In this happy psalm, the psalmist glories in coming to and spending time in the house of the Lord. He longs for the Lord who is his sun and shield. He has full confidence in God’s blessings on those who trust in Him. Let us go with the psalmist into the glorious presence of God and enjoy our time with Him.

What Does It Say?

1.   “How ___________ are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!”
2. The ________ has found a house and the ________ has found a nest for herself among the altars of the temple.
3.   “Behold, O God our _________, and look upon the face of thine ___________.”
4. The Lord is a sun and _________; He will give grace and ________.
5.   “O LORD of hosts, ________ is the man that trusteth in thee.”

What Does It Mean?

1. In Psalm 84: 6, God speaks of His blessings on the man who makes the Lord His strength (verse 5) in a strange way: “”Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.” Baca means “weeping” and weeping is usually associated with sorrow. Yet, when the saints pass through this valley, they make it a well—a source of water and refreshment. What would it mean to pass through the valley of Baca in a spiritual sense? How does this valley become a well? What is the meaning of this picture?
2. In Psalm 84:5Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
   See All..., the psalmist declares, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee,” and in Psalm 84:7They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
   See All... he further states, “They go from strength to strength.” Give an explanation of these statements. What does it mean to have our strength in the Lord? What does it mean to go from strength to strength? Can you think of any examples of going from strength to strength?
3. Psalm 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
   See All... says of the Lord, “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Yet, in our earthly lives, there are times when this seems to be wrong. What does this statement mean? How do we apply it to our own lives?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. What is the long referred to in Psalm 84:2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
   See All...? Why is the psalmist drawn by the courts of the Lord? Why does he cry out for the living God? In what ways should we have the same longing? What are the characteristics of that longing that should be seen in our lives?
2. The psalmist states that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
   See All...). What is he saying about his love for the Lord? State your own preference for God by filling in the blanks with your own words: I would rather _______________ than _________________. Try to come up with two or three different statements.

Suggested Memory Verses

Psalm 84:2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
See All..., 5, 6, 10, 12 (Note: this entire psalm is worthy of memorization)