AP

Psalm 84:4    Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

What a challenge the Sons of Korah are putting before us here!  Their allotted task was to lead the singing of praise among the assembled people of God.  As we apply this verse to our situation today we see that the LORD Almighty’s ‘house’ is not a building but a ‘gathering’, a ‘family’ of God’s redeemed people, brought into covenant fellowship with him and with one another through the shed blood of Christ our Saviour – in other words it is his Church.

If we find ourselves among them by God’s amazing grace, we certainly know what it means to experience the abundance of his blessing – we are already at home with him (as ‘citizens of heaven’, even while we wait patiently for him to come and take us to one of the ‘many rooms’ he has gone ahead to prepare for us [John 14:1-4]).

But the real challenge comes in the second half of the verse: “they are ever praising you”.  How are we going with that?  Are we always, in every situation, praising our Lord an Saviour?  It is good to note that the Sons of Korah are credited with 11 Psalms (42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, 88) and the context throughout is the struggle between matching the ‘blessing’ with the experience of God’s strange providence in the difficulties we also face on a daily basis – just like the Sons of Torah. ‘These Psalms include verses that express highest praise and devotion to the Lord.  While other verses provide images of deep humility and recognition of our frail humanity before a Holy God.’ [I got that last sentece from Google, but I don’t know how to acknowledge the source correctly!].  Uniquely, Psalm 88 finishes 

in the ‘darkness’ without even a ray of hope: “You have taken from me friend and neighbour – darkness is my closest friend.”

So, the Sons of Korah’s challenge to us is this: as we struggle at times with God’s strange and confusing providence, are we ‘ever [always]  praising’ him because of who he is, and especially because he has expressed his love for us so clearly in Jesus?

“I will trust my Saviour, Jesus, when my darkest doubts befall ; trust him when to simply trust him seems the hardest thing of all.  I will trust my Saviour, Jesus, trust him when my strength is small, for I know the shield of Jesus is the safest place of all” (CityAlight).  And, inspired by the Sons of Korah, and with apologies to CtyAlight, I would like to add:  “I will praise my Saviour, Jesus, when storms around me squall; praise him when to simply praise him seems the hardest thing of all.”

– Bruce Christian