Frustrating Conspiracy and Blessing God’s Dwelling Place

By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

Text: Psalm 83-84

Psalm 84:12

O Lord of hosts,Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

(NKJV)

In the psalms of this text, we see a prayer for God to frustrate the conspiracies of Israel’s enemies against them, and praise for the blessing of dwelling in the House of God. Disciples of Christ can learn from these psalms, with Psalm 83 providing an example of praying for deliverance from the attacks of Satan. However, Psalm 84 reminds us of the blessing of dwelling in the presence of the Lord.

Asaph begins Psalm 83 by asking God not to be silent, hold His peace, or be still, because the enemies of Israel have caused an uproar, and those hating Israel have lifted their heads (Psalm 83:1-2). The enemies of Israel have taken crafty counsel against them, consulting together to cut them off from being a nation so the name of Israel is remembered no more (Psalm 83:3-4). These enemies have formed a confederacy against Israel from many fronts (Psalm 83:5-8). Asaph then asks that the Lord deal with these enemies just as He has done in the past, so Israel can take possession of the pastures of God (Psalm 83:9-12).

Asaph asks God to make the enemies of Israel like the whirling dust and chaff that blows before the wind (Psalm 83:13). Asaph continues by asking the Lord to pursue Israel’s enemies with His tempest like a fire burns the woods or as a flame sets the mountains on fire, frightening them with His storm (Psalm 83:14-15). Asaph asks that the faces of Israel’s enemies be filled with shame, leading them to seek the name of the Lord (Psalm 83:16). Asaph concludes this Psalm by asking the Lord to confound and dismay the enemies of Israel, so they are put to shame and perish (Psalm 83:17). Asaph asks this so that these enemies may know that the God of Israel alone is the Lord, and the Most High over all the earth (Psalm 83:18).

The author of Psalm 84 is unidentified, and the psalm begins with a declaration of the loveliness of the tabernacle of the Lord of hosts and that his soul longs and even faints to be there, crying out to the living God (Psalm 84:1-2). The psalmist declares that the sparrow and swallow have a home with even the altars having a place in the tabernacle of his King and his God (Psalm 84:3). Those dwelling in the House of the Lord are blessed and will still be praising God (Psalm 84:4). A man whose strength is in the Lord is blessed, with his heart set on a pilgrimage (Psalm 84:5). As these people pass through the Valley of Baca, or weeping, and make it a spring with rain covering it with pools (Psalm 84:6). God’s people go from strength to strength, with each one appearing before the God of Zion (Psalm 84:7).

The psalmist asks the God of hosts to hear and give ear to his prayer, asking God to behold their shield and to look upon the face of His anointed (Psalm 84:8-9). The psalmist declares that one day in the courts of God is better than a thousand elsewhere and that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10). The Lord is a sun and shield, giving grace and glory to those who walk uprightly, not withholding any good thing (Psalm 84:11). Someone placing their trust in God is blessed (Psalm 84:12).

No historical context for the writing of these two psalms is given, but with Israel’s history of confrontations with their enemies, Psalm 83 could apply to much of Israel’s history. Psalm 84 is praise for dwelling in the House of God, something that should be part of the life of any disciple of Christ. For the children of Israel, the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, were where God dwelt, so being in those places would be a huge blessing. This is why the psalmist would consider it an honor to be the doorkeeper of the House of God over anything else. Dwelling in the presence of the Lord gives us blessing and strength from our enemies.

Under the New Covenant, disciples of Christ have the Holy Spirit within them and are now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means that everywhere we go, the presence of God is with us. In Acts 1:8, we are reminded that this presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives means we can have protection from the enemy, the strength to do all things God has for us to do (Philippians 4:13). Instead of dwelling in the Valley of Baca, or weeping, a disciple of Christ has the joy of the Lord as his or her strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

I want to invite anyone reading this who does not have a personal relationship with God through belief in Jesus as their Savior to pray with me now. When you do, you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10), and the Holy Spirit will dwell in your heart, giving you joy and strength in a world full of wickedness, sadness, weakness, and fear. Please take a moment to pray with me now.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead, and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you meant what you just prayed, know that God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.