Psalm 84: "How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place, O Lord of Hosts"

And even though as this is as Brian said, vacation Sunday, it's good to be here sometimes folks here. That's okay. I've been preaching for a couple of years and I've preached to both hunters and two handles so it's fine with me. God has here whom he wants to have here. So glad you're here this morning. Well, remember, looking at Psalm 84 in so if you will find your Bible, Psalm 84, I confess I don't know where it is in the Bible. That's in the few there, but you can find it. I'm going to ask him. Look in the word of God today, a bit, and I'll also listened very carefully to do. So I want to thank you, also know many of them praying for me. Thank you. Let you know. I've been here will be 2 years, this coming October and I really came here to retire because of health issues and having to retire from Ministry, the Lord has been gracious and are you folks about a wonderful church family and his thank and praise. The Lord for that. And we've been encouraged and also thankful for the opportunity to be able to minister here as well as the Lord would have us to do. So Well, I like to read through the song One More Time. Only told versus not not too long and we've already read it, but let's read it one more time and then we shall take a look at it a little bit more detail. How lovely is your dwelling place. So, Lord of hosts. My soul Longs, yes, thanks for the courts of the Lord, my heart's in my flesh, Sing For Joy to the Living. God, even the sparrow finds a home in the swallow, a nest for herself, where she may lay her young at your Alters, the Lord of hosts my king. And my God blessed are those who dwell in your house ever singing, your praise blessed. Are those, whose strength is in you and whose hearts are the highways to Zion as they go to the Valley of Baca. They make it a place of Springs. The early rain also covered with pools, they go from strength to strength. Each one appears before God and Zion, Oh Lord, Oh Lord! God of hosts hear my prayer. Give gyro God of Jacob behold.our. She'll do God. Look on the face of your anointed for a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God. Then dwell in the tents of weakness for the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord, bestows favor and honor. No. Good thing. Does he withhold from those who walk uprightly? Oh lord, of hosts blessed is the one who trusts in you. Amen. And amen. How lovely is your dwelling place. Oh, lord of hosts, simply chose the first verse as the title for the message this morning as we can sit at this particular song. I hope and I pray that you love the songs. Aren't they? Wonderful. The really are wonderful part of God's word you know they reach more than her head to me. It's it is clear that they are specially. Go to our heart and we asked the Lord, to help us do that this morning, that his word would reach a course our understanding but also our heart as we study it, now the genuine child of God, and the genuine love of God. I believe I can really easily relate to the message, what, I'll call even the feel of Psalm 84 I think that this song really kind of has is the fact that the psalmist, the writer has this very personal relationship with God. I do know is 21st century Believers that it is a good challenge for you and for me as well as we examine our own condition in that regard. So as I read this, comment as you read this song is we study together? Let me ask you this question. Can we Echo the words of the psalmist? Can we say that? We have that same passion that same sort of heart that he expresses in these words? No. according to the inscription, this song is associated with the sons of Korah, you'll notice that Who were the sons of Korah? They were Levites who were assigned to guard. The threshold of the sanctuary in the wilderness. If we were to take an examination of number 16, we would see that it reveals that their ancestor Cora had rebelled against Moses and Aaron and subsequently God rebelling against God as well naturally. And therefore what is the Lord do he slew them? He slew Quorum a particularly first and of course he was not alone if he's about the Bible tells us there about 250 men who perished with him there in that Rebellion. Very interesting Lee. Numbers of 26. Verse 11 tells us that the sons of Korah who were mentioning here. They did not suffer because of the sins of their father. We're told that they did not die. We're not judged by God and in that Rebellion. So, even the descendants of Corey here, as we see, belated to us, had a passion for God is revealed in the song. And I wonder is it as I was looking at this so you know how come they didn't go in the way of their parents. You know, sometimes we think about that don't we? We all have various ideas and opinions about how many good things or bad things going to go bad things about our parents. And sometimes you know we look at our parents and we say I want to do that sometime to look at her parents. I don't want to do that for I said we make a choice. Don't we are here? They decided to follow the lord. And that's a beautiful thing and they have They had a passion for the Lord. No, there was always essential that one, gets the proper doctrinal, interpretation of every portion of scripture. That is red. I want to remind us this morning that is ever to. No avail. If I'd only rest as what I like to call intellectual musings apart from life, transformational truth, that's a good question to ask yourself. Every time you read the Bible, every time you were taught, the Bible. Every time you hear the word of God, preached, am I going to allow this just to hit my head? Or something going to happen in my heart. And so as we look at this song and as it overflows with truth that should encourage and challenge. Every one of us may the Lord help us to draw closer to him because we studied it. This is a loss. I know, you know, I decided that I was I looked at the the title of this song based on my publisher, put it with the publisher put in and I have five different Bibles that I looked at and maybe your Bible says the same thing but four out of the five Bibles that I have in my home, the publisher that's not in Scranton, in that inspired word of God, just but with the publisher, put in there for title, put down this, my soul Longs for the courts of the Lord is one of my title that this way, the joy of Fellowship in God's house. In either case we know that this song is teaching us to considered and if Brian is already, mentioned it this morning, the unequal blessing of being in God's presence. Now to that in this some very neatly can be divided into three parts. Notice with me first thing this morning, a desire for God of Desire. Forgot looking versus number one and two. Again, if you will, how lovely is your dwelling place? Oh, lord of hosts, my soul Longs. Yes. Faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my fly Sing For Joy to the Living. God. Now we'll do the psalmist is very particularly here. Speaking about his desire to be in the courts of the Lord or in the dwelling place of God and we will address that in a moment. Let me draw your attention to the Cry of his heart in desire for his gut. He cannot help but Express his desire and his passion, and his love for God. And I would suggest this morning that that is a tremendous challenge for you. And for me today, you know, there's so many places in the Book of Psalms that Proclaim this very same thing. Let me read a few verses to you, and if you're taking notes, you can listen carefully to the references, for example, and some of these, again, if you are a lover of the song, I think some of these you'll find, very familiar. Psalm 27 verse for, what is the Samus say? He says, one thing have I desired. I'm sorry. One thing, have I asked of the Lord that will I seek after that. I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life. To Kay's upon the beauty of the Lord. Psalm 42 verse 1 and 2 as a deer pants for flowing streams. So pants my soul for you. Oh God, my soul thirsts for God. For the Living God. Psalm 63 verse number one, God. You are my God. Earnestly. I Seek You. My Soul thirsts For You. My Flesh face for you as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 73 verse 25. Whom have I in heaven, but you Listen to this statement, and there is nothing on Earth that I desire. Besides you. Psalm 143 verse 6, I stretch out my hands to you. My soul, thirsts for you, like a parched land over and over again. And just a book of Psalms, we see this desire for God being expressed. And of course, these expressions are in other parts of the Old Testament as well. Do you know? I'd like to look at something in the New Testament. That will help us to see very, very powerfully this desire for God. Especially God, the son, the Lord Jesus Christ. So there are two places this morning in the Bible. This is the first one. You find the gospel of Mark chapter 5, turn the Mark chapter 5, easy place to find. Like to share with you or related to a familiar story. I hope to you because again I pray that you are a lover of the gospels that you like to read over and over again of the ministry, life and Ministry of our savior, the Lord Jesus for 5. We have this passage where Jesus heals a man who is possessed with a legion of demons are a multitude of demons and we're told that is Jesus inverse number a two steps out of the boat. He's met immediately out of the tombs of man with an unclean Spirit tells us how they try to help this man and he was bound. And he was so super naturally empowered by the demons, he would break chains. And this is a man whose life is just destroyed by this. Demon possession, he's crying out day and night, cutting himself and noticed. Verse 6. He sees Jesus from afar and he runs and falls down. And of course, the the demon says, what do you want to do? Is me, do not torment, me, but notice verse number 8, where the Lord Jesus very simply says to this man come out of the man, you unclean spirit. And of course, he asked his name and he says, he is Legion for. We are many, and Jesus casting out. Even as the demons, ask the demons literally ass possession, mission that they might be cast into this herd of pigs. And he does give them that permission. If if you understand the passage of the pigs run down the Hillside and they, they go into the sea and they are drown. Notice verse number, 15 here. If you will, and actually, let me let's read that verse together, verse 15, It says, when they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed, man, the one who had the legion sitting there clothing in his right mind and what was their response?

Fear. They saw something happen that they knew could never happen before they were afraid. But I'm driving to verse number 18.

As they as he Jesus wears number 18 was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons bet him that he might be with him. They'll notice that if you will, what did he do? He begged Jesus, that he might be with him. And why did this man desire to be with Jesus so much? Why couldn't he conceived of just going along with this life without wanting to spend every moment with Christ from that day forward? What was the reason? Because of Deliverance. Because of Deliverance Christ had done for him. What no one or nothing could ever have done and that my dear brother and sister in Christ. My friend is the testimony of every genuine child of God. Is it not look what Jesus has done for me. Praise be to God. And you know what? Because of what Jesus has done for me, I love him and I desire to be with him, I desire to be with him back in our text Psalm 84. If you look at the end of verse number to, I like the way the King James version translates, that last phrase, it says it. This way, my heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God, ESV says my heart and soul. I sing for Joy to the Living, God. I'd like the way KJV says it, my heart, and my flesh cry out for the Living. God, there is a love and there is a passion for God's, so as expressed in these passages and they should be both an affirmation of our own desire. And yet, maybe this morning a challenge to us as well. Do we have a desire for God like that? That's the question. You and I honestly say that we try out with desire to be with our God, our savior. When we ask you the question this morning and I beats I'd be failing if I didn't do you know him as Savior. Are you certain that? You know? Jesus Christ as your savior. Are you born again? Unless a man, be born again, finished the verse, he cannot what enter the kingdom of God. That's what it says is. God truly you have any fire father? Well in this desire for God the Samus natural the express is secondly, his passion to be dwelling with God again. Notices dwelling with God as expressed in verses 1 through 4 again. How lovely is your dwelling place. Oh, lord of hosts, my soul Longs, yes. Face for the course of the Lord. My heart and flesh Sing For Joy to the Living. God, even the sparrow finds a home on the swallow, a nest for herself, where she may lay her young. That's your altars. Oh lord, of hosts my king and my, God blessed are those who dwell in your house ever? Singing your praise notice. Also please, if you will verse number 10, For a day in your courts. Is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then dwell in the tents of wickedness. So you know this now. Secondly not only desire for God but also this desire to be dwelling with God when having a desire for someone. Is to be with that one, is it not and to dwell with them and I think Shirley from a human perspective we can appreciate this natural truth. When you love someone, what do you want to do? You want to dwell with them, do you not? I know that was very clearly that the situation for Leslie and me when we met in a, we met, we met in college and buy our sophomore year, we became more than friends. And that way, we came to the conclusion that we couldn't live without each other. We wanted to be with each other but you know, we had two more years of college to go and I live in Pennsylvania and she lived in New Jersey. And so, when we weren't in college, we have those things called Summer. And so we were separated during the summer. And you know what we did? I know this is hard to believe because people would never do it anymore. We wrote to each other every single day. We wanted to communicate with each other, we couldn't dwell with each other but we wanted to communicate with each other because we loved one another. And of course, after we graduated from college Leslie, stayed in that area. And she got an apartment and help her settle in the apartment. But, you know, we weren't living together then, but we wanted to be together. We were looking forward to getting married. And then finally, when we were married, we were so happy to be dwelling with each other. Praise be to God for that wonderful privilege to do so that when you love someone, you want to dwell with another psalmist, recognizes that truth. Not to be sure the Old Testament believer realized that the Tabernacle in the wilderness and then in the promised land was the place where they worship God the place where he revealed himself in sacrifice, and in ceremony and hear the psalmist is clearly expressing his desire to dwell in the courts in his chords to dwell with God in his house in his Dwelling Place. And I love the way that the song Miss Express is here fascinatingly noticed that the psalmist is telling of his Envy if you will. Of the lowly sparrows and swallows, who found a way to make their home in the tents of the Lord by building nests in the tent work. Notice it says, even the sparrow finds a home, how beautiful that is and and and what do birds do, when they build less than where they, where they dwell. What is what is known for doing. They say they sing. Why is spring a time? Where the birds make so much noise. What are they doing? They're building nests are they're not, they're, they're settling in there, making another having their families. If you, and I'm going to have their babies and they're, they're singing in proclaiming that joy. And you don't want just as the birds sing, as they please, and the song was doing the birds with same as they made an s in it in the house of the Lord. So, does the child of God sing? When is dwelling and closeness and sweetness. Sweet communion with God, sings notice. First number for getting our text blessed are those who dwell in your house. What does it say? What does it say ever? Singing your praise. Psalm 100, I'm sorry. Psalm 13 Verse 6. Says, that this way, I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me again. Psalm 95 verse 1 and 2 O come, let us sing to the Lord. Let us Make a Joyful Noise to the rock of our Salvation. Let us come into His presence with Thanksgiving. Let us Make a Joyful Noise to him with songs of praise. And I know I know some people say I can't sing. Well, the Samus has it covered here. Last part of the first, what does he say? Make a Joyful watch set a Joyful Noise and maybe you can say to your singing voice? That's okay. God, considers a beautiful. If it's coming from your heart of love for him, that's all that really matters. But the point is, there's this desire to sing, praise to God. Because I dwell close to him and I can't help, but express my love for him. I would like to see something in the New Testament and there's so many things we can look at it, let me just ask you to turn with me this morning to something that the Apostle Paul wrote To Us in the book of Ephesians. Again, hold your place in samedi for certain. We go back to that, but would you turn to Ephesians chapter 5 for a moment? And I hope again, this is a passage that is something that you read read many, many times but an effusion chapter 5.

In fact, I should begin looking at verse number 15. The Apostle Paul is giving instructions to the Believers in Ephesus and he tells them in verse 15 to look very carefully. How they walk to be wise to not unwise making best use of our time, because we live in evil days, don't be foolish. We need to know what the will of the Lord is. Therefore, he says, in verse 18, not even drunk with wine, but rather to be filled with the spirit. And if you look at that phrase, a nice. I look at that phrase. This morning, to be filled with the spirit, meaning to be controlled by the spirit, letting the spirit, Rule and reign in my life and your life. May I, please have permission to associate that this morning with the idea of being close to God, for dwelling with him. What we know is it when the spirit of God is controlling us, God is, is if you will dwell on what we know we brought him with us. Anyway, as a Believer, we're letting him Rule and Reign and noticed. What he says if we are filled with the spirit, what will we do? Our what should we be doing? According to verse number 19, where did be addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs doing what? Singing and making Melody to the Lord with all of our heart and giving. Thanks, Always for everything to God, the father, in the name of our Lord. Jesus Christ. Notice again, how remarkable it is to observe that as we dwell close to the Lord, we will have a song and a heart and will sing, praise to him, not to go back to the song before want you to notice with me, something else is important to see. And that is that our texts today in at the psalmist, expresses that desire to dwell with God, and to be with God in his house by expressing or proclaiming an attitude of humility. Notice the first number 10 of Psalm 84 says, 4 day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God damn dwell in the tents of wickedness. First noticed he acknowledges that just one day in God's house is better than a thousand anywhere else. It is coming to the conclusion that being in the presence of God far, surpasses being anywhere else. Again we can see other sounds that Express is so clearly Psalm 26 verse 8 says it this way oh Lord. I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. Psalm 61 verse for. Let me dwell in your tent forever. Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings. And Psalm 65 verse number for blessed is the one you choose and bring near to dwell in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the Holiness of your temple. Dorsalis acknowledges that he would prefer to take the lowest position in the courts of the Lord. Then to be exalted in the place of wickedness, he said I would rather be a doorkeeper. That my dear friends is an expression of humility. May we never forget. That there is a direct connection between genuine closeness to God. And a spirit of humility.

Very simply. the more arrogant and self okus one is The less possible it is for him to be close to the Lord. Just not going to happen. If I'm arrogant and self-centered and exalting myself, I just can't possibly be caught walking close to God and your canoe. How about that? Let's ask ourselves that question. This morning is there and humility within your soul in my soul. That desires, God and craves to dwell with him. Well, finally, this morning If you desire God and crave to dwell with him, you will naturally see your need for thirdly. Dependence on god. Notice vs. 529 please. Blessed are those whose strength is in, you? News heart of the highways to Zion as it goes to the Valley of Baca. They make it at places Springs, the early rain also covers it with pools, they go from strength to strength, Each one appears before God and Zion. Oh, Lord! God of hosts hear my prayer. Give you or God of Jacob. Behold our Shield. Oh god. Look on the face of your anointed. Verse 11 for the Lord. God is a sun and shield. The Lord, restores favor, and honor. No. Good thing. Does he withhold from those who walk uprightly? Oh lord, of hosts blessed is the one who trusts in you. There was so much about this point that can and should be said, even look further and further to what somebody for teaches us the time limits us from delving too deeply. However, know that this aspect of the sum is very critical for it reveals. How does Thomas understood that his desire for God? And his closeness indwelling with God, produce the natural result of an ever increasing dependence on God. And that is a challenge for us. To make a self an honest self-examination. I asked myself. This question is that ask you do? We realize just how contrary to Natural man is the ever-increasing dependence upon God that God wants for each of his children?

Do you? And I realize that one of the major components of your growth of my growth is a Christian will be the circumstances that God orchestrates in your life. And in my life, So that you and I will have to choose more and more dependents. About him, you know, God is Sovereign and he's Supreme of her off and nothing happens in your life except by The Loving hand of a God and heavenly father was teaching, you and teaching me. Get ready to hear that word. Ready, dependence, dependence. Noticed this morning, how powerfully the psalmist Expressions. This truth of the blessing of dependence. By the way. Answer this question in your own head in your own heart. Do you see dependents? As a blessing. When I was thinking about this, I was reminded of someone that is very prominent in my life and life is life as well. Who would always say, I'll do it myself. I'll do it myself now, you know, we look at that and we say, well, you know, this isn't right to do things, if it will. Yes. There's there is a proper way, which we should do things, but there is a sense in which we need to be completely. Depending on the Lord understanding, we need him for everything and human nature, being what it is. It's going to be a hard one. Again, looking in verses 5, 6 and 7. We see the song is expressing. How the person who is blessed is the one whose strength is in? God. noticed that phrase who's verse five whose strength is in you

You do know what our sinful nature loves. That's human, the Civil part of our sinful of our human nature like this. Not my strength is in you, God, but rather my strength is in Me my strength is in me since Ali, self-dependent Way. Very typically as we grow in the Christian Life. You know, I we often say God, I want to when I what when I need you.

I thought until I need you just be there.

But I don't want to die. I don't really need you for everything. Do I Yes, my dear friends. Part of growing is realizing that you and I need God for everything. Every Beat of a heart. Every breath we take, Everything is a gift from him. Do the song that says come to the point where he understands that blessed is the man whose strength is in. God, and he's happy to Proclaim that Now, very crucially, how did he get to that point? How did he come to understand that? Notice what he says in verse number 6, he talks about going through the Valley of Baca.

What in the world is the Valley of Baca. My dear friends, the Valley of Baca. Is the valley of weeping. That's what it means is the valley of weeping and our psalmist tells us, the blessed are those who travel through the valley of Tears because then they find their strength in God or another Words Their dependence on God. And they're hard as directed ever more as I highway to the dwelling place of God because of the highways to Zion. In fact, we're told that, the wise one who goes to this Valley of weeping is ordained by The Sovereign hand of God, and they will make it a place of Springs. You know what that means? It means a place. Your mother's blessing. Does Persephone cause it's still go from strength to strength appearing before. God, I do brother and sister in Christ. Have you gone through the valley of weeping in the past?

Are you now, perhaps? Going through a valley of weeping. we being reminded this morning and I hope you do realize That God will ordain it so that you and I, we will go through the valley of weeping. Why So, we will learn more and more dependent upon him, because if we're dependent upon Him, guess what we're closer to him. And as you get closer to God, you will be in the off of the fact that God wants you near him. You know, it is right. Have you ever thought something was clean until you put it in more light? Right. And the closer you get to God, the more light is shed on you and more like the s*** out of me, but doesn't it make? The Lord Jesus even more sweet to realize that God in his mercy and His Amazing Grace. Drew me to him, save me through the blood of Christ.

Verses 8 and 9. The song that says, oh, Lord God, of hosts hear my prayer. You're my, she'll do God. Look on the face of your anointed verse. Number 11, for the Lord, God is a sun and shield the Lord. That's those favor and honor, no good thing. Does he withhold from them, who walk uprightly? What a wonderful truth. What a wonderful promise. If you are God's child, the valley of weeping where the valley of dependence is the place of an answered prayer. It's the place where God is a sun and a shield the place where God brings favor and honor. It's a place where I am promised I am promised The god withhold. No good thing. As I walk close to him. So, here's a question for you. And for me this morning you and I believe that

I mean is it more than theological Ascent? Is it more than see a logical agreement? Do you really believe it? And were told in the very last verse of this song, What is the key? It is Faith. It is. Trusting God in dependence on him first. 12 blessed is the one, who, what, who trust in you. So, I asked you this morning. As I have asked myself, this question. Oh, have I asked myself this question?

Have I asked myself this question?

Are you really trusting in Him Today?

Not. Do you go to church? Not do you read your Bible? Not, do you have scripture memorized as good as all those things are?

What God really wants is for me to be trusting in Him? Are you trusting in Him Today? Does your heart cry out with desire for God to dwell with him and to depend upon him alone, may God in his Mercy, make it. So in my life, and in your life, and of course,

as we close very much. Most importantly, are you certain that you are born again?

Are you certain? let you know Christ as your savior and if so If you are born again, I believe the word of God teaches. You will desire him. You will want to dwell with him, and you will learn to depend upon him more and more. And to God be all the glory as he changes our life in such a way so that people look at us and say what happened to him? What happened to her? What is different about them? Remember the man who had to do man taken from him? What was the Bible said that people were literally afraid when they saw what happened Jesus Christ, get all the glory for transforming my life and your life. As we desire him about close to him and depend on him, more and more.

Father, thank you so much for the wonderful privilege of sharing the word of God for these few minutes. Lord in this fuel temp, you Work in spite of the human failings and Father in Heaven, may you get all the glory and the praise and made these very true is that we discovered today. Be a reality and all of our Lives first and foremost May each one be certain without any doubt Christ as their Savior. And then as a child of God, may be examined and see that we truly do desire. You more and more everyday. All we know, Lord and our human sinful flesh wheel will turn away from you over and over again. Is our brother Bryan Mission today, how we wander away and yet you keep bringing this back. Thank you for that ever wanted. Well with you. We do literally look forward to the day when we will dwell in your presence. But we know that your spirit dwells within us and we couldn't well with you as we just live day by day for you, and Lord, isn't even talked today about being with God's people and dwelling in the house of God and being here as we are today. So much could have been said about that, but we do have a desire to come to the house of God. So we could be You people in worship you together? And Lord. Thank you, but even when we don't realize that it is better to be depending on you, you workout circumstances. So that we will learn dependents. It is a place of answered prayer is a place of blessing and we thank you for that. You get all the praise and glory. What you accomplished this morning for the preaching of it worth in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Take a few minutes. Now, just have a time of quiet reflection and prayer.