20 Or “for.”
21 Heb “better is a day in your courts than a thousand [spent elsewhere].”
22 Heb “I choose being at the entrance of the house of my God over living in the tents of the wicked.” The verb סָפַף (safaf) appears only here in the OT; it is derived from the noun סַף (saf, “threshold”). Traditionally some have interpreted this as a reference to being a doorkeeper at the temple, though some understand it to mean “lie as a beggar at the entrance to the temple” (see ספף).
23 The verb דּוּר (dur, “to live”) occurs only here in the OT.
24 Heb “[is] a sun and a shield.” The epithet “sun,” though rarely used of Israel’s God in the OT, was a well-attested royal title in the ancient Near East. For several examples from Ugaritic texts, the Amarna letters, and Assyrian royal inscriptions, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 131, n. 2.
25 Or “grace.”
26 Heb “he does not withhold good to those walking in integrity.”
27 Traditionally “Lord of hosts.”
28 Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man [who] trusts in you.” Hebrew literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle stated here is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the plural “those.” The individual referred to here is representative of all followers of God, as the use of the plural form in v. 12b indicates.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

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.

O Lord of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

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 is blameless.

Lord Almighty,

blessed is the one who trusts in you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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.

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.

Happy is the person who trusts in you,

Lord of Armies!

NLTNew Living Translation

A single day in your courts

is better than a thousand anywhere else!

I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God

than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.

He gives us grace and glory.

The Lord will withhold no good thing

from those who do what is right.

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

what joy for those who trust in you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Because better is a day in your courtyards

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be at the threshold of the house of my God

than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield;

Yahweh gives grace and honor.

He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.

O Yahweh of hosts,

blessed is the man who trusts you.

KJV 1900King James Version

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.

I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,

Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield:

The Lord will give grace and glory:

No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts,

Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

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