September 2024 Pastor's Note

Psalm 84:10 says,

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Psalm84 celebrates the joy of fellowship with God and remarks that even a day in His courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. The sons of Korah, who authored the psalm, begin by singing of how beautiful it is being where God is (Psalm 84:1). The singers speak of their desire to be where He is, because they sing for joy to Him (Psalm 84:2). Even the birds find themselves at home in His heavens (Psalm 84:3). This almighty Lord is not so distant that He is not intimately involved with His creation.

Because of His greatness and His goodness, anyone who lives in fellowship with Him is greatly blessed and right to constantly praise Him (Psalm 84:4). The one who finds his strength in the Lord and sets the Lord’s path in hisheart is blessed (Psalm 84:5). He makes Himself available to those who seek Him like that, and they don’t get lost on the way (Psalm 84:6–7).

After this acknowledgment of the greatness of fellowship with God, the psalmists make a request and plead that God would be attentive to that request (Psalm 84:8). They ask that God “look on the face of your anointed”—that He would allow them to walk with Him in such closeness that He can look on their faces (Psalm 84:9). They long for this because “aday in Your courts is better than a thousand” anywhere else. Even a moment in the presence of God is far greater than a life time apart from Him.

The psalmists say that they would rather even stand outside of God’s house—in His courts, serving Him—than dwell in luxury inside the tents of the wicked.

The singers of this psalm provide for us a beautiful picture of the joy of walking with God and how much we should desire that fellowship with Him. For these psalmists, there is no place they would rather be than with Him. Psalms like this provide an opportunity for us to ask ourselves what really matters—what we really value. Where do we want to be? Better is one day in His presence than a thousand elsewhere!

In Christ,

Pastor Jeff