Psalms 84

Here is the activity of grace; the Church prays for the blowing of the Spirit, that her spices might flow forth (Song of Solomon 4:16). 2. A Christian grows Gradu, in the degree of grace; he goes from strength to strength (Psalm 84:7), namely, from one degree of grace to another…

He who has God has enough: if a man be thirsty, bring him to the ocean, and he is satisfied; in God there is enough to fill the heaven-born soul. He gives grace and glory (Psalm 84:11). There is in God not only a sufficiency, but a redundancy: he is not only full as a vessel, bu…

A soul deeply in love with God, desires the enjoyment of him in his ordinances, in word, prayer, sacrament. David was ready to faint away and die, when he had not a sight of God (Psalm 84:2). My soul faints for God; such as care not for ordinances, but say, when will the Sabbath…

An ingenuous child delights to approach near to his Father, and go into his presence. David envied the birds that they built their nests so near God's altars, when he was debarred his Father's house (Psalm 84:3). True saints love to get as near to God as they can: in the Word th…

Beside the two pence which the good Samaritan left to pay for the cure of the poor wounded man, he passed his word for all that he should need beside (Luke 10:35). So, Christ does not only give a little grace in hand, but his bond for more, that he will give as much grace as a s…

And the like we may see in David: for though he were a King, yet he set all his royalty and majesty at nought, in regard of Gods blessing of adoption; and therefore says, The Lord (not the Kingdom of Israel) is my portion. And again, when he was kept from the Lords tabernacle, a…

Where we learn, that as we must be thankful to God, for all his blessings; so among them all, we should choose the best. This, David does: for being put to choose, whether he had rather live in safe-guard, and in solace, with the wicked and ungodly; than in base estate, and in g…

Psalm 33:18-19: 'The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, to keep them alive in famine.' Psalm 84:11: 'No good thing will be withheld from those that walk uprightly.' Romans 8:32: 'He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also…

Third, in urging this doctrine more hardly upon the people, to cause them not to rest on the letter of the law, but seek to the promised Messiah, in whom only was their righteousness — as young heirs and minors are kept under tutors while their minority expires. But, first, who…

Thirdly, God sometimes requires that we should part with all his holy ordinances in some cases; part with all confidence in them, and from staying our hearts upon them; we may soon lose Christ, and lose his protection, and his fatherly compassion towards us, if in the use of the…

The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: But they that seek the Lord, shall not want any good thing. And walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield, the Lord will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

And for this cause we must join ourselves to the assemblies where the word is preached, prayer made, and sacraments administered: for there is the gate of heaven. Consider the practice of Moses (Hebrews 11:25-26), and of David (Psalm 84:10). Again, being absent from heaven both…

For alas! without these, what felicity is there? Therefore let every one of us in the fear of God learn to fix the right knowledge of spiritual benefits fast in our hearts: for it is not for nothing that David says he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God (Psalm 8…

That Christ speaks here of bodily food may easily be inferred: first, because otherwise the prayer would be defective and incomplete. We are enjoined, in many passages, to throw all our cares into the bosom of God, and he graciously promises, that "he will withhold from us no go…

My Soul thirsteth for thee; my Flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty Land, where no Water is, to see thy Power and thy Glory, so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary. Psalm 84. 1, 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, fo…

And seeing God has taught us in his Word, that the whole Reward is such, that it would at once destroy the Body, is it not too bold a Thing for us, so to set Bounds to the sovereign God, as to say, that in giving the Earnest of this Reward in this World, he shall never give so m…

He provides that fresh recruits shall still spring up to them in their way. For all their supplies are of him, and are acknowledged to be so; in as much as by waiting upon the Lord they renew strength and mount up with wings as Eagles, run without weariness, and walk without fai…

If we are crossed in our outward concernments, and see our expectations of prosperity dashed; if we see such or such an outward comfort removed, from which we promised our selves much; why must God be accused for this? these thing you promised yourselves: but where did God promi…

4. How do you increase this treasure? To him that has shall be given; truth of grace is the prologue to growth in grace: and growth in grace arrives at full strength of grace; the saints go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:7). The true Christian, like his Master, increases in…

And all the Apostles gloried in the title of servants. The lowest office in which a man can serve God, even that of a Nethinim, or door-keeper, which was the lowest order or rank of officers in the house of God (Ezekiel 44:10-11), is yet preferred by David before the service of…

Thirdly, it has been the only desire of gracious hearts heretofore; and if God has wrought any grace in you, sure your grace is suitable to the grace of others, as David, in Psalm 27:24 This one thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the ho…

But there is much difficulty in the way. Psalm 84:6 The way to Zion, it was through the valley of Baca: they might have said, We could have been content to go to Zion, and to worship God there, but we must go through that valley, of tears; but they were content to go through tha…

The way to Canaan is through the wilderness, even after a sore and tedious bondage; yea, and when God brought his people into Canaan, he brought them into the worst part of Canaan first, into the southern part, which was the most dry and barren part of the land. The way to Zion…

The stones that are appointed for that glorious temple above, are hewn and polished and prepared for it here, as the stones were wrought and prepared in the mountains for building the temple at Jerusalem. This is the order (Psalm 84:12). He gives grace, and glory, as moralists c…

It is not the sound of the Gospel, or outward ministry, but the work of his Spirit. My soul indeed faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God (Psalm 84:2). And it is said, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word (Acts 10:4…

5. God writes down the desires of his People, Psalm. 38 9. All my desire is before you: That is, it is set down in your book. Desire is the Spiritual Appetite, or the Souls Anhelation and breathing after God, Psalm 84:2. In this Life we do rather desire God than enjoy him.

Is it not well with that man who has all things go on his side, and has nothing wanting that may do him Good? Psalm 84:11. If God sees Health or Riches Good for him, he shall have them.

Sincerity of sanctification; when a man does carefully endeavor to keep his garments unspotted from the world, and to approve himself to God; when this is his constant exercise, to avoid all offence both towards God and man (Acts 24:16), and is cautious and watchful lest he shou…

These are the months of our purification, we are now to cleanse ourselves for the embraces of the great God. When we grow more mortified, strict, holy, heavenly, then we ripen apace, and hasten homeward (Psalm 84:7). They shall go on from strength to strength, etc.; every degree…

The children of God are fond of nothing so much as of his Word and ordinances. It is set forth by the appetite which a hungry man has toward his meat after a long abstinence (Psalm 84:2), My soul longs, indeed even faints for the courts of the Lord. Or as a weary traveller and t…

That we may serve God safely; God will bring it about another way. Fifthly, If God does not give us the blessings themselves we ask, yet he gives us many experiences by the by, in the manner of asking; one way or other something comes into the soul by praying to God: as those in…

(John 3:16) the end of Christ's coming is, that we should not perish (there's the privative part) but come to everlasting life (there's the positive). In the covenant God has undertaken to be a sun and a shield (Psalm 84:11), not only a sun, which is the fountain of life, and ve…

(Psalm 119:99): "Remember your word to your servant, wherein you have caused me to hope." Therefore, to bear up our hearts, God has not only promised us in the general that he will never fail us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and all things shall work together for good (Romans 8…

When we begin to waver and faint, and stand, we receive new strength. As they when they had a little refreshing then they went on from strength to strength (Psalm 84:7-8). The Lord's Supper is our viaticum, our well and refreshing by the way, that we may hold out to our journey'…

Their main care is to obtain this blessed condition, therefore they use word, sacraments, that they may grow in grace, faith, repentance, new obedience. Every degree in grace is another step towards heaven: (Psalm 84:4) Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, in whose heart…

As David says in this Psalm 119; not only he shall be blessed, but he is blessed. As they that traveled towards Zion, they met with a well by the way (Psalm 84:6): Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well: the rain also fills the pools. In a dry and barren wilderne…

2. The obligation of his promise, so this good comes in as a reward, according to the law of his grace, he has engaged himself by his promise to give us all good things. Psalm 84:11: The Lord God is a sun and a shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he wi…

1. That God has in him whatever is useful and comfortable to us. That is one notion we apprehend him by, that he is God all-sufficient (Genesis 17:1), or that he has all things at command, to do for us as our necessities shall require (Psalm 84:11), For the Lord God is a sun and…

Many times they want food and clothing, want liberty at least in some degree; they may want many things that are comfortable; though they have things sparingly, though they have of the meanest, yet they have that which is good for them. So (Psalm 84:11) "No good thing will he wi…

Secondly, it may be caused by a fervent and strong desire. (Psalm 84:2), My soul longs, indeed, even faints for the courts of God. Vehement desires cause a languor: so it is taken here, it is long, O Lord, that I have waited, and attended with great desire for deliverance from y…

1. For Christ; nothing makes Christ precious, but serious thoughts of eternity, he being the only means to deliver us from wrath to come, which is the great evil of the other state; and procure for us the eternal enjoyment of God, which is the good of that estate. Psalm 84:11. H…

It is sweet to be in his presence. Every true child of God says, 'A day in your courts is better than a thousand' (Psalm 84:10). Those who slight the ordinances are none of God's children, because they care not to be in his presence; they love the tavern better than the temple.

So he who has Christ needs look no further. Christ gives grace and glory (Psalm 84:11) — the one to cleanse us, the other to crown us. As Jacob said: it is enough, Joseph is yet alive (Genesis 45:28).

There is a fire-edge and a fervor or fever of affections even to spiritual objects that are created at the first conversion, for mortification does not so soon begin as the new heart. As for God, love as one that loves, desire and desire, and when he hides himself, weep as if yo…

They that go rightly through this valley of Baca, make it a well; the rain that God sends down from heaven upon them that are here, also fills the pools. This valley is that from where also the King will give to his their vineyards; and they that go through it shall sing, as Chr…

Poverty: You speak well; but what is it you will do for me? Have you any money to give me to buy my family a little good victuals (for we have had little else besides bread and water a great while to live upon) and some better clothes? for my poor children go almost naked. Godli…

6. The meanest and lowest relation with Christ is honor: John Baptist places an honor in unloosing the latchets of his shoes, and thinks to bear his shoes is more honor than he deserves (John 1:27). David, a great prophet appointed to be a king: O, if I might be so near the Lord…

Or do you design, desire and endeavor after something more inward and spiritual and incomparably sweet, that you meet with Christ there, that you may have fellowship with the Father and the Son therein? And upon this account can you say as David, How amiable are your tabernacles…

His conscience was now daubed and smothered; tract of time will sometimes heal such anguishes. So Saul (1 Samuel 24:17-18) and (1 Samuel 26:2), but it is not so with a pierced heart, it never leaves braying after the Lord (Psalm 42:1-2) and (Psalm 84:3) and (Psalm 34:5-6). My so…

Also: "My lips shall praise you." What work is there in heaven, but of this second commandment, as it is read in Psalm 84: "Lord, blessed are they that dwell in your house, for they shall praise you forever." So David in Psalm 33: "His praise is always in my mouth."