Psalm 84

How lovely is thy dwelling,

Great god, to whom all greatness is belonging!

       To view thy courts far, far from any telling

My soul doth long and pine with longing

                 Unto the God that liveth,

                 The God that all life giveth,

       My heart and body both aspire,

       Above delight, beyond desire.

 

       Alas, the sparrow knoweth

The house where free and fearless she resideth;

       Directly to the nest the swallow goeth,

Where with her sons she safe abideth.

                Oh, altars thine, most mighty

                 In war, yea, most almighty:

       Thy altars, Lord, ah, why should I

       From altars thine excluded lie?

 

       Oh, happy who remaineth

Thy household-man and still thy praise unfoldeth!

       Oh, happy who himself on thee sustaineth,

Who to thy house his journey holdeth!

                 Me seems I see them going

                 Where mulberries are growing:

       How wells they dig in thirsty plain,

       And cisterns make for falling rain.

 

       Me seems I see augmented

Still troop with troop, till all at length discover

       Zion, where to their sight is represented

The Lord of hosts, the Zion lover.

                 O Lord, O God, most mighty

                 In war, yea, most almighty:

       Hear what I beg; hearken, I say,

       O Jacob’s God, to what I pray.

 

       Thou art the shield us shieldeth:

Then, Lord, behold the face of thine anointed

       One day spent in thy courts more comfort yieldeth

Than thousands otherwise appointed.

                 I count it clearer pleasure

                 To spend my age’s treasure

       Waiting a porter at thy gates

       Than dwell a lord with wicked mates.

 

       Thou art the sun that shineth;

Thou art the buckler, Lord that us defendeth:

       Glory and grace Jehovah’s hand assigneth

And good without refusal sendeth

                 To him who truly treadeth

                 The path to pureness leadeth.

       O Lord of might, thrice blessed he

       Whose confidence is built on thee.