What is something for which you long and yearn? My two youngest sons long and yearn for Xbox. My oldest son longs and yearns for his virtual reality headset. My wife longs and yearns for sleep. Of course, I long and yearn only for godly things (joke). What about you?
Listen to what the psalmist says in Psalm 84. He says in verse 2, “I long and yearn for the courts of the Lord.”
Church, the Lord is good, Amen? Psalm 84 helps us see many different ways that the Lord is good. Today’s sermon is entitled “Consider the Goodness of the Lord.”
So, let us do that. Let us consider the goodness of the Lord as seen in this psalm.
Before we do, let’s go to the Lord in prayer.
(prayer)
Ok, let’s look at the psalm now. Look at Psalm 84:
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord of Armies.
2 I long and yearn
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even a sparrow finds a home,
and a swallow, a nest for herself
where she places her young—
near your altars, Lord of Armies,
my King and my God.
4 How happy are those who reside in your house,
who praise you continually.
Selah
5 Happy are the people whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a source of spring water;
even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each appears before God in Zion.
8 Lord God of Armies, hear my prayer;
listen, God of Jacob.
Selah
9 Consider our shield, God;
look on the face of your anointed one.
10 Better a day in your courts
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than live in the tents of wicked people.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield.
The Lord grants favor and honor;
he does not withhold the good
from those who live with integrity.
12 Happy is the person who trusts in you,
Lord of Armies!
Ok, let’s consider five ways that we see the goodness of God at work in this psalm.
First, . . .
I. Consider the desire for the Lord.
First of all, we need to realize that when the psalmist is speaking about the loveliness and greatness of the dwelling place of God, he’s talking about the temple. However, the loveliness and greatness of which he speaks is not simply because the temple itself was wonderful.
To be sure, the temple in Jerusalem was lovely. It was grand. It was majestic. It was great. However, it pointed to someone who was more lovely, more grand, more majestic, and full of more greatness!
The psalmist himself makes this clear at the end of verse 2. He says, “My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.”
He wants more of God, therefore he loves the place where God’s presence dwells.
What about you? Does your heart and flesh desire God? Does your inner being and outer being desire God?
If you desire God, do you desire the things of God?
Of course, God no longer dwells in a temple. Rather, His Holy Spirit dwells in His children, in His people, in His bride, in His Church.
You can’t love God and hate His holy dwelling place at the same time. That doesn’t make any sense! You can’t love God and not love His church!
When you love God, you love where God dwells.
When you long for God, you long for His presence; you long for His dwelling place!
Can you say of God’s church, “How lovely is your dwelling place . . . I long and yearn for the courts of the Lord”?
Consider the desire for the Lord that we see in Psalm 84.
Also, . . .
II. Consider the joy in the Lord.
There’s a sense in verses 3-5 that there is happiness and joy that comes from being in the presence of the Lord.
Verse 3 says that even the birds find a home in the presence of the Lord.
Indeed, the temple complex would have certainly had nests where birds come and go.
Verse 4 says, “How happy are those who reside in your house, who praise you continually.”
I have to think that the psalmist had these birds in mind, but he also probably has in mind any person who spent time in the temple complex. They were in that place to worship the Lord, and the joy of the Lord would fill them as they worshiped Him.
Verse 5 says, “Happy are the people whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”
You see, this pilgrimage would have been a journey to travel to the temple of the Lord to worship Him.
Happiness and joy are found in those who travel to worship the Lord.
I wonder if that describes us as we get ready and travel to Sunday worship. Some of us can hardly get ourselves out of bed. Some us are wrangling kids or wrangling a spouse. We might say “Get yourself in that car or we’re going to be late for church! Don’t talk back to me, we’re going to worship Jesus! Put a joyful look on your face!”
Sometimes we’re so preoccupied or distracted from the lesser things of life that we miss out on the pure joy that is found in the Lord, the pure joy that is found in the presence of the Lord, and the pure joy that is found in worshiping the Lord.
Consider the joy in the Lord.
Next, . . .
III. Consider the blessings of the Lord.
Remember in verse 5 that we get this picture of travelers going on a journey to the temple of the Lord.
Verses 6 and 7 speak of these travelers moving through the Valley of Baca, which probably refers to a dry valley.
Then, it speaks of the blessings of the Lord that are upon the travelers as they travel.
Notice in verse 6 that it doesn’t say that the Lord is a source of spring water for the Valley of Baca. Rather, it says they are. That is, the travelers are a source of blessing. Then, in verse 7, it says, “They go from strength to strength.”
You see, what is happening here is that God is blessing His people, then they are a blessing to others and they are filled with strength wherever they go.
You see, God not only blesses His people, He blesses others through His people.
When God’s people are filled with the goodness of God, they are springs of water in a dry land; they carry strength with them wherever they go. God’s people are a blessing to others.
This idea sounds very similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Church, when God blesses you, you are so filled with His goodness that you can be a blessing to others as well.
We see in verses 8 and 9 that the psalmist recognizes his dependence upon the Lord for blessings and he asks for even more blessings.
He asks,
“Hear my prayer.”
“Listen, God of Jacob.” (or, God of Israel)
“Consider our shield.” (which would refer to the strength and identity of Israel)
“Look on the face of your anointed one.” (which would refer to the king of Israel)
The psalmist realizes his blessings and the blessings of Israel come from the Lord, and he asks God for even more.
Church, we also must recognize that all blessings come from the Lord, and it is good and right for us to ask God for even more of His blessings.
Consider the blessings of the Lord.
Fourth, . . .
IV. Consider what compares to the Lord.
Church, what compares to the Lord?
I have a love and desire for lots of things. I love my wife. I love my family. I love fishing and hunting. I love sitting on the porch during a rainstorm. I love watching my favorite movies. I love falling asleep to my wife’s favorite movies. I love tres leches cakes. I love shrimp and grits. I love fried okra. I love when the Florida Gators win a football game. I love when my boys make me proud. I love our church staff. I love Anna Maria Island. I love solving problems. I love preaching the Bible. All of that is great! But nothing compares to the Lord!
Consider what compares to the Lord!
No one is stronger than the Lord. No one is wiser than the Lord. No one is more forgiving than the Lord. No one is more faithful than the Lord. Nothing is bigger. Nothing is older. Nothing is wider. Nothing is deeper. Nothing is brighter. No one is richer. No one has more authority. No one has more credibility. No one is more loving.
Nothing compares to the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of Armies!
The psalmist says in verse 10, “Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people.”
One day in the presence of the Lord is better than a thousand at (fill in the blank). What’s your favorite place to be? One minute in the presence of the Lord is better than ten thousand days there.
The psalmist says that he’d rather stand at the entrance of the presence of the Lord than dwell in the tents of the wicked. By the way, I realize some of you hate tents, but these would have been nice tents where the fancy people lived at that time.
Listen, church: nothing compares to the Lord. Consider what compares to the Lord.
Finally, . . .
V. Consider the goodness of the Lord.
Let’s look at the final two verses again. Look at verses 11 and 12:
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield.
The Lord grants favor and honor;
he does not withhold the good
from those who live with integrity.
12 Happy is the person who trusts in you,
Lord of Armies!
The Lord is good.
He is a sun, meaning that He provides nutrients, warmth, and light for His people.
He is a shield, meaning that He provides strength and protection for His people.
The Lord grants favor and honor to His people.
The Lord does not withhold good from those who follow Him and live with integrity.
What happens when we trust in the Lord? In verse 12, we learn that we are happy when we trust in the Lord.
All of our lives, He has been faithful. All of our lives, He has been good.
Church, let this bottom line summarize what we are learning from Psalm 84.
Bottom Line: There is nothing like the goodness of the Lord.
Enjoy the good things of this world. Every good thing comes from God. Enjoy all of His blessings.
However, there is nothing that we should enjoy more than enjoying the Lord Himself.
There is nothing like the goodness of the Lord.
Challenge yourself this week in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge #1 – Consider what brings you joy.
What makes you happy? What turns a bad day into a good day for you? What gives you energy?
Take some time and think about what brings you joy.
Weekly Challenge #2 – Consider the Lord.
Think about the Lord. What are your views about Him? What is your relationship with Him? Who is He to you? What has He done for you? Consider the Lord this week.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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