Reading: Psalm 82-84

QUESTIONS
  • Whether the “gods” of 82:1 and 6 are angelic beings (cf. Job 1:6; 2:1), human rulers (cf. Exodus 22:28; Romans 13:4, 6), or the Israelites as recipients of the law (cf. Exodus 4:22 and John 10:34-35), three things are true: 1) the designation “gods” highlights a likeness to the LORD God; 2) they are judged because of a distortion of that likeness (v. 2); and 3) God is the judge even of these so-called “gods.” What difference does it make that even the greatest created beings are judged by God?
  • How does Psalm 83:16-18 bring together God’s judgment and his glory? How might this influence the way you pray?
  • Psalm 84 declares the beauty and goodness of God’s dwelling place. Ask God to give you a desire for his presence. In prayer, tell the Lord the ways you long for his presence.
DEVOTION

What does it mean to be in the courts of the Lord? I cannot even imagine what they must be like: how they must sound and look, or what it would feel like to be there, in the presence of the Ruler of all creation, serving and worshipping him. As one of God’s people, it is hard to imagine that the courts of the Lord would be an unpleasant place. I think it would be easy to desire to go there, right? Do you long to share the dwelling place of the Lord?

But Psalm 84:2 talks about more than a gentle or even a strong desire. “My soul faints for the courts of the Lord.” Fainting? Faintness of the body is not at all pleasant.The wording here does not make the act of longing seem easy at all. In fact, several parts of this psalm seem to convey that dwelling in God’s house requires steadfast work, and being part of the courts of the Lord is a solemn responsibility. The author uses not just his voice, but also his whole heart and flesh as a sacrifice in worship (v. 2). He is dedicated in his heart to an arduous journey down the “highways to Zion … through the valley of Baca,” which is also called valley of weeping (v. 5-6). Longing for the courts of the Lord is not an easily flowing want; it will overwhelm our entire beings and lives.

Isn’t it natural and right, though, to give God effortful worship instead of that which seems easily offered? If there is anything I should dedicate my whole heart and flesh to, it is worshipping and serving the Lord! And is there any work more rewarding or fruitful than offering ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)? It is what we were made to do!

Beyond being our charge, Psalm 82 promises that at the altar of worship and service even birds find safety (v. 3), that those who sing praise to God are blessed and joyful (v.4), that they will find refreshment in the valley (v. 6) and will be given strength, favor and honor (v. 7, 11). That is why a day in the courts of the Lord, even as a laboring servant, is better than a thousand days in lavish tents of wickedness. He is so worthy, in fact, that simply not to work for him is wickedness!

What a privilege it is to long and work for God entirely, and even to feel faint because of whole hearted and whole bodied service! Even the valley of weeping (or exhaustion, or discouragement, or frustration) then becomes an opportunity for faithful worship and an exercise in longing! Let us all pray with and for each other, that we would be excited to work and rest in uncomfortable places with and for God.

Finally, my mind catches on the wording of verse 1. “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts!” Where is the dwelling place of God? Revelation 21 tells us with a loud and firm voice that the dwelling place of God is with man! With us his people! We do not work and want for a ‘maybe.’ God is not going to tell his people that even if we do perfectly long for his courts with our entire selves (we fail at this constantly), he has decided that he does not really want us there. The bar is high above our heads in one sense, but Christ bears us up, and we already know his promise. We do not have to endure the valley of weeping to “reach” the courts of the Lord; that is an impossible task for us. Instead, the Lord will bring himself to us in the valley. How sweet and wonderful!

– Lana Stites