The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 84
In brief
Psalm 84 is a song of the sons of Korah, pilgrims who long for the house of God. The psalmist yearns for its courts, where even the sparrow finds a nest. Blessed are those who dwell there and those who find their strength in him: they pass through the valley of Baca, the valley of weeping, and turn it into a place of springs. One day with God is better than a thousand elsewhere, for the Lord is a sun and a shield. Blessed is the one who trusts in him.
The chapter in 4 parts
1How lovely are your dwellings, Yahweh of Armies!
2My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3Yes, the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, near your altars, Yahweh of Armies, my King, and my God.
4Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you.
5Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.
6Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
7They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion.
8Yahweh, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, God of Jacob.
9Behold, God our shield, look at the face of your anointed.
10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
12Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Key verses
My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
The longing is total: soul, heart and flesh cry out to the living God. The psalmist is not merely nostalgic, he hungers for God's presence.
Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion.
Baca probably means the valley of tears. The pilgrims pass through it and it becomes a place of springs: God turns hardship into provision, and strength grows along the way.
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
The psalmist compares the value of one day with God to a thousand elsewhere. He would even choose the threshold of God's house over the tents of wickedness.
For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
The Lord is a sun and a shield: he gives light and protects. He gives grace and glory, and he withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
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Frequently asked questions about Psalm 84
What does Psalm 84 mean?
Psalm 84 expresses a deep longing to be near God, in his house. It describes pilgrims who, on the road, turn the valley of tears into a place of springs and receive more strength. It affirms that one day with God is better than a thousand elsewhere and ends with trust.
Who wrote Psalm 84?
The title attributes it to the sons of Korah, a family of Levites in charge of singing and service in the sanctuary. Several psalms bear their name (for example Psalms 42, 44 to 49 and 85). These are songs tied to the life of worship and to the pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
What is the valley of Baca?
Baca can be understood as weeping, or as a dry valley, named by the psalm as a hard stretch of the pilgrimage. The text says that those who cross it with God make it a place full of springs. It is the image of a trial lived out while walking with him.
How do you pray with Psalm 84?
Read verses 1 and 2 slowly and ask God to renew your longing for his presence. Then think of a valley you are crossing and entrust it to him in the light of verses 6 and 7. Finish with verse 12, telling him of your trust, for yourself and for your church.
Articles quoting Psalm 84
World English Bible translation — public domain.