Often, what we are whistling or humming indicates the depths of our thoughts just then. What lyrics travel along your auditory nerve to your brain? What are your ‘frequently’ played songs? Which ones cause you to turn up the volume? Often, what we sing about is what we think about, and what we think about, we sing about. It’s a tight loop.

The thrust of Psalm 84 is unmistakably clear. The writer/singer has the beauty of the Lord’s presence on his mind. His heart throbs with excitement as he thinks about getting to the temple to enjoy the presence of the Lord. He’s homesick for the temple. Just to be there – just to be in that spiritual environment – just to be away from the noise of a foreign society and to be occupied solely with the Lord! He can hardly contain himself. He even thinks of sparrows that have the privilege of building their nests right in the temple courtyards – “Oh, to be a sparrow or even a swallow and chirp away from a nest in the precincts of the Temple of the Lord.”

One of the lines of his song goes like this:

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. Psalms 84:10

The psalmist wrote: “One day in Your presence is better than a thousand anywhere else.”  Was that hyperbole or nostalgic exaggeration?

What about a thousand days on some dream island with nothing else to do but relax, unwind, soak up the sun, feel the hot sand, enjoy the crystal clear water, do some snorkelling and some surfing, read your favourite books, and have plenty of time to pursue the hobby closest to your heart?  Or what about a thousand days of glamour, hobnobbing with the world’s elite?

Bible Bite

Would you really choose just one day near the Lord over a thousand days somewhere else?  Would you rather be a lowly doorkeeper standing on the steps of the House of God, turning the knob and letting others in and out? Would you rather be doing that than rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in Manhattan, Paris or London? The believer who wrote Psalm 84 gives a resounding: “Yes! Yes! Yes!” to the questions.

Today, it’s not the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, but we can apply it to the local fellowship of believers in your area. Would you rather be with other believers at the Lord’s Supper than anywhere else? Despite the weaknesses of the weekly Bible Study or Prayer Meeting, are you just happy to be in the company of like-minded people who love the Lord?  God always envisioned His people enjoying fellowship together – never as ‘islands unto themselves.’

But you say: “If you only knew the behaviour of some Christians who go there, you wouldn’t be too excited about attending either.”I doubt all the temple workers were lily-white back in their day. And it is highly unlikely and most improbable that the officiating priests were pure, perfect, and free from personality defects.

Get this – the poet wasn’t craving the meeting place merely to see the people but rather to be with people who were collectively focused on seeing the Lord and personally enjoying Him. His heart was set on the Lord.

Yes, you can also think of Heaven when reading this Psalm, but don’t forget this either: you can enjoy the nearness of the Lord in your bedroom or kitchen, at the office or on the bus. Am I genuinely enjoying the presence of the Lord privately? That’s the real test of the depth of my spirituality.

What am I singing about today? Am I singing songs of praise to Christ, my Lord? Does the theme of my inner song reflect a sentiment something like this: “A day in Your presence in close communion with You is better than a thousand days anywhere else doing anything else with anyone else?”

As this Bible Bite concludes, may it be our prayerful inner resolve to intentionally cultivate an ongoing daily consciousness of the nearness of the Lord.

Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you –  in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.

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