Psalms 84

1 To the chief music-maker; put to the Gittith A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. How dear are your tents, O Lord of armies!

For the music director. A psalm of the descendants of Korah. On the gittith. How wonderful is the place where you live, Lord Almighty!

2 The passion of my soul's desire is for the house of the Lord; my heart and my flesh are crying out for the living God.

I long, I ache, to be in the courts of the Lord. My mind and my body sing for joy to the living God.

3 The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God.

Even a sparrow finds a home there, and a swallow builds a nest for herself where she can raise her chicks near to your altars, Lord Almighty, my king and my God.

4 Happy are they whose resting-place is in your house: they will still be praising you. (Selah)

How happy are those who live in your house—they are always praising you! (Selah)

5 Happy is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

How happy are those whose strength is in you, those who are determined to make a pilgrimage.

6 Going through the valley of balsam-trees, they make it a place of springs; it is clothed with blessings by the early rain.

As they walk through the Valley of Tears it becomes a spring of water; autumn rains cover it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength; every one of them comes before God in Zion.

They go from strength to strength, and each one will appear before God in Jerusalem.

8 O Lord God of armies, let my prayer come to you: give ear, O God of Jacob. (Selah)

Lord God Almighty, please hear my prayer; please listen, God of Jacob. (Selah)

9 O God, let your eyes be on him who is our safe cover, and let your heart be turned to your king.

Please God, look at our defender, look at the face of your anointed one.

10 For a day in your house is better than a thousand. It is better to be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to be living in the tents of sin.

One day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else. I'd rather stand as a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live comfortably in the homes of the wicked.

11 The Lord God is our sun and our strength: the Lord will give grace and glory: he will not keep back any good thing from those whose ways are upright.

For the Lord God is our sun and shield, and he gives us grace and honor. The Lord doesn't hold back anything good from those who do right.

12 O Lord of armies, happy is the man whose hope is in you.

Lord Almighty, how happy are those who trust in you.