Psalm 84: 1-2, 4, 12

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!  My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”  (vs. 1-2)
“Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”  (vs. 4)
“O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trust in you.”  (vs. 12)

Isolation – quarantine – being separated perhaps from those we love – long to be with – to be in the presence of our family and friends.   Worshipping together with our church family.   We have all experienced these feelings/emotions during these last 3-4 months.   It was during this time as I read through the book of Psalms for my devotions that the Lord spoke clearly to me through Psalm 84.  I would like to share some of those thoughts with you today.   If we look at verses 1-2, 4 and 12 we can find the following…..

An Attitude of “being home with God” – to live in a constant environment of His presence

As I read though this Scripture – “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!  My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God”, my own soul longed to be in His presence.  The Psalmist here is thinking about being home with God.   Our deepest longing is to be home in the presence of our God. One commentary states “to be at home with God is to live in a constant environment of His presence”.   This was a refreshing time for my soul.   While we were not able to worship corporately, the Lord brought me to a place of personal worship. The quietness of my room became my meeting place – my tabernacle. A constant environment of God’s presence.

An Appetite for God – deep hungering for God – “My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.”

The Psalmist here was expressing an appetite we should have not only when we are worshipping corporately but personally as well.  He had an appetite for God – His hunger is clearly seen in the words; longs, faints, yearns, crying out to Him, “my heart and flesh cry out for the living God”.  It wasn’t just about being in the House of God as much as meeting with God. As we have gone through this pandemic, it seems like endless months since we have been able to be in the presence of our loved ones; parents, adult children, grandchildren, friends, etc.  I know that there was a longing to get together with my loved ones.  We need to have that same yearning, pining for God in the same way we long to see those we love.  We need to have a longing to be in His presence – worshipping Him with my whole being.

Renewed yearning to be in the presence of God – growing desire – every day to wake and spend time in the presence of God. In studying for this devotion, I read a story about a man who set his alarm for 3:30 am to pray and he pleaded with God to give him the strength to wake up since it was winter and very cold.  He was unable to sleep because he was eager to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and speak to God.   However, on that particular day he suddenly woke up and looked at the clock thinking it was 3:15 a.m., So he got up and sat to pray, suddenly when he looked at the clock properly it was only 1:15 am.  He was eager to pray so rather than go back to bed, he stayed up and prayed for about an hour.   He called this a holy love – a deep yearning to be in the presence of God.

An Act of Deep Trust – A real, deep genuine joy in trusting God.   Leaning on his grace, mercy, faithfulness, goodness in every situation.

Vs. 12 –“O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.”   the sum of it all essentially it comes down to a matter of trust.  “A real, deep, genuine joy of trusting in God; of believing there is a God, confiding in His character; leaning on Him in every situation in life; relying on His mercy, grace and faithfulness.  For me, there was a renewed deepening of my walk and faith.  Here in this verse, God’s goodness and greatness lead the psalmist to experience and declare the blessedness of trusting in God.

As we continue through these days, may you be renewed, refreshed in your yearning and desired for the Lord.   My prayer continues during these days – “Lord, give me a heart that longs to be in your presence – to gaze into your loveliness and worship You!”    May it be so for you today.

written by Major Betty Deming, Territorial Community Care Ministries Secretary, USA East