PSALMS 84

READING CYCLE THREE(see “Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

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.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Many have assumed that this Psalm was written
by a Levite, who, for some reason, is estranged from the temple.

1. because of sickness

2. because of banishment

3. because the King has fled (cf. Ps. 84:9) and he
has gone with him

B. In this Psalm, fellowship with Israel’s God is
connected to the temple.

1. Your dwelling places, Ps. 84:1a – BDB 1015, cf.
Ps. 43:3; 132:5

2. the courts of YHWH, Ps. 84:2a – BDB 346, cf.
Ps. 65:4; 84:10; 96:8 100:4; 116:19; 135:2

3. Your altars, Ps. 84:3c – BDB 258

4. Your house, Ps. 84:4a

5. the highways to Zion, Ps. 84:5b, cf. Ps.
86:11; 122:1

6. appears before God in Zion, Ps. 84:7b, cf Ps.
42:2; Exod. 34:23; Deut. 16:16

7. Your courts, Ps. 84:10a, cf. #2

8. stand at the threshold of the house of my God (Eloah),
Ps. 84:10b – BDB 706, KB 765, Hithpoel
infinitive construct (used of “gatekeeper” in 1 Chr. 23:5)

C. Notice the different names/titles for Deity.

1. Lord
of hosts (YHWH Sabaoth), Ps. 84:1,3,12a

2. Lord
(YHWH), Ps. 84:2a,8a,11b

3. the living God (El), Ps. 84:2b, cf.
Deut. 5:26; Ps. 42:2

4. My King, Ps. 84:3d

5. My God (Elohim), Ps. 84:3d

6. God (El – Elohim, lit. “God of gods” or
with a change of vowels, “before God”), Ps. 84:7b

7. God (Elohim) of hosts, Ps. 84:8a

8. God (Eloah) of Jacob, Ps. 84:8b, cf. Ps.
46:7

9. God (Elohim), Ps. 84:9a

10. My God (Eloah), Ps. 84:10b

11. Lord
God (YHWH Elohim), Ps. 84:11a

Many of the Psalms of Asaph have multiple names/titles of God. See
SPECIAL
TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY. Each of these, and their combinations, had connotations
for Israelites.

D. This Psalm is similar in many ways to Psalm 42.
The sons of Korah, apparently a family of Levitical singers, also wrote it. The
father was Kohath, the choirmaster under David. They wrote Psalms 42-49; 84-85;
87-88.

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,” was is Israel (cf. Ps. 127:2).

▣ “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).

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).

1. My soul longed ‒ BDB 493, KB 490, Niphal perfect

2. my soul even yearned ‒ BDB 477, KB 476, Qal perfect, cf. Ps. 119:81

3. my heart and my flesh sing for joy ‒ BDB 943,
KB 1247, Piel imperfect, cf. Ps. 51:14

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).

See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY.

84:3 “bird” This can refer to two
things, one literal and one symbolic. The symbolic would mean that the psalmist
longs to be close to God in the temple—to dwell with God. The small helpless
bird symbolizes a person. The literal would mean that the birds have free access
even to the holiest places in the temple.

▣ “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?” See 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!

▣ “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.

▣ “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).

▣ “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.

1. a highway for the exiled Jews to return, Isa. 11:16; 57:14

2. a highway for Gentile worshipers to come, Isa. 19:23

3. a highway of holiness, Isa. 26:7; 35:8; 43:19; 49:11; 51:10

4. 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 a metaphor
of 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.

▣ “blessings” 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” The
NASB interprets these terms as provisions for the journey. It is possible to
translate these consonants as “height to height,” meaning ridge to ridge as one
approaches Jerusalem. One of my favorite commentators, Derek Kidner, Tyndale
OT Commentaries, vol. 16, p. 336, says he thinks it refers to the
excitement that pilgrims have as they come to the final phase of the journey to
the temple.

▣ “Every one of them appears before
God in Zion”
Again, the NASB and NKJV are interpreting this as a pilgrim’s journey. It is
possible to translate these consonants as “The God of gods (lit. El Elohim,
NRSV) will be seen in Zion” (LXX, Peshitta).

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 There are four imperatives used in two parallel lines.

1. hear ‒ BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal

2. give ear ‒ BDB 24, KB 27, Hiphil

3. behold ‒ BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal

4. look ‒ BDB 613, KB 661, Hiphil

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!

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.

▣ “Your anointed” This could refer to
the High Priest (cf. Lev. 4:3; Zechariah 3-4), but probably the King (cf. Ps.
2:2; 132:17; 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” (“sun,” שׁמשׁ, BDB 1039; “battlements,”
שׁמשׁתיך, BDB 1039, cf. Isa. 54:12). 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 a
metaphor that focuses on 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

1. is sun and shield

2. gives grace and glory

3. withholds no good thing (cf. Ps. 34:10b)

4. blesses those who (conditional element)

a. walk uprightly

b. trust Him

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.

1. Why was the psalmist away from the temple?

2. How is this Psalm related to Psalm 42?

3. Is the reference to “highways” (Ps. 84:5)
literal or symbolic?

4. Why is Ps. 84:6 so hard to translate?

5. To whom does the term “anointed” (Ps. 84:9b)
refer?

6. In what way(s) is YHWH like the “sun”? Why is
this analogy rare in the OT?

7. List the two conditions mentioned in Ps.
84:11-12. Is the covenant conditional or unconditional?

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