Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 84
The lxxxiv. PSALM.
David after his restauration… from banishment, and settlement both of him in the Kingdom, and the Ark on mount Sion: yet personates that estate in this Psalm, and the mind he then was in; shewing what longings he then had after the sanctuary and ordinances of God, how he envied the priviledge the very birds had, and blessed the priviledge others of Gods people had and he wanted, the least whereof he would have been glad of, but still believed and hoped to find God gracious and true of his word.
Psalm lxxxiv. To the chief musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.To him that is most skilfull upon Gittith the instrument used by Obed-Edom the Gittite and his family, is this Psalm committed for his ordering of it to be sung by the Korathites.
1HOw amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts!1 TO a spirituall minded man, who knows the worth and excellency of thy worship and service in each part and circumstance of it, and how to improve it to edification and exercise of his graces, O how delicious and affecting are thine ordinances acted in thy sanctuary. O most mighty God of heaven and earth, and Lord of all the innumerable creatures in both.
2 My soul which was wont to be feasted with heavenly and divine delicacies,2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. in the courts of thy Sanctuary where I worshipped thee, longeth incessantly to frequent them again, yea, so vehement is my desire, that the long frustration of it makes me ready to swound away like a woman with child disappointed of her longing. My whole man soul and body gaspeth after, and earnestly importunes to be restored to my former communions with thee, and lively soul-quickning participations of thee, whereof to mine unspeakable grief, I have been so long deprived.
3 I envy the happiness of the very irrationall creature, the poor birds,3Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, & the swallow a nest for her self, where she may lay her young, even thine Altar, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. for that they have a priviledge far beyond me, they can dwell in thy land amongst thy people, the sparrow and swallow have their freedom there, harbour themselves and make their nests where they will, in view of and near to thy very Altar; whereas I, a son of Abraham, an heir of the promise, one that have a right and title to all the emoluments of thy Church and people, am notwithstanding forced into exile among the heathen, as if I were not related to thee, nor had no right to worship thee, O Lord, whom yet in mind and heart I will and do worship, acknowledging no God besides thee, and adoring thee for the sole sovereign Creatour and commander of heaven and earth, and all in both, whose subject and servant I am, though Saul will not own me for his, and in whom I yet trust in hope to find thee gracious to me for all this.
4Blessed are they that dwell in thine house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.4 O happy condition are they in, whose function and office makes them not onelyonly frequenters, but indwellers in thy sanctuary; the Preists and Levites, they have their fill of what I want, that is, opportunities to magnifie and praise thee, in the dayly sacrifices and solemn ordinances there administred.
5Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: in whose heart are the ways of them.5 Blessed and onelyonly blessed is he that in diffidence of his own self-sufficiency (specially spirituall-self) makes his diligent humble and faithfull resort to thee after thy prescript and rule, and lives the life which he lives by faith in thee, and continuall addresses to thee for spirit and grace, in prayer and supplication. In whose heart is throughly grounded this belief, and accordingly frames his practise, walking as all those do that faithfully believe thus.
6Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well: the rain also filleth the pooles.6 And therefore overcome all difficulties for those sweet injoyments: it is neither length of way, nor deficiency of accommodation in the journey that can hinder such (sure I am it should not me, if my life did not lie at stake) but though their way to the Tabernacle lie through the dry and desart valley of Mulberry trees, yet they can comfortably go it, and undergo with holy resolution the hardship of it, yea, pass it with pleasure, and esteem it a happiness they have the liberty to purchase such a benefit, as the worship and spirituall enjoyment of God in his ordinances, which yields them such refreshing of mind all the way they travell, as that their very bodies fare the better, and are refreshed therewith, as it were with springs of water and showers of rain.
7They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Sion appeareth before God.7 Yea, the nearer they draw to the end of their journey, like the faithfull towards heaven, instead of being more, they are less faint and tired, gathering strength every step they take by their near approaches to and the comfortable expectation of what all the way they hoped and travelled for, even the glorious priviledge of appearing in the presence of God (as the saints and angels do in heaven) resident upon his holy hill, mount Sion, where the Ark, the faithfull pledge of his presence is, there to enjoy soul-ravishing communions, gracious audience, sweet and sensible supplies of spirit and consolation, a very heaven upon earth, for so it signifies.
8 O God,8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear O God of Jacob. Selah. that hast an almighty power, and that I am sure art the great commander in chief of heaven and earth, and therefore canst restore me to this happiness, and satisfie my longing, which is infinitely enkeened by these considerations; so that I beseech thee gratifie thy poor petitioner with a gracious answer, that I may be no longer debarred; and hear me a poor branch of the root of Jacob, though sore against my will removed from the soil where thou hast appointed him to grow; Lord re-plant me.
9 Behold me,9Behold, O God our shield: and look upon the face of thine anointed. O God, an exile and afflicted man, the emblem of thy militant Church, whereof I am a member, as well as a type, whose defence and protection nevertheless thou art, even of all the faithfull, whereof I am one: consider me also in an other capacity as the type of Christ, anointed by thy special appointment to be King over thy people, as he shall be over thy Church. Let these considerations move thee to own, pitie, and restore me to my spiritual priviledges, and comfortable exercise of thine ordinances in thy sanctuary.
10 For,10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwel in the …ents of wickedness. for my part, if I might have my choice, I speak it unfainedly, I had rather have one days comfortable enjoyment of thee in thy sanctuary, and prize it higher, than to live a thousand years in the very best condition this life can afford, and be as I am debarred from thy worship, so that I might but have the happiness to wait upon thee there, I should think the meanest office in thy service, even a porters place to be an honour, and preferment far beyond the condition I am in, whilest I am forced thus to inhabit among the prophane, and Idolatrous heathen, though in never so good esteem.
11For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will …e with-hold from them that walk uprightly.11 And truly, Lord, I will not despair one day to have all that thou hast promised me, and more than I desire (though rather than none at all, I should be glad of a little either time or place in thy sanctuary;) for I know thou art a God that wilt shine forth to the comfort, and reviving of thine afflicted people, who in the interim thou wilt protect: I shall see better days, and doubt not yet to be made happy by thy grace and favour, and to be advanced to that glorious condition of being the Kingly type of Christ; for had not I a special promise, yet thy general promise would engage thee, and encourage me to believe; for certain it is, that thou wilt be gracious, and faithfull to give all needfull and requisit blessings; and such, Lord, I desire to those that are thine, as I am, and walk thereafter in faithfull dependance, and sincere obedience, which I do.
12O Lord of hosts: blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.12 What ever my condition be, though I am far from present possession of what thou hast promised, or enjoyment of what I desire, banished both out of the Church and kingdom of Israel, yet I dare pronounce it of all faithfull ones that patiently wait, and believingly depend upon thee, that it shall go well with them one day, and so it shall with me because of thine Almighty power, which shall make good thy faithfulness.