The city of Jerusalem was in ancient times the main center of religious pilgrimage, because there was the most important temple, built by King Solomon, that was also home to the Ark of the Covenant. Psalm 84 is a song of praise to the Lord by a pilgrim heading to Jerusalem to worship God.
The Psalm begins by expressing the pilgrim's motives for beginning his desired journey. The pilgrim metaphorically expressed his thirst for God, that is, his reverential fear, to begin his song of praise to God.
With these words, the Psalm begins:
"How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God" Psalm 84:1-2.
The Psalm has as its purpose to show in very simple words the importance of the fear of God, because it is from this gift that true happiness and blessedness are born; there is no greater treasure for man than the worship of God. The spiritual gift of fear of god is defined as constancy, firmness, devotion, and equanimity.
With these words of exclamation, the psalm continues the song:
"Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage" Psalm 84:4-5.
God is a shield and illumination for intelligence, the Psalm explains, God is the source of the true blessings from above such as wisdom, mercy (compassion, gentleness, kindness), long life, and prosperity; that is why the pilgrim expressed his devotion to god with these wise words:
"For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk in blameless" Psalm 84:11.
The pilgrim ended his song praising God and those who trust in him:
"LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you" Psalm 84:12
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