The writer of this Psalm, together with others, is on his way to the Temple, possibly after a long absence. Verse two expresses the longing in his heart: “My soul longs for, even faints for the courts of the Lord,” and in verse three, he envies the sparrows and the swallows that live there; built their nests there and raise their young there. ‘Longing’ means something you are crying out for; something that you feel you can’t live without.
Here is someone who is longing to be in the place of praise; the place where “they will still be praising You”. In his heart, he is thinking about how wonderful it must be to be there all the time; to ‘dwell’ there. The very thought of getting there fills his heart with joy and anticipation. Psalm 84 is punctuated with blessing! Verse four “Blessed are they who dwell in your house” verse five “Blessed is the man whose strength is in you,” and verse 12 “Blessed is the man who trusts in you.”
Wow! What a house! David says in Psalm 91 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, in Him will I trust.”
In Psalm 27, David praises God for victory in battle, strength in a time of trouble, and freedom from fear: verse four “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life…” verse five “for in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion…” Yes – we can say again “what a house”! What a blessing too is the truth that it is a prophetic picture of today’s church; the “…Temple of the living God” 2 Corinthians 6 v16.
Hebrews 3 v16 says that “…we are His House”. So praise Him right now. You are blessed – not only are you ‘in Christ’ but Christ is also ‘in you’. When we are together we can praise Him with “Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”. That is what we are longing for, but even now, wherever you are, you can “still be praising Him”. You are His dwelling place and in Christ, He is yours.
Be blessed and encouraged as you keep on praising.
Eddie.