When the Heart Cries Out for God: A Look Into Psalmsنموونە

Day 6: Longing for God

A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! (Psalm 84:10 NLT)

Psalm 84 is well known as an ode to God’s dwelling place—the Tabernacle or Temple—and even more to the God who dwells there. The psalmist longs for “the courts of the Lord” (Psalm 84:2)—the inner court, where priests ministered, and the outer courts, where the congregation gathered to worship. There is no hint of religious obligation here. He wants to shout joyfully to God with his entire being.

The psalm emphasizes the privileges and blessings of being in the Lord’s house (84:1-4), of journeying to it (84:5-8), and of knowing and trusting the Lord who dwells there (84:9-11). It promises that God will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly with him (84:11, ESV). We live in his favor, under his protection, and surrounded with his goodness everywhere—if our eyes of faith will see it.

As one of the “psalms of Zion,” this is also a celebration of Jerusalem, of pilgrimage, and most significantly, of a relationship with the one true God. For faithful Israelites, living among surrounding nations beholden to entire pantheons of impetuous, unpredictable gods, this relationship had to have seemed like a miraculous honor. The physical place of God’s presence was available to a privileged few. And one day in his house was better than a thousand elsewhere.

Re-Envision Your Presence

Availability is no longer an issue. We don’t have to travel to Jerusalem to experience God’s Temple on sacred occasions throughout the year. We can spend a thousand days in his courts—and more—all because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. The veil of the Temple has been torn (Matthew 27:51), we’ve been invited to come boldly to the throne (Hebrews 4:16), and even more astonishingly, God has cleansed us and made us into his temple, his dwelling place on earth (1 Corinthians 6:19). His “sun and shield” surround us always (Psalm 84:11).

When you envision dwelling in God’s courts, don’t think in terms of going somewhere, even just spiritually, or creating some special circumstance. You’re there now. The goal is not to arrive but to be acutely aware of where you already are, bask in God’s presence, and live a sacred life empowered by that intimate fellowship. Cultivate that vision, worship in that place, and let your longing for him be satisfied.