Psa 84:10 | KingComments | STEP | Those who know God as the God of Jacob because they know themselves, see in God their shield, their protection ( ). God being their shield ( ) is parallel to God beholding the face of His anointed ( ). It means that His protection (shield) is based on seeing His anointed. It is similar to the Passover, where God says, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” ( ). Their protection, which consists in being able to call the LORD their King and their God, is not based on their faithfulness or their merit. It is based on God looking upon the face of His Anointed, His Messiah. Therefore, the LORD God has become a sun and shield for them ( ). The blessings and salvation in the psalms hereafter are based on the same fact. What has just been said is evident from the question, “look upon the face of Your anointed”. This means that they are asking God to look not at them, but at His Messiah. “Anointed” is the translation of the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’ and the Greek word ‘Christ’. The remnant knows that they are not in themselves pleasing to God and that God does not listen to them because of who they are. They are pleasing to God only because of their connection to the Messiah. A beautiful illustration is found in Paul’s letter to Philemon, where he tells Philemon to accept Onesimus as if Onesimus were Paul ( ). Thus the remnant, and thus we too, are accepted by God because God sees them, and us, in Christ. To the New Testament believer this applies to a higher, heavenly level. He is “in the Beloved” ( ). God can only answer any prayer on the basis of Who His Son is to Him and on the basis of the work He accomplished on Calvary’s cross. The believer, in whatever age he lives, knows to discern what “is better” ( ). It is better, he confesses, to experience one day of fellowship with God than countless days of enjoying all the goods the world has to offer. “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [outside].” The comparison of one day to a thousand days makes it clear that one day in the courts of God dwarfs everything else. There is nothing that outweighs being in the courts of God. With the Lord one day is as a thousand years ( ). One day of fellowship with the Lord is far preferable to a thousand years in the dwelling (tent) or palace of the wicked (the antichrist and followers). The sons of Korah add another comparison. They prefer a place “at the threshold of the house of my God” above dwelling “in the tents of wickedness”. They made the right choice from the two choices presented in Psalm 1. They have been obedient to Moses’ call to depart from the tents of the wicked men when their father rebelled. As a result, they did not perish with their father ( ). Their choice for the LORD is a choice against wickedness. To “stand at the threshold of the house of my God” means to perform a service in the temple in the presence of God. This is in contrast to their ancestor Korah who was not satisfied with what he considered a minor service ( ). In 1 Chronicles 26 we read that some of the sons of Korah worked as gatekeepers of the temple, guardians of the entrance ( ). The sons of Korah explain why they choose the presence of the LORD. The consideration is not difficult, “for the LORD God is a sun and shield” ( ). The remnant here is in darkness and cold. God is “a sun” to them in those circumstances, giving light and warmth. The “sun” is the description of what God is to the believers in the realm of peace ( ; ; ). He is also their “shield”, that is, their protection. Having said what God is, the sons of Korah say what He will give. He “gives grace and glory”. Grace is needed to make the journey to God’s house ( ). Glory will be given to the pilgrims when they get there. God will honor them for their perseverance. Grace has its origin in Him. The same is true of glory. What He honors the pilgrim for is the result of His work in the pilgrim. Honor or glory is the consequence when we behold the Lord Jesus in faith. We are then changed in His “image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” ( ). Yet He imputes to the pilgrim the perseverance for which He has given the strength. The homage He pays is therefore an expression of His grace. No one will congratulate and praise himself for what he has done. Nor will anyone want to do that, for God has given all that has been necessary for the way that has been traveled. God withholds no good thing “from those who walk uprightly” (cf. ). That God does not withhold good thing means that God gives what is needed (cf. ). It is a stronger expression than saying that God gives. With giving, the act, the giving, is more prominent. With not withholding, the emphasis is on the person using the opportunity to give. By this mode of expression, the Spirit meets our tendency to accuse God of withholding something from us when He does not give us something we ask for or think we need. The devil was successful with Eve because he was able to convince her that God had withheld something from her. “Those who walk uprightly” are those who go their way with God. They are not sinless or faultless, but they are pure in heart, though they “stumble in many [ways]” ( ). The upright person is honest and transparent in his motives. He is focused on God and desires to live before His face, that is, in His presence, in the awareness of His presence. This God is the “LORD of hosts” ( ). The sons of Korah use this title for the fourth time in this psalm ( ). That shows how impressed they are by His exaltation above all heavenly and earthly hosts. The confidence that everything is in His hand, gives rest to continue the way to God’s house. This almighty God, Who surpasses everything and everyone, is completely worthy of man’s trust. He who does so is truly “blessed”. This is the third time that this word, this ‘beatitude’, occurs. The first time it is in connection with dwelling in the house of God ( ). The second time it is in connection with the heart of those who seek their strength in God ( ). The third time, here, it is connected with trusting God.

‏ Psalms 84:10

A Sun and Shield

Those who know God as the God of Jacob because they know themselves, see in God their shield, their protection (Psa 84:9). God being their shield (Psa 84:9a) is parallel to God beholding the face of His anointed (Psa 84:9b). It means that His protection (shield) is based on seeing His anointed. It is similar to the Passover, where God says, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exo 12:13).

Their protection, which consists in being able to call the LORD their King and their God, is not based on their faithfulness or their merit. It is based on God looking upon the face of His Anointed, His Messiah. Therefore, the LORD God has become a sun and shield for them (Psa 84:11). The blessings and salvation in the psalms hereafter are based on the same fact.

What has just been said is evident from the question, “look upon the face of Your anointed”. This means that they are asking God to look not at them, but at His Messiah. “Anointed” is the translation of the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’ and the Greek word ‘Christ’. The remnant knows that they are not in themselves pleasing to God and that God does not listen to them because of who they are. They are pleasing to God only because of their connection to the Messiah.

A beautiful illustration is found in Paul’s letter to Philemon, where he tells Philemon to accept Onesimus as if Onesimus were Paul (Phlm 1:17). Thus the remnant, and thus we too, are accepted by God because God sees them, and us, in Christ.

To the New Testament believer this applies to a higher, heavenly level. He is “in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6). God can only answer any prayer on the basis of Who His Son is to Him and on the basis of the work He accomplished on Calvary’s cross.

The believer, in whatever age he lives, knows to discern what “is better” (Psa 84:10). It is better, he confesses, to experience one day of fellowship with God than countless days of enjoying all the goods the world has to offer. “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [outside].”

The comparison of one day to a thousand days makes it clear that one day in the courts of God dwarfs everything else. There is nothing that outweighs being in the courts of God. With the Lord one day is as a thousand years (2Pet 3:8). One day of fellowship with the Lord is far preferable to a thousand years in the dwelling (tent) or palace of the wicked (the antichrist and followers).

The sons of Korah add another comparison. They prefer a place “at the threshold of the house of my God” above dwelling “in the tents of wickedness”. They made the right choice from the two choices presented in Psalm 1. They have been obedient to Moses’ call to depart from the tents of the wicked men when their father rebelled. As a result, they did not perish with their father (Num 16:23-27 ; 31-32 ; Num 26:9-11). Their choice for the LORD is a choice against wickedness.

To “stand at the threshold of the house of my God” means to perform a service in the temple in the presence of God. This is in contrast to their ancestor Korah who was not satisfied with what he considered a minor service (Num 16:1-3). In 1 Chronicles 26 we read that some of the sons of Korah worked as gatekeepers of the temple, guardians of the entrance (1Chr 26:1-19 ; 1Chr 9:19).

The sons of Korah explain why they choose the presence of the LORD. The consideration is not difficult, “for the LORD God is a sun and shield” (Psa 84:11). The remnant here is in darkness and cold. God is “a sun” to them in those circumstances, giving light and warmth. The “sun” is the description of what God is to the believers in the realm of peace (Isa 60:19-20; Rev 21:23; Mal 4:2). He is also their “shield”, that is, their protection.

Having said what God is, the sons of Korah say what He will give. He “gives grace and glory”. Grace is needed to make the journey to God’s house (Jn 1:16). Glory will be given to the pilgrims when they get there. God will honor them for their perseverance. Grace has its origin in Him. The same is true of glory. What He honors the pilgrim for is the result of His work in the pilgrim. Honor or glory is the consequence when we behold the Lord Jesus in faith. We are then changed in His “image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2Cor 3:18).

Yet He imputes to the pilgrim the perseverance for which He has given the strength. The homage He pays is therefore an expression of His grace. No one will congratulate and praise himself for what he has done. Nor will anyone want to do that, for God has given all that has been necessary for the way that has been traveled.

God withholds no good thing “from those who walk uprightly” (cf. Psa 15:1-2). That God does not withhold good thing means that God gives what is needed (cf. Phil 4:19). It is a stronger expression than saying that God gives. With giving, the act, the giving, is more prominent. With not withholding, the emphasis is on the person using the opportunity to give.

By this mode of expression, the Spirit meets our tendency to accuse God of withholding something from us when He does not give us something we ask for or think we need. The devil was successful with Eve because he was able to convince her that God had withheld something from her.

“Those who walk uprightly” are those who go their way with God. They are not sinless or faultless, but they are pure in heart, though they “stumble in many [ways]” (Jam 3:2). The upright person is honest and transparent in his motives. He is focused on God and desires to live before His face, that is, in His presence, in the awareness of His presence.

This God is the “LORD of hosts” (Psa 84:12). The sons of Korah use this title for the fourth time in this psalm (Psa 84:1b ; 3 ; 8 ; 12). That shows how impressed they are by His exaltation above all heavenly and earthly hosts. The confidence that everything is in His hand, gives rest to continue the way to God’s house.

This almighty God, Who surpasses everything and everyone, is completely worthy of man’s trust. He who does so is truly “blessed”. This is the third time that this word, this ‘beatitude’, occurs. The first time it is in connection with dwelling in the house of God (Psa 84:4). The second time it is in connection with the heart of those who seek their strength in God (Psa 84:5). The third time, here, it is connected with trusting God.