84:title music director See note on 4:title.

Gittith See note on 8:title.

A psalm See note on 3:title.

the sons of Korah See note on 42:title.

84:1 your dwelling places The psalmist praises the temple as an emblem of God’s presence.

O Yahweh of hosts Refers to God as the commander of heavenly armies. The Hebrew text here uses the phrase yhwh tseva'oth. See note on 24:10.

84:2 for the courtyards of The psalmist desires God’s courts so that he might praise God.

My heart and flesh sing for joy Other psalms speak highly of the temple (e.g., 138:2), but the psalmist’s focus on the joy of the worship experience at the Jerusalem temple is a special feature of Psa 84.

84:3 Even a bird finds a home The psalmist illustrates how God will never turn a faithful person away from His temple.

my king Other psalms also praise God as King (e.g., Pss 93; 95–99; see 93:1 and note); here, the psalmist seems to focus on God’s cosmic kingship—His chosen representative rules His people on earth (see v. 9).

my God In the Hebrew text, Yahweh (yhwh) is specifically identified as the God and king of the worshiper.

The Name Theology of the Old Testament

84:4 Blessed are Refers to those who are faithful to God above all else (see 112:1 and note; compare vv. 5, 12).

those who dwell in your house This may refer to the literal servants in the temple or it may be a depiction of people who are so consumed by the experience of worship that they are almost always worshiping at the temple.

84:5 the highways The Hebrew word mesillah is a general word for a “road” or “track”; here, it seems to hold the idea of pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

84:6 the Valley of Baca A valley associated with either balsam or weeping, depending on how the Hebrew text is understood. It was possibly located along a pilgrimage route to Jerusalem.

84:7 each appears before God in Zion Three annual festivals in Israel were called pilgrimage festivals because worshipers were required to travel to Jerusalem to come before Yahweh in worship at the temple (see Deut 16:1–17).

84:8 O God of Jacob Compare 82:1, 4.

84:9 our shield The Hebrew word used here, magen, seems to refer to God’s anointed ruler in this instance, the king, who was also Israel’s military leader. In v. 11, the Hebrew word used here, magen, refers to God Himself. Compare 115:9 and note.

your anointed one Although God is called melekh (“King”) in v. 3, His mashiach (“anointed”) is His human representative: the king of Israel (see 132:10 and note).

84:10 at the threshold The psalmist states that simply being close to Yahweh’s temple is better than being in any other place.

84:11 Yahweh God A combination of the personal name Yahweh and the title elohim (“God”). See v. 8 and note.

a shield The psalmist calls God a shield (magen; compare v. 9); as such, He is a protector and perhaps even an emblem of Israel. See 115:9 and note.

those who walk blamelessly Part of the good conduct that Psa 84 portrays is attending to God in worship, but God’s requirements also extend to proper personal and societal conduct.

84:12 blessed is The psalmist reiterates the blessedness of God’s people. See v. 4 and note.