No Good Thing Does The LORD Withhold From Those Who Walk Uprightly

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah

Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.

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 live in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Psalm 84:1-12

The author of Psalm 84, one of the sons of Korah, had a love for God’s house. Some commentators have speculated that for a time he, a temple singer, was unable to go to the temple – either because of sickness or circumstances. So as he wrote this psalm, his soul was especially longing and crying out to be in “the courts of the LORD.” He believed that one day of worship in God’s house gave more satisfaction than a thousand days spent anywhere else. There is something special about praising God together with His people, and we should take every opportunity we can to do so. But if we can’t, like the psalmist, we can still express our love for the living God and our longing to know Him. The LORD is pleased and we will be blessed when our heart’s desire is to be with Him and His people. A good indicator of our spiritual temperature is our eagerness to worship God.

Our Daily Bread – August 17, 2008