Psalm 84 Devotional

One Day in His Courts

“For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”Psalm 84:10 (BSB)

Psalm 84 is full of longing. The psalmist's soul yearns until it is faint for the LORD's house, and his whole being cries out for God (84:2). He envies the sparrow and the swallow, which have found nesting places near God's altars (84:3). Blessed are those who live in God's house, and blessed are those who draw their strength from him and set their hearts on the road to Zion (84:4-5).

The road there runs by way of the Valley of Baca, and pilgrims turn it into a place of springs, growing stronger until they stand before God (84:6-7). The psalmist's conclusion is simple. A single day near God is better than a thousand anywhere else; he would rather keep the door of God's house than live comfortably among the wicked (84:10). The LORD is sun and shield, giving grace and honor, and he holds back nothing good from those whose lives are upright (84:11). Nearness to God is not one good among many. It is the good that makes every other road worth walking.

To think about: What has been competing with your desire to be near God, and how could you make room to seek his presence this week?