Psalm 84

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 84

Though David's name be not in the title of this psalm, yet we have reason to think he was the penman of it, because it breathes so much of his excellent spirit and is so much like the sixty-third psalm which was penned by him; it is supposed that David penned this psalm when he was forced by Absalom's rebellion to quit his city, which he lamented his absence from, not so much because it was the royal city as because it was the holy city, witness this psalm, which contains the pious breathings... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 84:1-7

The psalmist here, being by force restrained from waiting upon God in public ordinances, by the want of them is brought under a more sensible conviction than ever of the worth of them. Observe, I. The wonderful beauty he saw in holy institutions (Ps. 84:1): How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Some think that he here calls God the Lord of hosts (that is, in a special manner of the angels, the heavenly hosts) because of the presence of the angels in God's sanctuary; they attended... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 84:8-12

Here, I. The psalmist prays for audience and acceptance with God, not mentioning particularly what he desired God would do for him. He needed to say no more when he had professed such an affectionate esteem for the ordinances of God, which now he was restrained and banished from. All his desire was, in that profession, plainly before God, and his longing, his groaning, was not hidden from him; therefore he prays (Ps. 84:8, 9) only that God would hear his prayer and give ear, that he would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 84 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah . Of "gittith", See Gill on Psalm 8:1 . The Targum renders it here, as there, "to praise upon the harp that was brought from Gath;' and of the sons of Korah, See Gill on Psalm 42:1 and the argument of this psalm is thought to be much the same with that and Psalm 43:1 . It was, very probably, written by David; to whom the Targum, on Psalm 84:8 , ascribes it; though it does not bear his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:1

How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Which were erected in the wilderness by Moses at the command of God, and brought into the land of Canaan, where the Lord took up his dwelling: here he was worshipped, and sacrifices offered to him; here he granted his presence, and commanded his blessing; here it was in David's time; for as yet the temple was not built: it is called "tabernacles", in the plural number, because of its several parts: hence we read of a first and second... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:2

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord ,.... The courts of the tabernacle now at Gibeon, though the ark was in Zion, 2 Chronicles 1:3 as the court of the priests, and the court of the Israelites, in which latter the people in common stood: after these David longed; he longed to enter into them, and stand in them, and worship God there; which soul longings and hearty desires were the fruits and evidences of true grace, of being born again; so newly born souls desire... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:3

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house ,.... One or other of the houses of men, where to build its nest; or its nest itself is called an house, as it seems to be explained in the next clause: the word here used signifies any bird; we translate it a "sparrow", and so Kimchi; the Targum renders it the "dove"; but the Midrash is, "it is not said as a dove, but as a sparrow: the dove takes its young, and returns to its place; not so the sparrow:' and the swallow a nest for herself, where she... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:4

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ,.... The house of God, in his tabernacles and courts; referring to the priests and Levites, who were frequently officiating there, in their turns, night and day; and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Gibeon, where the ark and tabernacle were, who had frequent opportunities of attendance on divine worship: and happy are those who have a name and place in the church of God, who abide there, and never go out; see Psalm 65:4 , the Targum is, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:5

Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee , Or, "for thee", as some choose to render the words; who have bodily strength from the Lord, for his worship and service, to go up to his house, and serve him: this, with what follows in the two next verses, seem to refer to the males in Israel going up from different parts of the land to Jerusalem to worship, who had strength so to do; when the women and children, for want thereof, stayed at home, which was their infelicity, as it was the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 84:6

Who passing through the valley of Baca ,.... Kimchi interprets it a valley of springs, or fountains, taking the word to be of the same signification as in Job 38:16 , and mention being made of a well and pools in it, or of mulberry trees, which grow, as he says, in a place where there is no water, and such a place was this; and therefore pools or ditches were dug in it, and built of stone, to catch rain water for the supply of travellers; and so Aben Ezra says, it is the name of a place or... read more

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