Psalm 84

Longing for God’s House^c

84 How I love your Temple, Lord Almighty!

²How I want to be there!

I long to be in the Lord’s Temple.

With my whole being I sing for joy

to the living God.

³Even the sparrows have built a nest,

and the swallows have their own home;

they keep their young near your altars,

⁴How happy are those who live in your Temple, always singing praise to you.

⁵How happy are those whose strength comes from you,

who are eager to make the pilgrimage to Mount Zion.

⁶As they pass through the dry valley of Baca,

it becomes a place of springs;

the autumn rain fills it with pools.

⁷They grow stronger as they go;

they will see the God of gods on Zion.

⁸Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty.

Listen, O God of Jacob!

⁹Bless our king, O God,

the king you have chosen.

¹⁰One day spent in your Temple

is better than a thousand anywhere else;

I would rather stand at the gate of the house of my God

than live in the homes of the wicked.

¹¹The Lord is our protector and glorious king,

blessing us with kindness and honour.

He does not refuse any good thing

to those who do what is right.

¹²Lord Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you!