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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (20-8-2002 Framsden Baptist Church)
This Psalm is almost as popular
as the 23rd Psalm. It has been set to music in various ways, for
congregations, choirs and soloists. The Psalmist expresses deep love for God’s
house, and deep appreciation of the blessings God bestows. Then he affirms his
trust in God. We learn again the blessedness and joy and deep satisfaction of
those whose lives are rooted in God. The word “blessed” occurs three times.
It reminds us of Psalms 42 & 43, with its longing after God.
Preliminary notes on the title of this Psalm. “According to Gittith” – may be reference to a musical tune or instrument, taking its name from the Philistine town of Gath. The word “Selah”, which occurs 71 times in the Psalms (of which two are in this Psalm) and a further three times in Habakkuk, is a signal for an interlude or change of musical accompaniment. Hebrew root is “to lift up”, i.e. strike up with instruments or voices.
Longing is written all over this
Psalm – longing for God, His people, His worship and His Word. How lovely
is your dwelling place…. My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the
Lord; my heart and flesh cry out (Psalm 84:1,2). Evidently he is cut off
from God’s house. Was he in exile? Is this David at the time of Absalom’s
rebellion? Is he in sickness or misfortune? He envies the very birds which are
in God’s house (Psalm 84:3) – for the Temple courtyards were open to the
sky, and the Temple eaves were a good nesting place. How he wishes he was in
God’s house, singing His praises.
Then he turns to a picture of
Jewish pilgrimage, which he would love to join. People would go up to Jerusalem
and the Temple in groups which swelled in number the nearer they got to their
goal, the Temple. They camped in sunny glades, sang as they travelled, toiled
over hills, walked along the highways specially repaired and maintained for this
procession. As they pass through the valley of Baca (Psalm 84:6) is a
reference to balsam trees or plants growing in arid places. The NEB translates
it, “the thirsty valley”. But the pilgrims make it a place of springs. They
found water even in those sterile valleys. Faith digs blessings out of hardship.
C.f. from prison cells came the epistle to the Ephesians, and “Pilgrim’s
Progress”.
The nearer they get to their
goal, the stronger the pull. They never weary with the journey but go from
strength to strength (Psalm 84:7). C.f. We are being transformed into his
likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Both are linked
with concentration or seeing and knowing God Himself. The congregation in the
parenthesis pray for the king in his need (Psalm 84:9). They profess renewed
love for the house of God – Better is one day in your courts than a
thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). They would rather have a lowly menial job
like a doorkeeper in God’s house than live in the palaces of the wicked, with
all their luxury and wealth.
Here is a man who deeply loves
God and His house. He never realized how much it meant to him till he was unable
to be there. Probably took it all for granted when he could get there regularly.
Perhaps he was even critical and faultfinding. But now he misses it. He has
forgotten the little things that irritated, for he misses it so much, and the
corporate worship of God with fellow believers.
We can maybe understand
something of this, if we have been away from home, or spent a Sunday on a
continental holiday, not able to get to church. Sadly, many localities in our
own country do not have a church where the Word of God is preached, or where
there is true worship from the heart. A Christian may find that the only church
service they can get to is just an exercise in self indulgences with people
letting themselves go, and having fun, where no-one caters for or is sensitive
to their needs, and where all that matters is keeping the young people happy. So
they stay at home, they have nowhere else to go, and they long for God’s house
where God, not man, is at the centre and where the Word is honoured.
The love for God’s house is
reflected in all parts of the Bible. I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever (Psalm 23:6). The problems of life are solved in God’s house
(Psalm 73:17). I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of
the Lord (Psalm 122:1). On the Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue
as was his custom (Luke 4:16). The Apostles – On the Sabbath they
entered the synagogue and sat down (Acts 13:14).
When Samuel Rutherford was
exiled from his parish, he wrote, “When I think on sparrows and swallows
building nests in the Kirk at Anwoth, and of my dumb Sabbaths, my sorrowful
bleared eyes look asquint on Christ and present him as angry.”
It the mark of a man of God that
he loves God’s house. He does not go out of duty, out of habit, or because it
is expected of him. It is in his nature to go. He cannot keep away. God is met
there in a special way. His praise and His Word and His people are there. It is
where he feels at home and feels secure. Attitude to God’s house indicates
state of spiritual life. When absent, after all the excuses have been given, the
basic problem is the heart is wrong. The more we attend the house of God, the
more our spiritual life is nurtured. It is the root of true godliness. Regular
worship and instruction make all the difference to spiritual life and its
quality.
“We
love the place, O God,
Wherein
thine honour dwells.
The
joy of thine abode
All
earthly joys excels.”
Towards the end of the Psalm the
psalmist enumerates three blessings in the Lord. Firstly, For the Lord God is
a sun and shield (Psalm 84:11). The fountain of brightness, warmth, light,
life and joy. This is the only place where God is called a sun. Those who look
to Him do not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. He is a shield – a
sure defence against enemies and dangers and every peril. Here is the answer to
fear and defeat.
Then, The Lord bestows favour
and honour. The AV is more arresting and accurate here – The Lord will
give grace and glory. Grace for us in abundance now; glory for us in the
life hereafter. Grace is the cause; glory is the effect. He is the sum of all
good. To have Him is to have them.
And thirdly, No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. God will withhold nothing good from us, but the condition is that we walk blameless, walk in His will, with undivided heart, fully consecrated and surrendered. To walk disobediently, to withhold obedience and service, to be out of God’s will, means God’s withdraws many blessings. If we are in God’s will, and do not have what we ask for, we can assume that God does not want us to have what we ask for.
Donald Grey Barnhouse recounts
the story of a French girl who made herself a promise box, because there were
none in French. It contained 300 pieces of paper with promises from God’s
word, rolled into tiny cylinders with the aid of a pencil. During wartime
France, living on potato peelings with salt some days, she suddenly remembered
her promise box. She asked God for a promise. As she picked up the box, it fell,
and all 300 scattered on her lap and on the floor. In that moment, God told her
that all His promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus.
When we are in need, we learn His faithfulness. All things are yours… life or death or the present or future – all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). If God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give all things (Romans 8:32).
O Lord Almighty, blessed is
the man who trusts in you (Psalm 84:12). Behind his longing for God’s
house in earlier verses is his longing for God Himself. Not just the place, but
also the person. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God (Psalm
84:2). Here is the kernel of godly life – knowledge of God and trust in God.
So we can address Him as My King and my God (Psalm 84:3). Not just
morality or a good life or doing good. The essence of true religion is knowing
and trusting God. This is the bond which underlies relationships in human
society – e.g. the trust between man and wife, friend and friend, parent and
child. Simple confidence in each other. So simple confidence unites us to God. Trust
in the Lord forever (Isaiah 26:4). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts
16:31).
Confident dependence is the
source of all true blessedness. There is no happiness comparable to this. The
godly life is the best and most satisfying of lives. This is apparent when we
compare it with life without God. It is good to remind ourselves of this. We are
far too apologetic and reticent about the glories of godly life. We let the
world and its boasting cow us into silence.
This confidence banishes sense
of restlessness and homelessness. Takes strain and anxiety away as we hand over
the responsibility to another and put the helm into the hands of another
steersman. The godless life is all very well while money comes in, job is
secure, and family is in health. But when trouble comes, health breaks down,
infirmities of age and death – the godless man has nothing and noone to turn
to. There becomes no rhyme or reason to life, it is just a hand to mouth
existence. He exists, but does not live. He is at the mercy of circumstances and
other people.
To know and trust God brings
peace, strength, order and purpose in lives. It helps us understand who we are
and why we are here, and the purpose of life. The emptiness goes, and our lives
have a sense of direction. There is something to look forward to after death.
Eternal soul is safe. We know who to go to in trouble and when everything seems
to give way. We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), Through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (Psalm 23:4), Glory in
tribulation (Romans 5:3). When things go against him, the more the believer
is driven to Christ and the happier he is.
Christ is the source of all
peace, blessedness and good. He is to be trusted for all things at all times and
under all circumstances. His mercy, power, guidance, faithfulness and all
sufficiency are enough for all our needs.
D.G.Barnhouse, ministering among brethren in England, met an old lady who wanted him to have her Bible when she died. It came to him by post two or three months later. All over the place were the letters “T&P” in the margins – “Tried and Proved”. How wonderful to say at the end of life that we have trusted God and found his promises “T&P”.
Long for God’s house, appreciate His blessings, and enjoy the blessedness of trust in Him. Martin Luther wrote, “Let the world have rich ones, powerful ones, wise ones, and consolations in this world. Let them trust and glory in their wisdom, might, wealth and possessions. My heart triumphs in the living God.”
