Psalms 84

This psalm celebrates the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship at the temple. It closely resembles the hymns that praise Zion as God’s special place (e.g., Psalm 122), but this one emphasizes the joy of going there to worship. The goal of singing this psalm is to foster that joy, to open the eyes and hearts of God’s people to the amazing privilege of being welcomed into God’s house, and to instill the deep belief that wickedness brings no reward comparable to the joy and pleasure found in God’s house. The psalm likely originates from a time when the sanctuary was located in Zion (84:7), and when a king ruled and protected the pilgrims (v. 9). He is called the anointed and is probably a descendant of David (though even Saul was called “the L ORD’s anointed,” 1 Sam. 24:6; however, Saul was a poor protector of the sanctuary and its people, 1 Sam. 22:6–19). The psalm is divided into three parts, each declaring people as “blessed” (Ps. 84:4, 5, 12).