Psalm 84:2 Ulasan

Though David's name be not in the title of this psalm, yet we have reason to think he was the penman of it, because it breathes so much of his excellent spirit and is so much like the sixty-third psalm which was penned by him; it is supposed that David penned this psalm when he was forced by Absalom's rebellion to quit his city, which he lamented his absence from, not so much because it was the royal city as because it was the holy city, witness this psalm, which contains the pious breathings of a gracious soul after God and communion with him. Though it be not entitled, yet it may fitly be looked upon as a psalm or song for the sabbath day, the day of our solemn assemblies. The psalmist here with great devotion expresses his affection, I. To the ordinances of God; his value for them (Psa 84:1), his desire towards them (Psa 84:2, Psa 84:3), his conviction of the happiness of those that did enjoy them (Psa 84:4-7), and his placing his own happiness so very much in the enjoyment of them (Psa 84:10). II. To the God of the ordinances; his desire towards him (Psa 84:8, Psa 84:9), his faith in him (Psa 84:11), and his conviction of the happiness of those that put their confidence in him (Psa 84:12). In singing this psalm we should have the same devout affections working towards God that David had, and then the singing of it will be very pleasant. To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm for the sons of Korah.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 84 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Of "gittith", See Gill on Psa 8:1. The Targum renders it here, as there, "to praise upon the harp that was brought from Gath;'' and of the sons of Korah, See Gill on Psa 42:1 and the argument of this psalm is thought to be much the same with that and Psa 43:1. It was, very probably, written by David; to whom the Targum, on Psa 84:8, ascribes it; though it does not bear his name, the spirit it breathes, and the language in which it is written, show it to be his; though not when he was an exile among the Philistines, in the times of Saul, as some in Kimchi think; for then the ark was not in Zion, as is suggested Psa 84:7, but elsewhere; for it was brought thither by David, after he was king of Israel, Sa2 7:2, but rather when he fled from his son Absalom; though there is nothing in it that necessarily supposes him to be banished, or at a distance from the house of God; only he expresses his great affection for it, and his earnest desires for returning seasons and opportunities of worshipping God in it; and the general view of it is to set forth the blessedness of such who frequently attend divine service: the inscription of it, in the Syriac version, is, "for the sons of Korah, when David meditated to go out of Zion, to worship in the house of God: and it is called a prophecy concerning Christ, and concerning his church,'' as it undoubtedly is. Bishop Patrick thinks it was composed by some pious Levite in the country, when Sennacherib's army had blocked up the way to Jerusalem, and hindered them from waiting upon the service of God at the temple; and others refer it to the times of the Babylonish captivity; and both Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the captivity, when the temple and altars of God were in ruins; but this does not agree with the loveliness of them, in which they were at the time of writing this psalm.

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house,.... One or other of the houses of men, where to build its nest; or its nest itself is called an house, as it seems to be explained in the next clause: the word here used signifies any bird; we translate it a "sparrow", and so Kimchi; the Targum renders it the "dove"; but the Midrash is, "it is not said as a dove, but as a sparrow: the dove takes its young, and returns to its place; not so the sparrow:'' and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, have it the "turtle", the stock, or ring dove: and so the Targum, which paraphrases this clause, in connection with the following, thus: "and the turtle a nest for herself, whose young are fit to be offered up upon thine altars:'' it is translated a swallow in Pro 26:2 and has its name in Hebrew from liberty, it not loving confinement, or because it freely visits the houses of men without fear: even thine altars, O Lord of hosts; that is, as some understand it, there the swallow builds a nest, and lays her young; but it can hardly be thought that this could be done in them, since the priests were so often officiating at them, and there were so much noise, fire, and smoke there; it must be "at the sides of them", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, or near unto them; or rather in the rafters of the house where they were; and the rafters and beams of the temple were of cedar, and in such turtles have their nests (s); or in the houses adjoining to the tabernacle; or in the trees that might be near it; see Jos 24:26, and so the psalmist seems to envy and begrudge the place these birds had, and wishes he had the same nearness as they. Kimchi observes, that if this is to be understood of David, when in the land of the Philistines, at that time high places and altars were lawful everywhere, and there birds might build their nests; but if of the captivity, the birds found a place and built their nests in the ruins of the temple and altars; and so Jarchi; for as for the temple, it was not built in the times of David; besides, when built, had a scarecrow on it (t): though the words may be considered as in connection with Psa 84:3 and what goes before be read in a parenthesis, as they are by R. Judah Ben Balsam, cited by R. Aben Ezra; "my soul longeth for the courts of the Lord, crieth out for the living God: even thine altars, O Lord of hosts''; that is, for them; or may be supplied thus, "I desire thine altars, O Lord of hosts'' (u): as the birds above mentioned seek for a nest, and desire to find one, and have what they want, and nature prompts them to; so I desire a place in thine house and courts, and near thine altars; see Mat 8:20, or thus; as these birds rejoice, when they have found an house or nest for themselves and young; so should I rejoice, might I be favoured once more with attendance on thine altars, O Lord of hosts: mention is made of "altars", referring both to the altar of burnt sacrifice, and the altar of incense, both typical of Christ, Heb 13:10 and of his sacrifice and intercession; both which believers have to do with: it is added, my King, and my God; when, by attending at his tabernacle, courts, and altars, he would testify his subjection to him as his King, and his faith in him, and thankfulness to him, as his God; see Joh 20:28. (s) Vide Theocrit. Idyl. 5. (t) "To drive away birds", or "to destroy them", Misn. Middot, c. 4. s. 6. Maimon. & Bartenora, in ib. (u) So Noldius, p. 23.

And what follows? "My soul longs and fails for the courts of the Lord" [Psalm 84:2]. It is not enough that it "longs and fails:" for what does it fail? "For the courts of the Lord." The grape when pressed has failed: but for what? So as to be changed into wine, and to flow into the vat, and into the rest of the storeroom, to be kept there in great quiet. Here it is longed for, there it is received: here are sighs, there joy: here prayers, there praises: here groans, there rejoicing. Those things which I mentioned, let no one while here turn from ashamed: let no one be unwilling to suffer. There is danger, lest the grape, while it fears the winepress, should be devoured by birds or by wild beasts....

On the ground of former mercies, the Psalmist prays for renewed blessings, and, confidently expecting them, rejoices. (Psa 85:1-13) captivity--not necessarily the Babylonian, but any great evil (Psa 14:7).

longeth--most intensely (Gen 31:30; Psa 17:12). fainteth--exhausted with desire. courts--as tabernacles (Psa 84:1) --the whole building. crieth out--literally, "sings for joy"; but here, and Lam 2:19, expresses an act of sorrow as the corresponding noun (Psa 17:1; Psa 61:2). heart and . . . flesh--as in Psa 63:1.