I’D RATHER BE AT GOD’S HOUSE!---PSALM 84 (TEXT V. 10)

The Tabernacle and later the Temple was the focal point of Jewish worship. Everything centered around the Temple as the place where God’s glory dwelt. Today, God has instituted the church as His ordained agency for carrying out His plan. His glory is manifested through the work of the local church. “Selah” (vs. 4, 8) A musical sign to repeat or pause for emphasis (“sing that stanza again”)

I.    THE DELIGHT OF GOD’S HOUSE (V. 1).

A.  AN ATTRACTION   “Amiable”—attractive, likeable, agree­able, worthy.

            B. AN AFFECTION.  He loved God’s house. He enjoyed him­self at God’s house.

            He got blessed at God’s house (vs. 4, 5, 12)

1.  Some people don’t enjoy church. They think its boring or irrelevant.  When they come, it is a drudgery. Some come out of a sense duty or guilt. Some come because they are made to come. Others come for the social opportunities it provides.

2.  Praise God for those who come because they love it. To them, church is exciting. The singing is uplifting. The sermons are encouraging. The worship brings them closer to God.  1 Ch 29:3—"I have set my affection to the house of my God."

II.   THE DESIRE FOR GOD’S HOUSE (V. 2).

A.  IT WAS A PASSIONATE DESIRE (“…longeth… fainteth… crieth out…”).

1.  It couldn’t be quenched. He yearned to be in God’s presence.

2.  It was enthusiastic, obsessive, and FANATICAL!

B.  IT WAS A PERVASIVE DESIRE.  (“My SOUL… my HEART and my FLESH”).

1.  He didn’t want to be there “in spirit”—He wanted his FLESH at God’s House!

2.  People usually get out of church what they put into it. The psalmists’ heart and flesh were into it!

3.  The desires of the of the heart reveal the spiritual condition of the soul. The main reason some don’t have a burning desire for church is because they don’t love its Founder and Head and those who make up His congregation.

III. THE DWELLING IN GOD’S HOUSE (VS. 3-9).

A.  A PLACE OF REST (V. 3).

1.  The word "nest" implies a place of rest. A nest is a home. Like a home to raise your youngins in.

2. Church is a place where we can come and lay down the burdens and cares of life and find peace to worship the Lord God.

B.  A PLACE OF REJOICING (V. 4). Continual praise.

C. A PLACE OF RENEWAL (VS. 5-7).

1.  Renewed strength. There is something about being in God’s presence, and in His house, that will strengthen the Christian. The more you come and desire to come, the stronger you will become. The more you stay away, the weaker you will become. Th

2.  Verse 6—When you are going through a valley (Baca means “tears”), you’ll find strength at His house.

D. A PLACE OF REFUGE (VS. 8-9, 11).

·         Verses 1-9 all lead up to the Psalmist DECISION in verse 10.

IV.  THE DOORKEEPER AT GOD’S HOUSE (V. 10). This is a Korhite psalm. The sons of Korah were the porters, and "keepers of the gates of the tabernacle, and keepers of the entry"

 (1 Chronicles 9:19).

A.  A HUMBLE SERVANT.

1.   The lowest station at the Lord's house is better than the highest position in the world. God's worst is better than the devil's best.

2.   Better be the least in the Church than the greatest in the world.

3.   Better to be a primary S.S. teacher or serve in the Junior Church than to be a Ph.D. in Harvard University.

B.  A PREFERRED CHOICE (“I had RATHER…”). The psalmist said that he would rather be in God’s House than anywhere else (v. 10). People usually find time to do what they’d rather be doing.

1.   The psalmist made a choice concerning two things. Notice that he says it is "better." There are many choices we will have to make. Some of them are good choices, and some of them are better choices. Most of the time, our problem is not choosing between good and bad, but choosing between what’s good and what’s best.

             C. A TRUSTED POSITION. Had to be faithful—Could be relied upon.

1.  A doorkeeper’s responsibilities included gathering of money from the people for temple purposes, and the care of the sacred vessels (2 Kings 12:9; 22:4; 23:4).

2.  A person must prove himself faithful in lesser positions before he is given greater responsibilities.

D. A NECESSARY OCCUPATION—They guarded the gates of the house of the Lord

(1 Chronicles 9:23), closing and opening them at the proper times (1 Chronicles 9:27).

1.  Somebody vacuums the floors

                        2.  Somebody operates the sound equipment.

                        3.  Somebody mows the lawn.

The Tabernacle Only Had ONE DOOR. Anyone Gaining Access Had To Go Pass The Gatekeeper. Jesus Is THE DOOR Of Salvation (John 10:9). We Are His Doorkeepers. Are You Opening The Door Of Salvation To Those Who Need To Get Saved?

            E.  A PERMANENT BENEFIT.

1.  Contrast—God’s House versus tents of wickedness—The pleas­ures of sin are for a season only; the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof. God’s Church an eternal institution! “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen!” (Eph. 3:21).

2.  Compared to the house of the Lord, the best the world can offer is nothing more than a pup tent!

Do you know why I’m standing here right now? Because I’d RATHER BE AT GOD’S HOUSE! That’s why I’ll be here tomorrow night and every night this week!