1.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
1. amiable—not lovely, but
beloved.
tabernacles— ().
2.
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
2. longeth—most intensely
(Genesis 31:30; Psalms 17:12).
fainteth—exhausted with
desire.
courts—as tabernacles
(Psalms 84:1) —the whole
building.
crieth out—literally,
"sings for joy"; but here, and Psalms 84:1, expresses an act of sorrow as the corresponding noun
(Psalms 17:1; Psalms 61:2).
heart and . . . flesh—as
in Psalms 63:1.
3.
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
3. thine altars—that is, of
burnt offering and incense, used for the whole tabernacle. Its
structure afforded facilities for sparrows and swallows to indulge
their known predilections for such places. Some understand the
statement as to the birds as a comparison: "as they find homes,
so do I desire thine altars," &c.
4.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
4. This view is favored by the
language here, which, as in Psalms 15:1;
Psalms 23:6, recognizes the blessing
of membership in God's family by terms denoting a dwelling in His
house.
5.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
5. (Compare ).
in whose heart . . . the
ways—that is, who knows and loves the way to God's favor
(Proverbs 16:17; Isaiah 40:3;
Isaiah 40:4).
6.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
6. valley of Baca—or,
"weeping." Through such, by reason of their dry and barren
condition, the worshippers often had to pass to Jerusalem. As they
might become wells, or fountains, or pools, supplied by refreshing
rain, so the grace of God, by the exercises of His worship, refreshes
and revives the hearts of His people, so that for sorrows they have
"rivers of delight" (Psalms 36:8;
Psalms 46:4).
7.
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
7. The figure of the pilgrim is
carried out. As such daily refit their bodily strength till they
reach Jerusalem, so the spiritual worshipper is daily supplied with
spiritual strength by God's grace till he appears before God in
heaven.
appeareth . . . God—the
terms of the requisition for the attendance on the feasts (compare ),
8.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
9.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
9. God is addressed as a shield
(compare Psalms 84:11).
thine anointed—David
(1 Samuel 16:12).
10.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
10. I had . . .
doorkeeper—literally, "I choose to sit on the threshold,"
the meanest place.
11.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
11, 12. As a sun God enlightens
(Psalms 27:1); as a shield He
protects.
grace—God's favor, its
fruit—
glory—the honor He
bestows.
uprightly— (Psalms 15:2;
Psalms 18:23).
12.
O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
12. that trusteth—constantly.