A Source Of Strength

A Ray of Hope - Hope is waiting for God to act in spite of insurmountable odds

A Beacon of Truth - Faith is speaking God’s Truth into impossible situations

A Sacrifice of Praise - Tears and Knees

tears of crying for God’s deliverance

tears of longing to be in God’s presence

tears of pleading for God’s grace and glory

A Source Of Strength

Strength is found by dwelling in God’s presence

A Source of Strength - Grace is given in God’s presence in the midst of the trial and praising Him for it.

3 Blessed-s

Blessed Are Those Who Dwell In God’s House

Blessed Are Those Whose Strength Is In God.

Tears turned to springs

A Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise

Blessed Are Those Who Trust In God

Blessed Are Those Who Dwell In God’s House! (84:4)

The Goal

Dwelling Places (vs. 1) - How Lovely! rather - beloved. The Temple

Courts Of The King…(vs 2)

But...it’s not just the building that the psalmist desires, it’s what the building represents: a yearning for the very presence of God.

Being in the presence of God elicits songs of joy to the Living God

Altars (vs 3)

The practice of setting up altars to remember an appearance of God, or great work of God. (see vs 8. - the God of Jacob)

Birds find a house and nest at your altars - sacrifice, safety,

Matthew 6:25–26 (NASB95)

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

The sparrow is a common emblem for worthlessness and a swallow of restlessness. The house of God ministers to both.

Irony, a place where birds are sacrificed is a place that birds feel safe.

A place where blood was shed to cover sins.

A place used to solemnize a covenant or treaty and to symbolize a positive relationship between the two parties.

The Cross

At the altar or sorrow, we sing songs of joy! Redeemed

At the altar of desertion, we see His presence revealed! Restored

At the altar of death, we find a living God! Resurrection

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God dwells within us! (vs 4)

Blessed are those in whom God dwells.

God is always with us.

We praise God for His forever presence with us.

What worry do we need to sacrifice on the altar?

What sin do we need to nail to the cross?

What fear do we need to let melt in the presence of God?

Does God dwell within you? Have you received Him as Lord and Savior of your life?

Blessed Are Those Whose Strength Is In God. (84:5)

The Journey - The Pilgrimage.

Pilgrimages were nothing new to the Jew. All the men were required 3 times a year to make their way to the 3 great feasts of Israel: Passover, Weeks, and Booths,

Hear our prayer (vs 8)

A plea. Emperor’s New Groove. Pacha comes to plead with Emperor Kuzco to not destroy his village. Goes on a trek to plea with Kuzco.

Heart is set on the pilgrimage to Zion (vs 5)

In one’s heart is the way to Zion

It is the pull, the drive, to see God

Passing through the valley of Baca - moments of adversity. The difficulties faced on the journey. (vs 6)

Why do bad things happen? Sin.

Sin brought about separation from God.

Sin brought decay, destruction, and death.

Sin brought about selfishness and pride.

tears turned into springs - making altars along the way.

tears of repentance.

tears of sorrow.

tears of weariness.

tears of pain.

springs, altars become blessings in the desert journey - When passing back through it was a memory device of God’s faithfulness, then to be shared with others to proclaim God’s goodness and grace.

God of Jacob (vs. 8)

Jacob’s ladder. (Genesis 28:18–22, ESV) fleeing from brother. Goes to bed and sees angels ascending and descending from heaven on a ladder. God renews the covenant of Abraham with him. This is in one sense a pilgrimage

Genesis 28:18–22 (NASB95)

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Shechem - El-Elohe-Israel in Shechem. God the God of Israel. (Genesis 33:18–20, NASB95). Returns to brother in fear.

Genesis 33:18–20 (NASB95)

Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Giving strength to strength (vs 6) - through the exercise of worship. A sacrifice of prayer and praise. An acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

going from spring to spring. altar to altar. faith to faith. grace to grace. strength to strength.

Romans 1:16–17 (NASB95)

For in (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

John 1:16 (NASB95)

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Hear our prayers (vs 8)

Tears and knees.

Tears of pleading for God’s grace and glory in whatever affliction.

Psalm 56:8 (NASB95)

You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?

2 Corinthians 12:8–10 (ESV)

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that (the thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan) should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Each pool becomes a place of dwelling in God’s presence full of grace and truth, love and strength.

We Will Make It To The End! - Each one appears (vs 7)

Keeping one’s focus knowing that we will appear before God. We will get there!!! (vs. 7)

Two young girls were talking, and one said she had ten pennies. The other girl looked at her hand and only saw five. She said, “You only have five pennies.” The first girl replied, “I have five and my father told me he would give me five more tonight. So I have ten.”

She understood that her father’s promise was as good as done.[1]

[1]Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 172). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

It’s not “if” we’re going to make it. It’s “when” we will make it. We will present our prayers and requests to Him.

What valley do you need God to make into a spring?

In what situation do you need God’s grace?

What request do you need God to hear?

What do you need to make right with God before we see Him?

Blessed Are Those Who Trust In God. (84:12)

The Reward - God will be faithful to His promises.

The pilgrim, once he arrived in God’s dwelling place in Zion, prayed for the king, who was like a shield protecting the people, and was God’s anointed one (cf. 2:2). As the LORD God Almighty (lit., “Yahweh, God of hosts”) and the God of Jacob, He is able to intervene on behalf of His people and deliver them. (vs 9)

Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 855). Victor Books.

Look upon the face of Your anointed - the king - foreshadow of Jesus (vs 9)

Our reward? To stand before Jesus and fall under His protection, favor, and love.

God our shield - our covering, our refuge (vs 9-11)

in the midst of the struggle a moment - a pool, a spring, an altar - with you in the middle of the desert is better than dwelling in the tents of the prosperity of the wicked.

I choose to sit on the threshold of your presence. And a day with you is better than a thousand elsewhere.

Lord of hosts (armies) - mentioned 3x (vs 1, 8, 12)

Once in each section.

My King, My God...

God has our back.

God our sun - light - symbolic of restoration (vs 11)

The Lord shines His light into our darkest nights.

The Lord gives grace and glory

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

A Source of Strength - Grace is given in God’s presence in the midst of the trial and praising Him for it.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB95)

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

each tear is being transformed into glory.

each spring, each altar becomes a blessing

Psalm 30:5 (NASB95)

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

each night becomes morning

each wailing becomes joyful shouting

The presence of God transforms adversity into prosperity, affliction into freedom, and death into life.

God the giver of all good things (vs 11)

James 1:16–17 (ESV)

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Why might we be deceived?

Satan is not going to give you good things!

He will only give you what corrupts, is fading, is false, can be stolen, and is dying.

No good thing is withheld from those who walk with integrity.

Integrity: In context, this term is used of one’s relationship with God. And in over half of its occurrences, it describes an animal to be sacrificed to the Lord. (altar)

Will you sacrifice on the altar at the pool of His presence everything you have been depending on instead of Him?

Will you trust that He is enough?

Will you trust Him to strengthen you on this journey?

Will you commit to dwell in His presence regardless of what you’re going through?

Will you trust Him to get you to the end?

Remember, we will stand before God basking in the radiance of His glory, grace, and love!

For blessed are those who dwell in God’s house, in His presence. Blessed are those whose strength is in God’s pools of grace. And blessed are those who trust in the Lord for all.

Closing Songs: Blessings and My Jesus