Exploring the title of this Psalm reveals three different items
of interest:
- It is written “To the
Chief Musician” (KJV) and “For the Director of Music” (NIV)
- “upon Gittith” (KJV) and
“According to Gittith” (NIV) – Gittith being probably a musical term
referring to a type of instrument
- “A Psalm for the Sons of Korah” (KJV) and “Of the Sons of Korah. A Psalm.” (NIV)
Now we can see that the origins of this Psalm are closely
tied with the descendants of Korah. So
who are these people? Read now the
story of Korah and his sin against the God of Israel (Numbers 16:1-40). As you can see in verse one of Korah’s story,
he is a descendant of Kohath, a man’s whose descendants were given special
responsibility to care for the holy things of God. The sons of Korah, in this Psalm, refers to
the descendants who became temple musicians in the days of the monarchy under
Kings David and Solomon. Many
generations have passed between the days of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness
and the Israelite kingdom, but the sons of Korah never forgot about their ancestor’s
sin. This Psalm is about their opposite desire
to be worshipping in God’s presence.
Read verses 1-4 of this Psalm noting how the Psalmist is
expressing his desire to be in God’s dwelling place, or house. He even expresses a jealousy, of sorts, for
the sparrow who has found a nesting place near the altar. While we can worship God anywhere, do you
ever find that you feel closer to God when you are in His house? Maybe it is easier to concentrate on Him when
you are away from distractions. Are
there other places that make you feel close to the Lord? How long has it been since you have felt the
desire to be somewhere you can better sense His presence?
Verses 5-7 talk about the pilgrimage to get to the place of
God’s presence. There is a reference
made to passing through the Valley of Baka.
Since there is no literal place by this name, and the word ‘baka’ can
mean ‘weeping’, it is possible this may be a reference to going through a dark
period in life where, eventually, seeking God leads to being in His
presence. Do you continue seeking God’s
presence when facing dark times in your life?
Verses 8 and 9 are an appeal to God for help in getting there. Do you pray for God’s help when you cannot
feel His presence?
Verse 10 is, to me, the most striking verse in the Psalm… a
proclamation, if you will. Whenever we
see the name of Korah mentioned in the Bible, it is associated with
wickedness. But here, in a Psalm
associated with his descendants is a proclamation of preferring to be in God’s
presence rather than in the presence of the wicked. These are men who do not want to be known by
the sin of their ancestor, but by their desire to be in the presence of a Holy
God. The next verse, verse 11, proceeds
to declare why that is. Meditate on
verse 11 for just a moment.
Verse 12 concludes the matter by reminding us again that
whoever trusts in God will be blessed. Have
you truly felt God’s blessings in times when you have trusted Him? Do you feel comforted or satisfied after
spending time with Him? Do you miss His
presence when you have neglected seeking Him?
Write Psalm 84:11 in your journal and commit yourself to God
to memorizing it this week.
Responding to God: Consider for a moment how much time you spend
in the presence of God. Pray for a
greater desire to spend time in His presence and that you would have a greater
thirst for His Word. Praise Him and
thank Him that He wants to spend time with you and ask the Holy Spirit for
guidance in finding the right balance in your life. Record in your journal any things He reveals
to you as you spend time in His presence.
Further Research: If you want to learn more about the Tabernacle duties of the Kohathites during the time that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness and how they cared for the Holy things of God, read Numbers 4:1-20.
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