NOTES for Psa 84

The Lord's house is commonly understood to mean His Temple. But is the Temple all that is meant here? The whole world can be called His house. And our hearts, too, can become His house if we receive Him and are ready to open ourselves to Him. This is why the psalmist's desire to remain constantly in communion with God, never falling away from Him, the Source of life, is so understandable to us.

Everyone can find a place in His house, and it is quite understandable that even the birds, who find shelter with the Lord, are mentioned here. Yet we also remember the words of the Son of Man that He has nowhere to lay His head, although even the birds of heaven have nests. People refused to give Him a place in His own house.

But He came to us precisely so that we might enter His house, not remain on the threshold, but go farther in. Even now He knocks at those hearts that have not yet received Him, so as to make them His house and the owners of those hearts full-fledged inhabitants of His house.