Better Is ONE Day Than a THOUSAND Elsewhere

Today is going to be a shorter blog - I think. At least, as I start writing, I am planning on keeping this short. It should be shorter, since instead of writing something lengthy of my own - I'm putting a psalm into this blog! I don't think I've used a psalm for this blog yet, have I? Either way, I'm using one today. It is Psalm 84 - and I really love this psalm as well as a worship song that is based off of it! I'm going to give you three different links to the song on YouTube - this first one is by Chris Tomlin (I think): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-wFV4M9MU, this next one is by Matt Redman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VdUiKagWjU, and the final is by Kutless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kX8xlW04jQ. Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman have basically the same version, just differences in their voices, and the Kutless version has a bit more drums and electric guitar...so if you'd like that better - listen to Kutless's version. And if you'd be interested in a whole CD of worship songs with a bit more electric guitar and drums - consider picking up Kutless's album "Strong Tower" - it's loaded with great songs!

Although I love this psalm in its entirety, the line that sticks out in my mind the most, and the line I could sit and ponder for the longest is: "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere." Think of the best experiences you've had thus far in your life - they were amazing right? Awe inspiring, wonderful, joyful, happy, amazing, etc. Now, consider if you had a thousand of those days, or even 10 thousand of those days - they still wouldn't compare to ONE day in heaven! It's such an unimaginable thought - our minds cannot comprehend how amazing it will be - it is something that we can only experience...and something that we can truly hope for and believe in through living out our lives as Christians.

Now, there are a lot of tangents I could go off on for this blog: how we should want to share our faith with others so that they can also one day be in God's courts, or discuss how every human joy will pale in comparison to the joy of Heaven, or to discuss some of my other favorite lines from this psalm - such as "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord" or "O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you."

But I'm going to ignore those tangents today (except for giving you an idea of where my mind wandered to), and I'm going to simply ask you to read the psalm...and ponder the lines by yourself.

Psalm 84:
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.

Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

O Lord Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.