” True and deep human happiness can never be found apart from right relationship with God the Creator. The image in verse 5a implies the need of God’s help for the way—the pilgrim people need to seek and find strength in their God. In its original context this implication would refer to the challenges and difficulties associated with pilgrimage to Jerusalem over long distances, challenging terrain, and all the other dangers implicit in journeying in the ancient world. But as the psalm has passed through the generations of God’s people and the concept of pilgrimage has become spiritualized, this verse has come to be seen as a truth for all who walk the paths of a life of faith. Just as the original pilgrims needed God’s help to reach Jerusalem, so also do today’s spiritual pilgrims need God’s strength if we are to go on in discipleship.8
Interestingly, this verse clearly implies God’s presence with and protection of his people even while they are away from Jerusalem and the temple. So although the poet speaks longingly of his desire to enjoy God’s special presence in Jerusalem, he is fully aware that God’s blessing and protection are with his people wherever they may be. This awareness really reflects the Old Testament’s theology of temple. From its beginning it was seen as a physical manifestation of God’s presence on earth, but with complete awareness that no building could conceivably contain the fullness of God, who is present everywhere (see 1 Kgs 8; 2 Chr 6). So, we see the juxtaposition of the psalmist’s longing to be in the temple (possibly associated especially with the cleansing found at the altar [Ps 84:3]) and his awareness that God’s blessing and strengthening are to be found anywhere at all.9
Whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. The Hebrew for verse 5b is somewhat elusive. Literally it reads, “Happy are those whose strength is in you, the highways are in their heart.” This ambiguous image has prompted much debate and many different translations over the years. Of course, although the language is opaque, the concept is not difficult: “Happy are those who find strength in God, who are committed to a life of pilgrimage toward him” is what the psalmist seems to be saying to us. Whether that commitment is evidenced by literal pilgrimage to Zion, as in the days of the psalmist, or spiritually by an attitude of devotion to God and willingness to change as part of the process of discipleship, does not really matter. The psalmist points us to the lifestyle of “the way”—a life of pilgrimage toward God. It is with such an attitude of heart that we experience the blessing and strengthening of God.10
As they pass through the Valley of Baka. Presumably, verse 6a refers to an actual valley that was part of the pilgrimage route to Jerusalem, but it is unclear which valley is in mind. The Hebrew baka’ seems to refer to “balsam trees,”11
but this referent remains obscure, for these kinds of trees are seldom mentioned in the Old Testament (2 Sam 5:23;1 Chr 14:13–16; NIV renders “poplar trees”), and there is no indication that they were characteristically associated with a particular valley or area.12
Because the similar, more common Hebrew word bakah means “weeping” or “tears,”13
this phrase in verse 6a is sometimes translated “the Valley of Tears” (see the LXX and NLT).14
If we are meant to understand this place as “the Valley of Tears,” then clearly, for some reason, it implies that the journey is not altogether easy and without its trials. The fact that there is blessing in gathering to worship in Jerusalem and that there is true happiness to be found in the pilgrimage to Zion does not mean that pilgrims are immune to all trouble. Whatever the cause, the imagery of verse 6 points to a hostile environment and difficult circumstances.
They make it a place of springs. The second part of this verse may be taken to affirm the opinion of those commentators who see “the Valley of Tears” as simply a dry and barren place and, therefore, a hostile environment for pilgrims to get through. The point is that the very presence of the pilgrims en route to Jerusalem transforms this challenging landscape into a more amenable place of streams and pools. In other words, the psalmist’s implication lies in the fact that those with a pilgrim’s heart are where they are—no matter how dry and barren that place is, their presence changes its landscape. The imagery for the succeeding generations who did not participate in the pilgrimage to Jerusalem remains poignant: God’s strengthening enables God’s people to make a positive impact on the difficult environment in which they live—wherever and whenever that environment may be.
They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Returning to the strength imagery of verse 5, the psalmist suggests two thoughts: (1) the vitality of God’s empowering, and (2) the completion of the pilgrimage. Although a different word for “strength” is used here in verse 7 (hayil, as opposed to ‘oz in v. 5), the two words are functional synonyms that both denote strength or power. The implication is that the pilgrims who have set their heart on the worship of Yahweh do not journey as others do, for they are equipped with divine strength. This gift enables them to complete the pilgrimage where others may have given up along the way. For the many generations for whom the pilgrimage had become spiritual rather than literal, this verse provides the same encouragement. God strengthens his people so that they can finish well. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6).
Bridging Contexts
PRESENCE, SACRIFICE, AND FORGIVENESS. In some ways Psalm 84 is one of these passages of the Old Testament that subtly reveals to the Christian reader just how full and freeing is the redemption secured for the believer in Christ Jesus. Imagine the deep longing of the pilgrim believer who knows that in sacrificing on the altar in Jerusalem he receives forgiveness yet is also fully aware that, soon after leaving the temple sanctuary, he will require forgiveness and restoration again. That first flash of anger, that first ill-considered choice of words, thoughts that dishonor God—all these matters and a thousand beside place the pilgrim worshiper in need of redemption again. The believer is left needing the comfort of knowing that his sins are forgiven and that he is right with God again—hence the deep desire expressed by the pilgrim poet in verses 1–4 for God’s presence and for nearness to the altar, for it is at the altar that oneness with God is attained. I do not mean to imply that the Old Testament believer had no experience of forgiveness apart from sacrifice in the temple. There is substantial evidence in the Psalter itself that the Old Testament believer could and did experience the forgiveness of sins even apart from sacrifice in the temple (e.g., see Pss 50:15; 51:16–17 et al.). But inescapably, the Old Testament system of belief accentuates the cleansing of sins resulting from sacrifice, and this cleansing becomes irrevocably associated with the central sanctuary. So, it is easy to understand the poet’s longing for the experience of forgiveness secured before the “real” presence of God in the temple.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the rich fullness of forgiveness that is won for the believer through the work of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews speaks of Jesus as being a high priest in the line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who met with Abraham in Gen 14. The writer of this letter draws our attention to the fact that Jesus is a better high priest, a better sacrifice, and the guarantor of access before the throne of grace (Heb 7–10). The price for sin is paid once for all through the great sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross (Heb 9:23–28; 10:11–14); therefore, the significance of holy space is transformed for believers in the Christian era. We do not have to go to a special place to meet with God. Our longing for the presence of God is met by way of the sacrifice of Christ. We now have access into the very throne room of God’s presence because of the all-encompassing work of Jesus on the cross. So yes, we may share the same longing to meet with God as is expressed in Psalm 84, but our pilgrimage is not a physical one to Jerusalem; rather, a spiritual one in a Godward direction: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb 10:14). That one sacrifice has transformed our spiritual reality. We are made right with God and therefore can delight in immediate access into his presence. But, at the same time, we are still people who are “being made holy”—this transformation is our pilgrimage.
Psalm 84 in the New Testament. No direct citations from Psalm 84 are found in the New Testament, but the poem’s central theme is radically transformed through the ministry of Christ Jesus. The major threads running through this psalm are the ideas of pilgrimage and presence—access into the real presence of God. Both of these ideas are radically transformed in the New Testament. Not only is the concept of sacrifice and access completely fulfilled through the work of Jesus, but so too is the idea of pilgrimage.23
Being a pilgrim in the Christian era does not involve long journeys on foot to a particular holy place. From the time of Christ onward, for the community of faith pilgrimage has become basically equivalent to discipleship. Pilgrimage now is all about lifestyle choices. It is about choosing “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 et al.). Both of these ideas, presence and pilgrimage, are completely renewed through the work Jesus has done on behalf of humanity.
Contemporary Significance
IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WORSHIP. One message is absolutely clear in Psalm 84: public worship is vital to the spiritual experience of every believer! The delight of the psalmist in gathering together with the people of God is absolutely unmistakable. He desires to experience the presence of God amid the community of the saints. Clearly, he delights in the place of worship and celebrates pilgrimage together with the massed ranks of other believers. As far as the poet is concerned, the whole package of gathering with others to praise God and meet with him is a source of great joy and happiness (vv. 4–5).
Somehow, fellowship and public worship seem to have become optional in contemporary Christianity. The faith of the individual believer is elevated to such an extent that attending church to worship with other Christians has come to be seen as an act that is, at best, a chore and, at worst, completely unnecessary. The attitude of the psalmist explodes that myth with shouts of joy and great celebration as a massive community of the people of God gathers together for the sole purpose of meeting with him and praising his name! From the days of Abraham onward, to be a believer means to be in community, and we neglect that community at our own peril because worship in togetherness has always been part of biblical faith. Just as any pilgrim would be in great danger on the journey to Jerusalem were he or she to make that trip in isolation, so believers who separate themselves from fellowship place themselves in great danger with regard to their spiritual pilgrimage.
There is great happiness to be found in coming together with other believers to worship God (v. 4). There is great strength to be derived for the journey of discipleship by making the pilgrimage in community (vv. 5–7). Why then would people neglect meeting together with the family of believers? Such fellowship is a source of great joy and a reservoir of strength to keep going in the Christian faith, so let us “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
Holy space. Clearly, in Christ and through his sacrifice we enjoy real and immediate access to the presence of God wherever we are. The New Testament makes it plain that the Jerusalem temple is replaced in spiritual form by the body of Christ, that is, the universal church. Collectively, the family of believers is that point of access between God and the surrounding world. There is a real sense in which the church is designed to fulfill the idea of holy space that we see in Psalm 84 (Eph 2:11–22).
The psalmist longed to meet with God in the temple. The holy space of the temple precinct provided a forum in which business could be done with Yahweh—praises were sung, prayers voiced, sacrifices offered up, and sins forgiven. The holy space where all those things happened was the temple itself. As a physical site, it fulfilled an intermediary function as the place where people could meet with God and experience the reality of relationship with him. Today, the church of Christ fulfils that same intermediary function. We are not “space” in the same sense that the temple was a physical place, but the church is meant to provide the same sort of forum in which people can come to do business with God—where they too can praise and pray and hear the good news that sins can be forgiven and peace with God secured. The real question that every local community of faith has to answer is, do we genuinely provide an arena for the people around us to meet with God?
Another aspect of the question of holy space concerns the relationship between physical place and spiritual experience. Undoubtedly, there is no need for holy places in the life of the Christian. We do not need to make pilgrimage to specific holy places, be they particular meccas in our own country or elsewhere in the world. We are not obliged to visit the biggest churches or the most beautiful cathedrals. There is no sense that any particular place is more “holy” than another in the Christian economy. As in the Old Testament, God is everywhere, and because we can meet with God everywhere, every single place on this earth may be or become holy ground. Nevertheless, the fact that there is no need for holy places in our Christian reality does not mean we cannot benefit from the beauty or stillness or peace of particular places that can enhance our spiritual experience of God.
Many a climber describes the summit of a hill or mountain as a spiritual place. There is just something special about standing high enough to see all the beauty of creation displayed before you. Often mountaintops seem like sacred places, so in the ancient world shrines tended to be built on the tops of mountains. There is, therefore, a sense in which place can heighten our experience of God. Equally, many of us have probably sat in one of the great cathedrals of the world and understood why it was built as a meeting place with God. The length of the nave draws us forward to meet with God at the communion table and pulpit, and the height of the transept directs our attention upward to consider the Maker of heaven and earth. Perhaps there is a space in your house where you just find it easier to meditate, where, in some increased sense, you “feel” the presence of God. Or maybe there is a particular walk or view that inspires you to worship.
It may well be true that there is no need for particular holy places in the Christian faith, but we should be aware that physical space can influence our spiritual awareness. So, we should make the most of our environment and enjoy those places that heighten our awareness of God’s presence with us.24
Original Meaning
The Psalmist’s Prayer (84:8–9)
THE NEXT SECTION OF THE PSALM moves from celebration of the delights of God’s presence to a prayer for protection in behalf of the king. These verses are perhaps a surprising interlude in the flow of the psalm, but we should remember that the king was intrinsic to temple worship in the days before the exile of Judah.
Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty. The prayer for the king is marked by great sincerity and earnestness. The psalmist beseeches God—again, presented as the Lord of Armies—to hear his prayer. The serious tone of the prayer indicates that the psalmist is fully aware of the importance of the king’s role as the sponsor of temple worship.
Look on our shield, O God. Verse 9 indicates the role of the king as vicegerent and, in some sense, representative of Yahweh on earth. The description of the king as a “shield” echoes the psalmist’s later description of God as a “sun and shield” (v. 11), indicating that the king bears responsibility to fulfill the purposes of God on earth. Ultimately, of course, the poet sees Yahweh as both light for and protector of the people, but the prayer indicates that the Davidic king—as representative of Yahweh’s order on earth—also plays his role in protecting the people and securing access for worship in the temple.15
In the period after the exile, this prayer would probably be offered in behalf of the high priest, who was the senior figure with regard to worship in the Second Temple.
Bridging Contexts
PRESENCE, SACRIFICE, AND FORGIVENESS. In some ways Psalm 84 is one of these passages of the Old Testament that subtly reveals to the Christian reader just how full and freeing is the redemption secured for the believer in Christ Jesus. Imagine the deep longing of the pilgrim believer who knows that in sacrificing on the altar in Jerusalem he receives forgiveness yet is also fully aware that, soon after leaving the temple sanctuary, he will require forgiveness and restoration again. That first flash of anger, that first ill-considered choice of words, thoughts that dishonor God—all these matters and a thousand beside place the pilgrim worshiper in need of redemption again. The believer is left needing the comfort of knowing that his sins are forgiven and that he is right with God again—hence the deep desire expressed by the pilgrim poet in verses 1–4 for God’s presence and for nearness to the altar, for it is at the altar that oneness with God is attained. I do not mean to imply that the Old Testament believer had no experience of forgiveness apart from sacrifice in the temple. There is substantial evidence in the Psalter itself that the Old Testament believer could and did experience the forgiveness of sins even apart from sacrifice in the temple (e.g., see Pss 50:15; 51:16–17 et al.). But inescapably, the Old Testament system of belief accentuates the cleansing of sins resulting from sacrifice, and this cleansing becomes irrevocably associated with the central sanctuary. So, it is easy to understand the poet’s longing for the experience of forgiveness secured before the “real” presence of God in the temple.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the rich fullness of forgiveness that is won for the believer through the work of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews speaks of Jesus as being a high priest in the line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who met with Abraham in Gen 14. The writer of this letter draws our attention to the fact that Jesus is a better high priest, a better sacrifice, and the guarantor of access before the throne of grace (Heb 7–10). The price for sin is paid once for all through the great sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross (Heb 9:23–28; 10:11–14); therefore, the significance of holy space is transformed for believers in the Christian era. We do not have to go to a special place to meet with God. Our longing for the presence of God is met by way of the sacrifice of Christ. We now have access into the very throne room of God’s presence because of the all-encompassing work of Jesus on the cross. So yes, we may share the same longing to meet with God as is expressed in Psalm 84, but our pilgrimage is not a physical one to Jerusalem; rather, a spiritual one in a Godward direction: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb 10:14). That one sacrifice has transformed our spiritual reality. We are made right with God and therefore can delight in immediate access into his presence. But, at the same time, we are still people who are “being made holy”—this transformation is our pilgrimage.
Psalm 84 in the New Testament. No direct citations from Psalm 84 are found in the New Testament, but the poem’s central theme is radically transformed through the ministry of Christ Jesus. The major threads running through this psalm are the ideas of pilgrimage and presence—access into the real presence of God. Both of these ideas are radically transformed in the New Testament. Not only is the concept of sacrifice and access completely fulfilled through the work of Jesus, but so too is the idea of pilgrimage.23
Being a pilgrim in the Christian era does not involve long journeys on foot to a particular holy place. From the time of Christ onward, for the community of faith pilgrimage has become basically equivalent to discipleship. Pilgrimage now is all about lifestyle choices. It is about choosing “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 et al.). Both of these ideas, presence and pilgrimage, are completely renewed through the work Jesus has done on behalf of humanity.
Contemporary Significance
IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WORSHIP. One message is absolutely clear in Psalm 84: public worship is vital to the spiritual experience of every believer! The delight of the psalmist in gathering together with the people of God is absolutely unmistakable. He desires to experience the presence of God amid the community of the saints. Clearly, he delights in the place of worship and celebrates pilgrimage together with the massed ranks of other believers. As far as the poet is concerned, the whole package of gathering with others to praise God and meet with him is a source of great joy and happiness (vv. 4–5).
Somehow, fellowship and public worship seem to have become optional in contemporary Christianity. The faith of the individual believer is elevated to such an extent that attending church to worship with other Christians has come to be seen as an act that is, at best, a chore and, at worst, completely unnecessary. The attitude of the psalmist explodes that myth with shouts of joy and great celebration as a massive community of the people of God gathers together for the sole purpose of meeting with him and praising his name! From the days of Abraham onward, to be a believer means to be in community, and we neglect that community at our own peril because worship in togetherness has always been part of biblical faith. Just as any pilgrim would be in great danger on the journey to Jerusalem were he or she to make that trip in isolation, so believers who separate themselves from fellowship place themselves in great danger with regard to their spiritual pilgrimage.
There is great happiness to be found in coming together with other believers to worship God (v. 4). There is great strength to be derived for the journey of discipleship by making the pilgrimage in community (vv. 5–7). Why then would people neglect meeting together with the family of believers? Such fellowship is a source of great joy and a reservoir of strength to keep going in the Christian faith, so let us “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
Holy space. Clearly, in Christ and through his sacrifice we enjoy real and immediate access to the presence of God wherever we are. The New Testament makes it plain that the Jerusalem temple is replaced in spiritual form by the body of Christ, that is, the universal church. Collectively, the family of believers is that point of access between God and the surrounding world. There is a real sense in which the church is designed to fulfill the idea of holy space that we see in Psalm 84 (Eph 2:11–22).
The psalmist longed to meet with God in the temple. The holy space of the temple precinct provided a forum in which business could be done with Yahweh—praises were sung, prayers voiced, sacrifices offered up, and sins forgiven. The holy space where all those things happened was the temple itself. As a physical site, it fulfilled an intermediary function as the place where people could meet with God and experience the reality of relationship with him. Today, the church of Christ fulfils that same intermediary function. We are not “space” in the same sense that the temple was a physical place, but the church is meant to provide the same sort of forum in which people can come to do business with God—where they too can praise and pray and hear the good news that sins can be forgiven and peace with God secured. The real question that every local community of faith has to answer is, do we genuinely provide an arena for the people around us to meet with God?
Another aspect of the question of holy space concerns the relationship between physical place and spiritual experience. Undoubtedly, there is no need for holy places in the life of the Christian. We do not need to make pilgrimage to specific holy places, be they particular meccas in our own country or elsewhere in the world. We are not obliged to visit the biggest churches or the most beautiful cathedrals. There is no sense that any particular place is more “holy” than another in the Christian economy. As in the Old Testament, God is everywhere, and because we can meet with God everywhere, every single place on this earth may be or become holy ground. Nevertheless, the fact that there is no need for holy places in our Christian reality does not mean we cannot benefit from the beauty or stillness or peace of particular places that can enhance our spiritual experience of God.
Many a climber describes the summit of a hill or mountain as a spiritual place. There is just something special about standing high enough to see all the beauty of creation displayed before you. Often mountaintops seem like sacred places, so in the ancient world shrines tended to be built on the tops of mountains. There is, therefore, a sense in which place can heighten our experience of God. Equally, many of us have probably sat in one of the great cathedrals of the world and understood why it was built as a meeting place with God. The length of the nave draws us forward to meet with God at the communion table and pulpit, and the height of the transept directs our attention upward to consider the Maker of heaven and earth. Perhaps there is a space in your house where you just find it easier to meditate, where, in some increased sense, you “feel” the presence of God. Or maybe there is a particular walk or view that inspires you to worship.
It may well be true that there is no need for particular holy places in the Christian faith, but we should be aware that physical space can influence our spiritual awareness. So, we should make the most of our environment and enjoy those places that heighten our awareness of God’s presence with us.24
Original Meaning
The Locus of Hope (84:10–12)
THE POEM CONCLUDES WITH THE PSALMIST’S declaration that it is better to be in the presence of God than anywhere else.
Better is one day in your courts. The poet’s longing for the special presence of God in the temple is fully reflected in this statement of priorities. One day in the “real” presence of God in the Jerusalem temple is better than a thousand days spent anywhere else. This statement shows the real heart of the pilgrim worshiper whose normal daily existence is far from the temple, and it indicates just how precious these times of festal worship were to the genuine believer. The hyperbole of the “one” to “one thousand” comparison is designed to challenge the readers to consider just what is of ultimate importance in their lives. That one day with God is better than a thousand without him becomes another metaphor for lifestyle choices for all those readers living in the period after the great pilgrimage festivals ceased to exist. All who recite this psalm are challenged to think about where their priorities lie.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God. The reference to the doorkeeper in verse 10b is probably not meant to refer to the Levitical office of doorkeeper (1 Chr 26). This task was one which only the Levitical priests could fulfill, not one that could be taken up by the vast majority of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. It is more likely that the reference to being a doorkeeper in the house of Yahweh speaks about the long queues of worshipers waiting to enter the temple compound to make sacrifices for their sins. Again, the poet is saying that it is better to be here, waiting to enter the place of sacrifice as an act of devotion to God, than to be among those who refuse to devote themselves to Yahweh. Kraus sees this statement as saying, “I would rather lie at the border of the sacred area as a pilgrim who desires to enter and is waiting than to be far from God and to live in the [tents of the wicked].”16
The psalmist does not specify where or what the “tents of the wicked” might be. Some people see this phrase as a reference to the gentile nations, but such specificity is unmerited.17
The “tents of the wicked” simply refers to the community of people who refuse to worship Yahweh and seek his presence. It may well be that the reference to the “tents” of the wicked is a critique of those who reject pilgrimage. The wicked are those who refuse to participate in the journey of pilgrimage toward God—they prefer to remain in their tents. Whether or not this view is correct, the “tents of the wicked” clearly stand in opposition to the “house of my God,” and the psalmist knows without a doubt where he would rather be.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield. Verse 11 crystallizes the hope that is evident throughout the psalm. In the whole poem we note a tone of confidence despite even difficult circumstances, and it is here we come to see just why the poet is so sure that ultimately all will be well. Verse 11 gives three good reasons for confidence that also act as a spur to all those who recite this psalm. First, Yahweh is a sun and shield for the pilgrim people of God. The two images, of course, speak of light and protection. Nowhere else in the Old Testament is Yahweh referred to as a “sun,” so the reference in this verse results in some debate among commentators regarding the translation of this phrase.18
Nevertheless, images that speak of God as being or giving light are not uncommon in the Psalter (e.g., Pss 27:1; 36:9; 43:3 et al.)19
and, in the context of the pilgrimage theme, make abundant sense. Particularly in the ancient world, where roads (such as they were) were rough and artificial sources of light were not practicable for journeying, the idea of God’s being sun to his people is a particularly evocative image. He gives the light that pilgrims need to make the journey to Jerusalem and, for the postexilic generations who have sung this psalm, he provides the light (i.e., wisdom) they need to live life. The image of God as shield is a common one in the book of Psalms (Pss 3:3; 5:12;20
7:10; 18:1 et al.) and communicates the reassuring message that God watches over and protects his people in all circumstances.
The LORD bestows favor and honor. Second, we see that God is not begrudging in his care for his people. He freely grants both grace and glory to all those who walk in his ways and seek to worship him properly. These two Hebrew words (hen and kabod) both speak to the blessing of God. Hen is the grace or favor of God, and kabod (“glory”) means that this honor is poured out visibly on the recipient for all to see.
No good thing does he withhold. Third, the psalmist summarizes the blessings of the Lord in the fact that his generosity is without compass or measure. It is this all-encompassing blessing that gives the psalmist and the pilgrim people of God great confidence that their pilgrimage is not in vain. Yahweh, their God, generously gives them everything they need to be able to walk in his ways. For the original festal community, this declaration implied God’s protection and provision during the journey to Jerusalem. For postexilic communities of faith, these assurances are spiritualized, thus providing confidence that God will be an ever-present help throughout the pilgrimage that is a life of discipleship. Mays sums up this verse beautifully:
The Lord is the living God, a title that means “lively,” as the giver of life, rather than “alive,” as opposite of dead. God is sun, the source of life, and shield, the protection of life (v. 11). God gives grace and glory; the good in life comes from the Lord. He is, says the psalm, “my king and my God,” a double title that means something like “the sovereign power of the universe and the center of my personal life, the one who makes all things cohere for the life I have to live.” To draw near to such a God is the summum bonum. Pilgrimage to God’s place is a profound symbol of the centering and direction of all life.21
From those whose walk is blameless. The three images of God’s rich blessing serve as reminders to the people of God that encourage them to continue in the way of pilgrimage. These blessings are open to all whose walk is blameless (v. 11). In the contemporary world, the notion of blamelessness is one that we associate with innocence or perfection; however, the Hebrew word tamim implies wholeness or integrity.22
“Those whose walk is blameless” is not referring to those whose walk is perfect but, instead, to all those individuals who seek honestly to walk in the ways of the Lord. So, the blessings of verse 11 are available to all those who are committed to live a lifestyle (“walk”) that genuinely seeks to please God.
Blessed is the one who trusts in you. Psalm 84 closes with another beatitude (cf. vv. 4–5). Echoing the sentiments of the previous blessing statements, verse 12 points to the source of true happiness as being found in an attitude of dependence on the Lord of Hosts (“LORD Almighty” in the NIV). Just as those who dwell in the house of the Lord find happiness (v. 4), as do all those who find the strength in God (v. 5), so also, according to the psalmist’s closing reminder, does the truly blessed person who trusts in Yahweh, the God who commands armies. The final two verses of Ps 84 provide readers of every generation with a powerful motivation for prayer. First, we see in verse 11 the goodness of God and his generosity toward his people. Then, in verse 12 we are reminded that this good and generous God is also “Yahweh tseba’ot”—the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies. Because he is the God who reigns, not only is he inclined to do good toward people, but he is also capable of ordering all circumstances for their benefit! Surely trust in him brings great blessing.
Bridging Contexts
PRESENCE, SACRIFICE, AND FORGIVENESS. In some ways Psalm 84 is one of these passages of the Old Testament that subtly reveals to the Christian reader just how full and freeing is the redemption secured for the believer in Christ Jesus. Imagine the deep longing of the pilgrim believer who knows that in sacrificing on the altar in Jerusalem he receives forgiveness yet is also fully aware that, soon after leaving the temple sanctuary, he will require forgiveness and restoration again. That first flash of anger, that first ill-considered choice of words, thoughts that dishonor God—all these matters and a thousand beside place the pilgrim worshiper in need of redemption again. The believer is left needing the comfort of knowing that his sins are forgiven and that he is right with God again—hence the deep desire expressed by the pilgrim poet in verses 1–4 for God’s presence and for nearness to the altar, for it is at the altar that oneness with God is attained. I do not mean to imply that the Old Testament believer had no experience of forgiveness apart from sacrifice in the temple. There is substantial evidence in the Psalter itself that the Old Testament believer could and did experience the forgiveness of sins even apart from sacrifice in the temple (e.g., see Pss 50:15; 51:16–17 et al.). But inescapably, the Old Testament system of belief accentuates the cleansing of sins resulting from sacrifice, and this cleansing becomes irrevocably associated with the central sanctuary. So, it is easy to understand the poet’s longing for the experience of forgiveness secured before the “real” presence of God in the temple.
The book of Hebrews emphasizes the rich fullness of forgiveness that is won for the believer through the work of Jesus on the cross. Hebrews speaks of Jesus as being a high priest in the line of Melchizedek, the priest-king who met with Abraham in Gen 14. The writer of this letter draws our attention to the fact that Jesus is a better high priest, a better sacrifice, and the guarantor of access before the throne of grace (Heb 7–10). The price for sin is paid once for all through the great sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross (Heb 9:23–28; 10:11–14); therefore, the significance of holy space is transformed for believers in the Christian era. We do not have to go to a special place to meet with God. Our longing for the presence of God is met by way of the sacrifice of Christ. We now have access into the very throne room of God’s presence because of the all-encompassing work of Jesus on the cross. So yes, we may share the same longing to meet with God as is expressed in Psalm 84, but our pilgrimage is not a physical one to Jerusalem; rather, a spiritual one in a Godward direction: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb 10:14). That one sacrifice has transformed our spiritual reality. We are made right with God and therefore can delight in immediate access into his presence. But, at the same time, we are still people who are “being made holy”—this transformation is our pilgrimage.
Psalm 84 in the New Testament. No direct citations from Psalm 84 are found in the New Testament, but the poem’s central theme is radically transformed through the ministry of Christ Jesus. The major threads running through this psalm are the ideas of pilgrimage and presence—access into the real presence of God. Both of these ideas are radically transformed in the New Testament. Not only is the concept of sacrifice and access completely fulfilled through the work of Jesus, but so too is the idea of pilgrimage.23
Being a pilgrim in the Christian era does not involve long journeys on foot to a particular holy place. From the time of Christ onward, for the community of faith pilgrimage has become basically equivalent to discipleship. Pilgrimage now is all about lifestyle choices. It is about choosing “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 et al.). Both of these ideas, presence and pilgrimage, are completely renewed through the work Jesus has done on behalf of humanity.
Contemporary Significance
IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNITY WORSHIP. One message is absolutely clear in Psalm 84: public worship is vital to the spiritual experience of every believer! The delight of the psalmist in gathering together with the people of God is absolutely unmistakable. He desires to experience the presence of God amid the community of the saints. Clearly, he delights in the place of worship and celebrates pilgrimage together with the massed ranks of other believers. As far as the poet is concerned, the whole package of gathering with others to praise God and meet with him is a source of great joy and happiness (vv. 4–5).
Somehow, fellowship and public worship seem to have become optional in contemporary Christianity. The faith of the individual believer is elevated to such an extent that attending church to worship with other Christians has come to be seen as an act that is, at best, a chore and, at worst, completely unnecessary. The attitude of the psalmist explodes that myth with shouts of joy and great celebration as a massive community of the people of God gathers together for the sole purpose of meeting with him and praising his name! From the days of Abraham onward, to be a believer means to be in community, and we neglect that community at our own peril because worship in togetherness has always been part of biblical faith. Just as any pilgrim would be in great danger on the journey to Jerusalem were he or she to make that trip in isolation, so believers who separate themselves from fellowship place themselves in great danger with regard to their spiritual pilgrimage.
There is great happiness to be found in coming together with other believers to worship God (v. 4). There is great strength to be derived for the journey of discipleship by making the pilgrimage in community (vv. 5–7). Why then would people neglect meeting together with the family of believers? Such fellowship is a source of great joy and a reservoir of strength to keep going in the Christian faith, so let us “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
Holy space. Clearly, in Christ and through his sacrifice we enjoy real and immediate access to the presence of God wherever we are. The New Testament makes it plain that the Jerusalem temple is replaced in spiritual form by the body of Christ, that is, the universal church. Collectively, the family of believers is that point of access between God and the surrounding world. There is a real sense in which the church is designed to fulfill the idea of holy space that we see in Psalm 84 (Eph 2:11–22).
The psalmist longed to meet with God in the temple. The holy space of the temple precinct provided a forum in which business could be done with Yahweh—praises were sung, prayers voiced, sacrifices offered up, and sins forgiven. The holy space where all those things happened was the temple itself. As a physical site, it fulfilled an intermediary function as the place where people could meet with God and experience the reality of relationship with him. Today, the church of Christ fulfils that same intermediary function. We are not “space” in the same sense that the temple was a physical place, but the church is meant to provide the same sort of forum in which people can come to do business with God—where they too can praise and pray and hear the good news that sins can be forgiven and peace with God secured. The real question that every local community of faith has to answer is, do we genuinely provide an arena for the people around us to meet with God?
Another aspect of the question of holy space concerns the relationship between physical place and spiritual experience. Undoubtedly, there is no need for holy places in the life of the Christian. We do not need to make pilgrimage to specific holy places, be they particular meccas in our own country or elsewhere in the world. We are not obliged to visit the biggest churches or the most beautiful cathedrals. There is no sense that any particular place is more “holy” than another in the Christian economy. As in the Old Testament, God is everywhere, and because we can meet with God everywhere, every single place on this earth may be or become holy ground. Nevertheless, the fact that there is no need for holy places in our Christian reality does not mean we cannot benefit from the beauty or stillness or peace of particular places that can enhance our spiritual experience of God.
Many a climber describes the summit of a hill or mountain as a spiritual place. There is just something special about standing high enough to see all the beauty of creation displayed before you. Often mountaintops seem like sacred places, so in the ancient world shrines tended to be built on the tops of mountains. There is, therefore, a sense in which place can heighten our experience of God. Equally, many of us have probably sat in one of the great cathedrals of the world and understood why it was built as a meeting place with God. The length of the nave draws us forward to meet with God at the communion table and pulpit, and the height of the transept directs our attention upward to consider the Maker of heaven and earth. Perhaps there is a space in your house where you just find it easier to meditate, where, in some increased sense, you “feel” the presence of God. Or maybe there is a particular walk or view that inspires you to worship.
It may well be true that there is no need for particular holy places in the Christian faith, but we should be aware that physical space can influence our spiritual awareness. So, we should make the most of our environment and enjoy those places that heighten our awareness of God’s presence with us.24
HALOT 1:129.
HALOT 2:1748–50.