Dave's Diary

Having contemplated Psalm 23 and 46 over the last two weeks, our attention now shifts to Psalm 84. Each day I’ll be inviting you to memorise a few verses of Psalm 84, and then to meditate on them through the day in light of the daily Psalm. This means repeating those few memorised verses to yourself and thinking about their meaning as it relates to the daily Psalm.

Daily Readings: Psalm 47 and Psalm 84.

You’re invited to memorise Psalm 84:1-2

“¹ How lovely is your dwelling-place,
    Lord Almighty!
² My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.“

First commit it to memory and then meditate on it in light of Psalm 47, and particularly v.2

“For the Lord Most High is awesome,
    the great King over all the earth.“

Psalm 47 extols the glories of God, the Lord Most High, the Great King over all the earth, whose authority and glory extend to every nation. In its lyrics, the Psalm conjours up a picture of the assembled multi-ethnic people of God clapping their hands in delight, shouting to God for joy, sounding trumpets, and singing their praises at the top of their lungs. While it might initially have been inspired by some great military victory of an earthly king of Israel, there is no doubt it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and points to the Messiah, Jesus, and His ascension. It points to the people of God gathered around the throne of heaven, worshiping Him as the High King of Heaven and the Great King over all the Earth.

When Psalm 84 expresses a longing to be in the lovely “dwelling place” of the “Lord Almighty” it’s because that is where the Psalmist feels it’s possible to encounter “the Living God”. He certainly loved the physical structure of the Temple, but he loved it not for its architecture or grandeur but rather because that was where he felt able to meet with God. The worship-encounter with the High King of Heaven and Earth was the truest desire of his “heart and flesh”!

Lord, awaken in me the same desire and longing to encounter you in worship. Awaken in me a sense of Your greatness and glory as the High King of Heaven and Earth, and a sense of awe and wonder that You would ever deign to meet me with mercy and accept me as your beloved child, despite my many failings and sins. I praise You, Almighty King and Lord of all. Amen.