Psalm 84:1-12 Enjoying The Presence of God This Christmas

A true story is told of Mendelssohn, the great composer and musician. He went to a cathedral in Europe. They had just bought a new organ. The guy whose charge it was to take care of the organ didn’t recognize the talented musician.

Mendelssohn said, “Sir, may I please play this organ?”

The caretaker of the organ said, “Oh no! This is our brand-new organ. We can’t just allow anyone to play it.”

Mendelssohn asked again, “Please,sir, let me play the organ.”

“I’m sorry. You don’t understand. This is a million-dollar organ. We can’t let you play this organ.”

The composer tried yet again. “Please, please let me play.”

To get rid of the visitor, the man said, “Okay. Here, you can play for just a minute.”

Mendelssohn sat down and started playing. Music like the man had never heard started coming through the pipes of this organ. He had never heard such harmonious sounds in his life. He said, “Mister, who are you?”

Mendelssohn introduced himself.

The man just stared at him with his mouth open, now recognizing who stood in front of him. He felt embarrassed to think that he had been foolish enough to forbid Mendelssohn to play the organ. He just didn’t realize who was in his cathedral. We ought to be embarrassed that we don’t recognize the power of the presence of God and give Him the right to have His way.1

Many commentators have attributed this psalm to the sweet psalmist of Israel, David. They say he wrote this psalm when he was in exile from Jerusalem during the time Absalom launched a rebellion against him. If this be true, we see David longing not for the palace he had or the power he employed, the position he held, or the popularity he enjoyed. We see him longing for the presence of God in the place where he could worship the Father in the tabernacle he had pitched in Jerusalem.2

This psalm reflects the desire that eventually comes to everyone who follows Christ – the desire to be in God’s presence permanently. The reason is because being in God’s presence is pure joy. This joy is better than any drug, sex, or other enjoyable experience or place.

5 REASONS THAT GOD’S PRESENCE BRINGS ME JOY

1. I look forward to spending time with God.

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, Lord of Hosts. I long and yearn for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:1–2, HCSB)

What makes spending time with God enjoyable is not how the throne room looks. It is not how the temple looks. It is not how the church building looks. Spending time with God is not enjoyable because the place looks great.

2. I enjoy being at home in God’s presence.

“Even a sparrow finds a home, and a swallow, a nest for herself where she places her young— near Your altars, Lord of Hosts, my King and my God. How happy are those who reside in Your house, who praise You continually. Selah” (Psalm 84:3–4, HCSB)

The sparrow is a common emblem for worthlessness (Matthew 10:29–31) and the swallow a common symbol for restlessness. The house of God ministers to both!3

You know that when children are home with their parents, they enjoy being with them. This is especially true during this Christmas season. We come home. As children, we look forward to coming home and enjoying the time with parents and family. When children come home for Christmas, it is not the dwelling place they are looking forward to seeing. Children are looking forward to being with their family. Just as a child enjoys the home of their parents, we enjoy the dwelling of God.

3. I enjoy knowing that God will be my source of strength.

“Happy are the people whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5, HCSB)

“They go from strength to strength; each appears before God in Zion.” (Psalm 84:7, HCSB)

Each morning when we wake up, we need strength to face the day. Our strength has to have a source. As believers in Christ, He promises to give us daily strength to face our days full of trials. We all have to go through valleys in our lives and sometimes they last a long time. The psalm tells us that we can make out well in our times of trial. The Lord will refill us with strength daily. Everyone who appears before God will receive strength through the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Make time in your morning for the Lord!⁴

4. I enjoy knowing that God will provide my deepest needs.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a source of springwater; even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.” (Psalm 84:6, HCSB)

The psalm provides a simple reflection on the fact that God is my strength. Therefore, when I go through difficult times, God can provide my deepest needs. He can provide comfort when I need comfort. He can provide refreshment when I am thirsty.

The root of the word, baca, means “weeping.” We’re not sure where this valley is geographically. It could even be a poetic picture the psalmist is painting. However, whatever the case historically, we can find ourselves going through tearful valleys presently.

You can’t be a comforter unless you’ve been comforted. And you can’t be comforted unless you’ve been uncomfortable. So God allows us the privilege of being made uncomfortable from time to time, to walk through the valley of Baca, so that the One who wipes away every tear can minister deeply to us in order that we can help others.

5. I enjoy knowing that God listens and answers when I pray.

“Lord God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, God of Jacob. Selah Consider our shield, God; look on the face of Your anointed one.” (Psalm 84:8–9, HCSB)

I can enjoy knowing that God will listen when I pray.

If I’m walking with the Lord—not perfectly, but simply if my heart is right—I can be absolutely assured that there is not one good thing He’ll hold back from me. We make our requests to Him, talk things over with Him, and cast our cares upon Him. And we can know with absolute certainty that whatever we desire will come our way—if it’s a good thing. If it doesn’t come our way, it simply means it’s not truly good.

Even as she worshiped Him, Jesus realized Salome had another agenda. I picture Him with a smile on His face and a gleam in His eye as He said to her, “Tell Me what you want.”

“Can my two boys, James and John, be on Your right hand and left hand when You come into Your kingdom?” Salome asked.

Jesus looked at her and said, “Can they drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with My baptism?”

James and John answered, “Yes” (Matthew 20:20–22).

A few days later, at the foot of the cross, Salome must have heard the thief say to Jesus, “Lord, remember me as You come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).

And when Jesus said, “Today you’ll be with Me in paradise,” His answer must have hit her like a ton of bricks. No wonder He didn’t grant her request. She was unknowingly asking that her boys be crucified on His right and left.

If you’re praying and things aren’t happening, know that the Lord sees what you don’t see and knows what you can’t know. Remember Salome—and trust Him to do what’s best for you.5

THREE GIFTS GOD SHARES EXCLUSIVELY WITH ME AS HIS CHILD⁶

“Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of wicked people. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in You, Lord of Hosts!” (Psalm 84:10–12, HCSB)

God gives many things, but He is exclusive to the people whom He gives them to. God does not His grace, glory and good for everyone. Yes, He gives general goodness to everyone. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. However, there are things (grace, glory, goodness) which are reserved only for those who trust Him. Happiness is the result of people who trust God.

The one word that is used three times is found in this section of the psalm. It means happiness to all those who trust in the Lord.7

Think about how enjoyable it must feel to the psalmist. He says that he would rather spend one day in God’s place and presence than 3 years elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). Why? Because God gives grace, glory, and goodness to those in Him (Psalm 84:11-12). It is not the beauty of the place that attracts the psalmist but the beauty of the person.8

1. Grace

“…The Lord gives grace…” (Psalm 84:11, HCSB)

The first gift that God gives His people is grace. God’s grace has appeared to everyone.

“For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people,” (Titus 2:11, HCSB)

God’s grace is tied to salvation. So this grace is a time offer for the lost. If you accept salvation, then God’s grace continues with you for eternity. God’s grace does not extend forever for the lost. It is exclusive for His children. God’s grace is a reflection of glory, which leads to God’s goodness.

2. Glory

“…The Lord gives…glory…” (Psalm 84:11, HCSB)

The second gift that God gives His people is His glory. The Lord is a sun to warm us and a shield—or, literally, shade—to protect us.9 God’s glory leads to God’s goodness. The glory of God is a magnificent characteristic of God because it shows the power of God. The same glory that warms me can shield me. This same glory which reveals God’s nature to me, can also lead to God’s goodness to me. God’s goodness is a reflection of God’s glory.

3. Goodness

“…He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.” (Psalm 84:11, HCSB)

The third gift that God gives His people is His goodness. Goodness is part of the nature of God. It is part of Who He is. This goodness of God is why it is great to be in His presence. God is not stingy with His goodness. He shares it with me. God shares His goodness for my good.

God shares certain good things with His children.

“Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7, HCSB)

Whatever God creates, it is always good. God’s creation was good and humanity was very good (Genesis 1:4, Genesis 1:31). Not only was creating you and me very good individually. But God said it was good to create community for you and me (Genesis 2:18).

God’s people saw that what God gave them was good. Leah saw that God had given her a good gift when she had six sons.

““God has given me a good gift,” Leah said. “This time my husband will honor me because I have borne six sons for him,” and she named him Zebulun.” (Genesis 30:20, HCSB)

Joseph even recognized that God even planned bad things in life to turn out to be good.

“You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50:20, HCSB)

Job realized that even bad things that happen are meant for good.

““You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:10, HCSB)

Therefore, God’s presence is for my good.

“But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all You do.” (Psalm 73:28, HCSB)

When I enjoy God’s presence, I realize that when God spends time with me, it is for my good. There is a condition to God sharing His goodness with me. I have to live with integrity. I have to live an honest life. As I live with integrity – being true to how God made me, then God shares His goodness. As He shares His goodness, I will want to share that goodness with others. This is why I have to have integrity about my faith. My talk must match my walk.

F. W. Boreham reminds us of a story from the life of Francis of Assisi. “Brother,” Francis said one day to one of the young monks at the Portiuncula, “let us go down to the town and preach!”

The novice, delighted at being singled out to be the companion of Francis, obeyed with alacrity. They passed through the principal streets; turned down many of the by-ways and alleys; made their way out to some of the suburbs; and at length returned, by a circuitous route, to the monastery gate. As they approached it, the younger man reminded Francis of his original intention.

“You have forgotten, Father, that we went down to the town to preach!”

“My son,” Francis replied, “we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We have been seen by many; our behavior has been closely watched; it was thus that we preached our morning sermon. It is of no use, my son, to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere we walk.”10

In his book, Today Matters, John Maxwell tells about a woman who was out shopping with her daughter a few days before Christmas. The woman complained about everything in the mall—the crowds, the long lines, the quality of the merchandise, the prices, and her sore feet. Finally, after a tense exchange with a particular clerk, the woman left the store fuming and saying, “I’m never going back to that store again. Did you see the dirty look she gave me?” The daughter answered, “She didn’t give it to you, Mom. You had it when you went in!”11 12

If I want to receive God’s grace, glory and goodness, then I need to be willing to share that same goodness with others. I need to live with the right attitude during this Christmas season. When I enjoy the presence of God this Christmas season, people should notice it. They should want to know more about why I have this joy. And I should be willing to tell them what the life of Jesus means for me.