LIVING CLOSE TO GOD
Psalms 84:10-12 NKJV
10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
This psalm was not written by David. Although he penned most of the psalms, this one was a collaboration of the sons of Korah, men who spent time in the priests' role praising God. And the verses for today are in line with the verses in Proverbs that we discussed yesterday. Living close to God is better.
A day close to God, in His courts, is better than a thousand outside of His presence. And the sons of Korah had an understanding of God's presence since they spent time praising Him. They declare that to stand on the threshold of God's house in His presence is better than living in the tents of the wicked. Sounds a bit like not being envious of sinners who may appear to have a better situation down here, but.
Then, the sons of Korah describe some of God's attributes. The Lord God is a sun and shield. We might say the Lord is a light and a defense for us. Close to Him, we don't walk in darkness. Close to Him, we have protection. The Lord will give grace and glory. We can certainly relate to this about the Lord. He gives grace to the humble, and His grace is sufficient for any need that we have. It was His grace that saved us. And God will continue to show us the riches of His grace throughout eternity.
And the Lord gives glory. I am not certain what all that entails, but I do know that if we humble ourselves before Him, that He will exalt us in due time. And I know that the glory of man fades like the grass, but when God gives glory, it lasts.
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. So, His grace and glory are good things. God's wisdom is a good thing. God's strength and help are good things. His healing and provision are good things. We have such a good, good Father God who is a giver.
And the sons of Korah wrap up their psalm with a strong connector to all these blessings. Blessed is the person who trusts in God. Trust is a major key to walking close to God. We trust Him, so we would rather live close than live like those who do not have a relationship. We trust God will be a sun and shield to us, and He will give us grace and glory. We don't have to understand how or exactly what it looks like, but we can rest assured it's good. Real good. We trust that God is not withholding from us as we walk with Him. We trust, and we are blessed.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, I trust You and I can live close to You!