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英文原文
Though David's name be not in the title of this psalm, yet we have reason to think he was the penman of it, because it breathes so much of his excellent spirit and is so much like the sixty-third psalm which was penned by him; it is supposed that David penned this psalm when he was forced by Absalom's rebellion to quit his city, which he lamented his absence from, not so much because it was the royal city as because it was the holy city, witness this psalm, which contains the pious breathings of a gracious soul after God and communion with him. Though it be not entitled, yet it may fitly be looked upon as a psalm or song for the sabbath day, the day of our solemn assemblies. The psalmist here with great devotion expresses his affection, I. To the ordinances of God; his value for them (Ps 84:1), his desire towards them (Ps 84:2,3), his conviction of the happiness of those that did enjoy them (Ps 84:4-7), and his placing his own happiness so very much in the enjoyment of them, Ps 84:10. II. To the God of the ordinances; his desire towards him (Ps 84:8,9), his faith in him (Ps 84:11), and his conviction of the happiness of those that put their confidence in him, Ps 84:12. In singing this psalm we should have the same devout affections working towards God that David had, and then the singing of it will be very pleasant.
1-7
The Pleasures of Public Worship; Benefit of Public Worship
公開敬拜的喜樂；公開敬拜的益處
交與伶長，用迦特樂器。可拉後裔的詩。
¹ 萬軍之耶和華啊，你的居所何等可愛！
² 我羨慕渴想耶和華的院宇；我的心腸、我的肉體向永生神呼籲。
³ 萬軍之耶和華我的王、我的神啊，在你祭壇那裡，麻雀找到了房屋，燕子找到了抱雛之窩。
⁴ 如此住在你殿中的便為有福；他們仍要讚美你。〔細拉〕
⁵ 靠你有力量、心中想往錫安大道的，這人便為有福。
⁶ 他們經過流淚谷，叫這谷變為泉源之地；並有秋雨之福蓋滿了全谷。
⁷ 他們行走，力上加力，各人到錫安朝見神。
詩人在此因受外力所阻，不能在公開的典禮中等候神，卻正因缺少這些典禮，比從前更深切地體認到它們的寶貴。請注意觀察，
一、 他在聖潔的典禮中所看見那奇妙的美好（詩84:1）：萬軍之耶和華啊，你的居所何等可愛！ 有人認為他在此稱神為萬軍之耶和華（即特別指天使、天上諸軍的主），是因為天使在神的聖所中的臨在；他們侍候舍吉拿，並（如有人以為）由基路伯來代表。神是這些軍旅之主，帳幕也是他的：帳幕之所以被稱為多數（你的居所），是因為百姓在其中敬拜的院落有好幾個，也因為帳幕本身是由聖所和至聖所組成的。這些居所何等可愛！在一切真正成聖之人的眼中，聖所何等可愛！蒙恩的靈在聖潔中、在聖潔的事奉中，看見奇妙的、無可言喻的美好。帳幕本是卑微的居所，然而外在環境的不利，並不使聖潔的典禮有絲毫減色；因為聖潔之美是屬靈的，它們的榮耀是在裡面的。
二、 他渴望回到公開典禮的享受中——更確切地說，是渴望在其中享受神自己（詩84:2）。這是一個完全的渴望；身子、靈魂、心靈都同心合意。他自覺沒有絲毫反對的念頭興起。這是一個強烈的渴望，如同雄心者、貪婪者或放縱者的渴望。他羨慕，他昏厥，他呼喊，迫切求恢復在神院宇中的位分，幾乎不能忍受遲延。然而他所羨慕的，不是主的院宇本身，而是在禱告中為永生神自己呼喊。但願我能認識他，並再次與他相交！（約壹1:3）典禮若不能在其中遇見神，便是虛空之物。
三、 他羨慕那些在神的祭壇旁邊建築物中築巢的小鳥所享的幸福（詩84:3）。這是他對神的祭壇之愛的一個優美而令人驚訝的表達：麻雀找到了房屋，燕子找到了抱雛之窩。 這些小鳥按著本能和天然的引導，像別的鳥在樹林中一樣，在房屋中為自己預備住處，既為自己安息，也為其中孵養雛鳥；大衛設想在神殿院的周圍建築物中，正有這樣的鳥巢，便情願自己與它們一同在那裡。他寧可住在神的祭壇附近一個鳥巢中，也不願住在遠離祭壇的宮殿裡。他有時曾願有鴿子的翅膀，好飛到曠野（詩55:6）；此處則情願有麻雀的翅膀，可以不被發覺地飛進神的院中；雖然如孤單的麻雀在房頂上觀看是極其憂鬱的光景與心境的描寫（詩102:7），然而大衛情願以此為分，只要他能靠近神的祭壇。在孤獨中事奉神，勝過在群眾中事奉罪。原文中「麻雀」一詞指任何小鳥，（我且提出一個揣測）或許在大衛的時代，聖潔事奉中既如此大量引入音樂——無論是人聲還是樂器——為了使和聲完全，他們在帳幕院中懸掛籠中的鳴鳥（因為我們看見鳥的鳴唱被提及歸榮耀給神，詩104:12），而大衛羨慕這些鳥的幸福，情願與牠們互換位置。請注意，大衛所羨慕的，不是那些飛越祭壇、對神的院只有瞬間一瞥的鳥的幸福，而是那些在那裡為自己築巢之鳥的幸福。大衛不以此為足——僅僅如一個轉身進來住宿一夜的過路客般在神家中暫住；他要以這裡為他的安息、他的家；他要住在這裡。他也注意到，這些鳥不僅在那裡為自己築巢，還在那裡下蛋養雛；因為那些自己在神的院中有分的人，不能不盼望自己的兒女也在神的家中、在他的牆內有分有位，能在牧人的帳棚旁邊牧放小山羊。有人對本節另有一解：「主啊，你藉護理為鳥類預備了合乎其本性的巢與安息之處，它們可自由往返；然而你的祭壇——我的巢、我的安息之所，我對它的渴慕正如流蕩的鳥對其巢的渴慕——我卻無法接近。主啊，你為你的鳥預備的，難道比為你的兒女預備的還好嗎？如同雀鳥離了自己的巢，我如今既流蕩離開了神祭壇的所在，也是如此——因為那才是我的所在（箴27:8）；我若不歸回我自己的所在，就永不得安寧。」請注意，那些心靈在神裡面得著歸宿與安息的人，不能不渴望在神的典禮附近定居。從前有兩座祭壇，一座為獻祭，一座為燒香；大衛既渴望在神的院中得一席之地，便兼顧兩者，正如我們在一切敬拜神的事上，也當既仰望基督的贖罪滿足，也仰望他的代求。末了，請注意他如何在這祈求中仰望神：你是萬軍之耶和華，我的王、我的神。 一個貧困無助的臣民，除了到他的王那裡，還能往何處求保護呢？這百姓豈不當尋求他們的神嗎？ 我的王、我的神是萬軍之耶和華；憑他和他的祭壇，讓我或活或死。
四、 他承認那些有自由敬拜神祭壇的祭司和百姓同享的幸福：「他們便為有福。 我何時才能再享受那福分呢？」1. 那些祭司——就是在帳幕周圍居住、按著班次在其中事奉的祭司和利未人——是有福的（詩84:4）：如此住在你殿中的便為有福，他們在那裡為家，他們的事業也在那裡。他非但不憐憫他們被限制於不停的事奉、被要求長久的嚴肅，反而情願羨慕他們勝過世上最大的君王。有人稱頌貪財的人，他卻稱頌敬虔的人。如此住在你殿中的便為有福——不是因為他們得了豐厚的待遇、每祭都有自己的一份因而能擺設豐盛的筵席，而是因為他們有善工：他們仍要讚美你；若說地上有天堂，那就是在讚美神、不住地讚美神之中。這話也可應用於上頭的居所；住在那裡的——天使和得榮耀的聖徒——是有福的，因為他們日夜不息地讚美神。 所以我們當盡量多花時間在這有福的事上，因為我們盼望在其中度過喜樂的永恆。2. 那些百姓——就是全地的居民——是有福的，他們雖不像祭司那樣常住神的殿中，卻在所定的節期，即三大節期，享有進入殿中的自由；凡男丁都要在這些節期上到聖所（申16:16）。大衛並不以這要求為一種負擔、一種加諸他們身上的艱難，反而羨慕那些可以如此參與之人的幸福（詩84:5-7）。他所稱為有福的人，在此被如此描述。（一）他們在宗教上，是出於對神的依賴與獻身的根深原則而行的：靠你有力量的人便為有福，他認你為他的力量，緊緊倚靠你，以你的名為他逃奔其中的堅固臺（箴18:10）。以耶和華他的神為盼望的人是有福的（詩40:4、146:5）。那真正有福的，是在宗教的操練中出去、前進的人——不靠自己的力量（因為如此行必招致失敗），而是靠耶穌基督恩典的力量，我們一切充足都從他而來。大衛巴望能再回到神的帳幕，好在那裡在耶和華他的神裡面剛強起來，以事奉、以受苦。（二）他們是愛慕聖潔典禮的人：心中想往錫安大道的，就是那些既以神為他們的終極福樂，便在一切引到他那裡的路上歡欣——在一切使恩典得堅固、與他相交得維持的方法上歡欣。他們不僅行在這些路上，更把這些路放在心中，放在近心之處；沒有任何關切、任何憂慮、任何快樂、任何喜悅比這更近其心。請注意，那些以新耶路撒冷為念的，必須把引到那裡的路放在心中，當思念這些路，眼目當在其中正直向前，當思想其路徑，當緊守其中，並懼怕偏向左右。我們若以神的應許為力量，就必以神的話為準則，並照著而行。（三）他們是那些在等候神、赴聖潔典禮上，肯衝破各樣難處與灰心的人（詩84:6）。當他們從鄉間上來過節敬拜時，所經之路要穿過許多乾旱沙地的山谷（有人如此解），在其中他們險要因乾渴而死；然而為防備這不便，他們挖出小坑來收存並保存雨水，這水隨時可為他們自己和別人解渴。他們既挖了池子，天上的雨便充滿了它們。我們若樂意領受神的恩典，那恩典必不缺少，必在一切時候為我們充足。他們所走的路要經過許多流淚之谷——這是「巴卡」一字的意思——就是（如另有人所解）許多水多的山谷，在下雨之時當雨水充滿池子之際，或因水勢上漲，或因道路泥濘，便不能通行；但他們藉著排水、開溝，在其中開出一條道路，使上耶路撒冷的人得著便利。當盡心修理那些通往教會的道路，如同修理通往市場的道路一般。然而這一切乃是為要表明：[一] 他們對這路程有美善的心志。每逢他們當上耶路撒冷守嚴肅節期，就不肯因壞天氣或壞道路被攔阻，也不肯以此為留在家中的藉口。本分路上的難處，是要試驗我們的決心；看風的必不撒種。 [二] 他們盡量走好往錫安的路，在道路壞處用心設法修補，並盡力忍受那不能除去的種種不便。我們通往天堂的路要經過流淚谷，但那谷也可變為泉源，只要我們善用神為那聖城的客旅所預備的安慰。（四）他們是那些不斷奮力向前，直到末了抵達終程，不在中途停頓的人（詩84:7）：他們行走，力上加力；他們的隊伍因所經城鎮中不斷加入的人而日增，直到人數極多。那些住在近處的，等候那些住在遠處的來呼召他們說：耶和華啊，我們上他的殿去（詩122:1、2），好叫他們結隊同行，以此表明彼此相愛。或者，這些個人並不因路途冗長、所遇艱難而疲倦，反倒越近耶路撒冷，越發活潑快樂，於是越走越強（伯17:9）。如此，神的應許乃是：那等候耶和華的必從新得力（賽40:31）。他們何處軟弱，就在何處剛強。他們從德行到德行地行走（有人如此譯）；這字與論到才德的婦人所用的是同一字。那在基督徒道路上奮力向前的人，必看見神把恩典加在他們的恩典上（約1:16）。他們必從榮耀變成榮耀（林後3:18），從一層榮耀的恩典進到另一層，直到末了各人到錫安朝見神——把榮耀歸給他，又從他領受祝福。請注意，那些在恩典中長進的人，至終必在榮耀中得以完全。迦勒底譯本作：他們從聖所的家走到教訓的家；他們為律法所受的勞苦，必在於其威嚴居於錫安的神面前顯明。 我們必須從一項本分進到另一項，從禱告進到聖道，從實行所學的進到學習更多；我們若如此行，其益處必顯明出來——為神的榮耀，也為我們永遠的安慰。
英文原文
The Pleasures of Public Worship; Benefit of Public Worship
To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm for the sons of Korah.
¹ How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
² My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
³ Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
⁴ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
⁶ Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
⁷ They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
The psalmist here, being by force restrained from waiting upon God in public ordinances, by the want of them is brought under a more sensible conviction than ever of the worth of them. Observe,
I. The wonderful beauty he saw in holy institutions (Ps 84:1): How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! Some think that he here calls God the Lord of hosts (that is, in a special manner of the angels, the heavenly hosts) because of the presence of the angels in God's sanctuary; they attended the Shechinah, and were (as some think) signified by the cherubim. God is the Lord of these hosts, and his the tabernacle is: it is spoken of as more than one (thy tabernacles) because there were several courts in which the people attended, and because the tabernacle itself consisted of a holy place and a most holy. How amiable are these! How lovely is the sanctuary in the eyes of all that are truly sanctified! Gracious souls see a wonderful, an inexpressible, beauty in holiness, and in holy work. A tabernacle was a mean habitation, but the disadvantage of external circumstances makes holy ordinances not at all the less amiable; for the beauty of holiness is spiritual, and their glory is within.
II. The longing desire he had to return to the enjoyment of public ordinances, or rather of God in them, Ps 84:2. It was an entire desire; body, soul, and spirit concurred in it. He was not conscious to himself of any rising thought to the contrary. It was an intense desire; it was like the desire of the ambitious, or covetous, or voluptuous. He longed, he fainted, he cried out, importunate to be restored to his place in God's courts, and almost impatient of delay. Yet it was not so much the courts of the Lord that he coveted, but he cried out, in prayer, for the living God himself. O that I might know him, and be again taken into communion with him! 1Jo 1:3. Ordinances are empty things if we meet not with God in the ordinances.
III. His grudging the happiness of the little birds that made their nests in the buildings that were adjoining to God's altars, Ps 84:3. This is an elegant and surprising expression of his affection to God's altars: The sparrow has found a house and the swallow a nest for herself. These little birds, by the instinct and direction of nature, provide habitations for themselves in houses, as other birds do in the woods, both for their own repose and in which to lay their young; some such David supposes there were in the buildings about the courts of God's house, and wishes himself with them. He would rather live in a bird's nest nigh God's altars than in a palace at a distance from them. He sometimes wished for the wings of a dove, on which to fly into the wilderness (Ps 55:6); here for the wings of a sparrow, that he might fly undiscovered into God's courts; and, though to watch as a sparrow alone upon the house-top is the description of a very melancholy state and spirit (Ps 102:7), yet David would be glad to take it for his lot, provided he might be near God's altars. It is better to be serving God in solitude than serving sin with a multitude. The word for a sparrow signifies any little bird, and (if I may offer a conjecture) perhaps when, in David's time, music was introduced so much into the sacred service, both vocal and instrumental, to complete the harmony they had singing-birds in cages hung about the courts of the tabernacle (for we find the singing of birds taken notice of to the glory of God, Ps 104:12), and David envies the happiness of these, and would gladly change places with them. Observe, David envies the happiness not of those birds that flew over the altars, and had only a transient view of God's courts, but of those that had nests for themselves there. David will not think it enough to sojourn in God's house as a way-faring man that turns aside to tarry for a night; but let this be his rest, his home; here he will dwell. And he takes notice that these birds not only have nests for themselves there, but that there they lay their young; for those who have a place in God's courts themselves cannot but desire that their children also may have in God's house, and within his walls, a place and a name, that they may feed their kids beside the shepherds' tents. Some give another sense of this verse: "Lord, by thy providence thou hast furnished the birds with nests and resting-places, agreeable to their nature, and to them they have free recourse; but thy altar, which is my nest, my resting-place, which I am as desirous of as ever the wandering bird was of her nest, I cannot have access to. Lord, wilt thou provide better for thy birds than for thy babes? As a bird that wanders from her nest so am I, now that I wander from the place of God's altars, for that is my place (Pr 27:8); I shall never be easy till I return to my place again." Note, Those whose souls are at home, at rest, in God, cannot but desire a settlement near his ordinances. There were two altars, one for sacrifice, the other for incense, and David, in his desire of a place in God's courts, has an eye to both, as we also must, in all our attendance on God, have an eye both to the satisfaction and to the intercession of Christ. And, lastly, Observe how he eyes God in this address: Thou art the Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Where should a poor distressed subject seek for protection but with his king? And should not a people seek unto their God? My King, my God, is Lord of hosts; by him and his altars let me live and die.
IV. His acknowledgment of the happiness both of the ministers and of the people that had liberty of attendance on God's altars: "Blessed are they. O when shall I return to the enjoyment of that blessedness?" 1. Blessed are the ministers, the priests and Levites, who have their residence about the tabernacle and are in their courses employed in the service of it (Ps 84:4): Blessed are those that dwell in thy house, that are at home there, and whose business lies there. He is so far from pitying them, as confined to a constant attendance and obliged to perpetual seriousness, that he would sooner envy them than the greatest princes in the world. There are those that bless the covetous, but he blesses the religious. Blessed are those that dwell in thy house (not because they have good wages, a part of every sacrifice for themselves, which would enable them to keep a good table, but because they have good work): They will be still praising thee; and, if there be a heaven upon earth, it is in praising God, in continually praising him. Apply this to his house above; blessed are those that dwell there, angels and glorified saints, for they rest not day nor night from praising God. Let us therefore spend as much of our time as may be in that blessed work in which we hope to spend a joyful eternity. 2. Blessed are the people, the inhabitants of the country, who, though they do not constantly dwell in God's house as the priests do, yet have liberty of access to it at the times appointed for their solemn feasts, the three great feasts, at which all the males were obliged to give their attendance, De 16:16. David was so far from reckoning this an imposition, and a hardship put upon them, that he envies the happiness of those who might thus attend, Ps 84:5-7. Those whom he pronounces blessed are here described. (1.) They are such as act in religion from a rooted principle of dependence upon God and devotedness to him: Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, who makes thee his strength and strongly stays himself upon thee, who makes thy name his strong tower into which he runs for safety, Pr 18:10. Happy is the man whose hope is in the Lord his God, Ps 40:4,146:5. Those are truly happy who go forth, and go on, in the exercises of religion, not in their own strength (for then the work is sure to miscarry), but in the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, from whom all our sufficiency is. David wished to return to God's tabernacles again, that there he might strengthen himself in the Lord his God for service and suffering. (2.) They are such as have a love for holy ordinances: In whose heart are the ways of them, that is, who, having placed their happiness in God as their end, rejoice in all the ways that lead to him, all those means by which their graces are strengthened and their communion with him kept up. They not only walk in these ways, but they have them in their hearts, they lay them near their hearts; no care or concern, no pleasure or delight, lies nearer than this. Note, Those who have the new Jerusalem in their eye must have the ways that lead to it in their heart, must mind them, their eyes must look straight forward in them, must ponder the paths of them, must keep close to them, and be afraid of turning aside to the right hand or to the left. If we make God's promise our strength, we must make God's word our rule, and walk by it. (3.) They are such as will break through difficulties and discouragements in waiting upon God in holy ordinances, Ps 84:6. When they come up out of the country to worship at the feasts their way lies through many a dry and sandy valley (so some), in which they are ready to perish for thirst; but, to guard against that inconvenience, they dig little pits to receive and keep the rain-water, which is ready to them and others for their refreshment. When they make the pools the ram of heaven fills them. If we be ready to receive the grace of God, that grace shall not be wanting to us, but shall be sufficient for us at all times. Their way lay through many a weeping valley, so Baca signifies, that is (as others understand it), many watery valleys, which in wet weather, when the rain filled the pools, either through the rising of the waters or through the dirtiness of the way were impassable; but, by draining and trenching them, they made a road through them for the benefit of those who went up to Jerusalem. Care should be taken to keep those roads in repair that lead to church, as well as those that lead to market. But all this is intended to show, [1.] That they had a good will to the journey. When they were to attend the solemn feasts at Jerusalem, they would not be kept back by bad weather, or bad ways, nor make those an excuse for staying at home. Difficulties in the way of duty are designed to try our resolution; and he that observes the wind shall not sow. [2.] That they made the best of the way to Zion, contrived and took pains to mend it where it was bad, and bore, as well as they could, the inconveniences that could not be removed. Our way to heaven lies through a valley of Baca, but even that may be made a well if we make a due improvement of the comforts God has provided for the pilgrims to the heavenly city. (4.) They are such as are still pressing forward till they come to their journey's end at length, and do not take up short of it (Ps 84:7): They go from strength to strength; their company increases by the accession of more out of every town they pass through, till they become very numerous. Those that were near staid till those that were further off called on them, saying, Come, and let us go to the house of the Lord (Ps 122:1,2), that they might go together in a body, in token of their mutual love. Or the particular persons, instead of being fatigued with the tediousness of their journey and the difficulties they met with, the nearer they came to Jerusalem the more lively and cheerful they were, and so went on stronger and stronger, Job 17:9. Thus it is promised that those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, Isa 40:31. Even where they are weak, there they are strong. They go from virtue to virtue (so some); it is the same word that is used for the virtuous woman. Those that press forward in their Christian course shall find God adding grace to their graces, Joh 1:16. They shall be changed from glory to glory (2Co 3:18), from one degree of glorious grace to another, till, at length, every one of them appears before God in Zion, to give glory to him and receive blessings from him. Note, Those who grow in grace shall, at last, be perfect in glory. The Chaldee reads it, They go from the house of the sanctuary to the house of doctrine; and the pains which they have taken about the law shall appear before God, whose majesty dwells in Zion. We must go from one duty to another, from prayer to the word, from practising what we have learned to learn more; and, if we do this, the benefit of it will appear, to God's glory and our own everlasting comfort.
8-12
Delight in God's Ordinances
以神的典章為樂
⁸ 耶和華萬軍之神啊，求你聽我的禱告；雅各的神啊，求你留心聽。細拉。 ⁹ 神啊，求你看顧我們的盾牌，垂看你的受膏者的面。 ¹⁰ 在你的院宇一日，勝於在別處千日；寧可在我神殿中看門，不願住在惡人的帳棚裏。 ¹¹ 因為耶和華神是日頭，是盾牌；耶和華賜下恩典和榮耀；祂未嘗不留好處給行動正直的人。 ¹² 萬軍之耶和華啊，倚靠你的人便為有福。
此處：一、詩人求神垂聽並悅納，並未特別說明他求神為他作甚麼。他既已對神的典章表明如此深情的敬重——如今卻被禁止、被放逐在外——就再無需多言。他那一切心願，已在那認信中明明陳明在神面前；他的渴望、他的歎息，都未向神隱藏；所以他只求（詩 84:8,9）神聽他的禱告、側耳而聽，求神觀看他的處境、觀看他的善情，並觀看他的面——朝着哪個方向，他的面容如何顯露出他對神院宇的熱切渴慕。他稱自己（如許多人所想）為神的受膏者，因為大衛是神所膏、又是為神而受膏的。在這祈求中：1。 他以神的幾個榮耀稱號為念——萬軍之耶和華神，祂統率萬有，因此在天在地都有一切權能；雅各的神，與自己百姓立約的神，從未對雅各祈求的後裔說你們尋求我是徒然的；又我們的盾牌——神，照着祂與他們祖宗亞伯拉罕所立的約，將自己的百姓置於特別的保護之下。創 15:1：亞伯蘭，你不要懼怕，我是你的盾牌。 大衛雖因遠離不能藏身在神帳幕的隱密處（詩 27:5），卻指望無論身在何處，神都作他的盾牌為他效力。2。 他以中保為念；這話我更願理解為指着基督說：願你看你彌賽亞——你受膏者——的面，因為大衛論到自己的受膏，正是指着基督的受膏說的，詩 45:7。我們到神面前的一切禱告，都當求祂看基督的面，因祂的緣故悅納我們，在祂裏面向我們施恩。我們當以信心之眼仰望，神便要以恩寵之眼看那受膏者的面——當我們離了祂不敢見神面之時，正是祂顯出祂的面。
二、他以自己對神典章的熱愛以及對神自己的倚靠作為憑據。
1。 神的院宇是他的揀選，詩 84:10。他對聖潔的典章有着極大的敬重：他看重它們過於一切別的，並如此表達他對它們的看重：（1）藉着將敬拜的時光置於一切其他時光之上：在你的院宇一日——在宗教事奉上分別出來、完全脫離一切世俗事務的一日——勝於（不是在你的院宇裏）千日，而是無論在這世上何處，即使身處世人一切的歡樂之中，也是如此。勝於千日——他沒有說天，你可補上為年、為世代，若你願意，大衛仍願簽字畫押。「在你的院宇一日——一個安息日、一個聖日、一個節日，雖只是一日，我也十分歡迎；甚至」（如一些拉比的意譯所言）「即便我次日因此要死，那一日仍比花費在這世上的事業和享樂中的年日更加甘甜。這樣的一日要以其甘甜追趕千人，兩日要趕逐萬人——使他們羞愧，因為不配相比。」（2）藉着將敬拜之所置於一切其他地方之上：我寧可在我神殿中看門——寧願在我神的殿中守那最卑微的地位、盡那最卑微的職任——不願住在惡人的帳棚裏以主人身分享尊榮。請留意，他連會幕也稱為「殿」，因神的同在使那些帷幔比宮殿更莊嚴、比城堡更堅固。是「我神的殿」——他與神立約的關係，以神為他的神，這是他所親愛樂奏的甜蜜琴弦；只有那些能站在正當根基上稱神為自己神的人，才以祂殿的院宇為樂。我寧可在神的殿中作看門的，不願在惡人掌權的帳棚中作王子；我寧可躺在門檻上（原文如此）——那是乞丐所躺臥之處（徒 3:2）：「不要緊」（大衛說），「那個地方也勝於無。」法利賽人也愛會堂，只要能在其中坐首位（太 23:6），好出風頭。聖潔的大衛卻不計較這些；只要能被允准到門檻，他便要說：「主啊，在這裏真好。」 有人如此讀：我寧可在我神的殿中被繫於柱子上，也不願在惡人的帳棚中自由生活——這是引用論及僕人的律法：僕人若不願自由出去，就要把他的耳朵在門柱上錐穿，出 21:5,6。大衛如此愛他的主、如此愛他的事奉，以致情願永遠被繫於這事奉中——為要更自由地事奉，卻永不從中得自由出去；他看重為本分受捆绑，遠過於最大的犯罪的自由。聖潔的心對聖潔的本分有着如此至高的喜悅；在他們眼中，沒有甚麼滿足可與在神面前的相交相比。
2。 神自己才是他的盼望、喜樂和一切。他所以愛他神的殿，是因為他的指望是從他的神而來，也正是在那裏神與他相交，詩 84:11。請看：（1）神對祂百姓是甚麼，也將是甚麼：耶和華神是日頭，是盾牌。 我們在此世身在黑暗中，但神若作我們的神，祂便是我們的日頭——照亮並甦醒我們，引導並指引我們。我們在此世身在危險中，但祂要作我們的盾牌，保護我們免受四圍密集飛舞的火箭。祂要以恩惠如同盾牌四面環繞我們。 所以我們當常在耶和華的光中行走，總不走出祂的保護，便要發現祂既作日頭供應我們一切的美善，又作盾牌庇護我們脫離一切的邪惡。（2）祂賜給他們甚麼，也將賜給他們甚麼：耶和華賜下恩典和榮耀。 恩典一方面指神對我們的善意，另一方面指神在我們裏面的善工；榮耀一方面指祂如今賜我們兒子的名分所加給我們的尊榮，另一方面指祂為兒子的名分所存留的基業。神在今世賜他們恩典作為榮耀的預備，在來世賜他們榮耀作為恩典的成全；二者都是神的恩賜，祂白白的恩賜。一方面，神賜恩典之處，必賜榮耀（因恩典是榮耀的開端，是榮耀的憑據）；另一方面，神在來世不將榮耀賜給那些在今世未蒙賜恩、或徒受祂恩典的人。神若賜下恩典和榮耀——這兩件大事使我們在兩世都得着福樂——我們便可以確信：祂未嘗不留好處給行動正直的人。 一切敬虔人的特徵就是行動正直——他們用心靈和誠實敬拜神，在世上以純正和敬虔的誠實為人；這樣的人可以確信，神不留好處不給他們——即為他們安穩經過今世所需要的一切。把握住恩典和榮耀，其餘的東西都要加給你們了。 這是一個全面的應許，也是對聖徒現今安慰如此確定的保證：凡他們所願、所覺所需的，他們都可確信——若非無限的智慧看見那對他們不是好處，便是無限的良善必按時賜給他們。願我們謹慎行動正直，然後信託神將一切於我們有益的事賜給我們。
末了， 他宣告凡像他那樣以信心投靠神的人有福了，詩 84:12。那些得享典章的自由、得享神家特權的人是有福的。然而，縱然我們被剝奪了這些，只要我們信靠神，便不被剝奪福分。我們若不能到耶和華的殿，便可憑信心到殿的主那裏；在祂裏面我們可以快樂，也可以安息。
英文原文
Delight in God's Ordinances
⁸ O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
⁹ Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
¹⁰ For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
¹² O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
Here, I. The psalmist prays for audience and acceptance with God, not mentioning particularly what he desired God would do for him. He needed to say no more when he had professed such an affectionate esteem for the ordinances of God, which now he was restrained and banished from. All his desire was, in that profession, plainly before God, and his longing, his groaning, was not hidden from him; therefore he prays (Ps 84:8,9) only that God would hear his prayer and give ear, that he would behold his condition, behold his good affection, and look upon his face, which way it was set, and how his countenance discovered the longing desire he had towards God's courts. He calls himself (as many think) God's anointed, for David was anointed by him and anointed for him. In this petition, 1. He has an eye to God under several of his glorious titles—as the Lord God of hosts, who has all the creatures at his command, and therefore has all power both in heaven and in earth,—as the God of Jacob, a God in covenant with his own people, a God who never said to the praying seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain,—and as God our shield, who takes his people under his special protection, pursuant to his covenant with Abraham their father. Ge 15:1, Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield. When David could not be hidden in the secret of God's tabernacle (Ps 27:5), being at a distance from it, yet he hoped to find God his shield ready to him wherever he was. 2. He has an eye to the Mediator; for of him I rather understand those words, Look upon the face of thy Messiah, thy anointed one, for of his anointing David spoke, Ps 45:7. In all our addresses to God we must desire that he would look upon the face of Christ, accept us for his sake, and be well-pleased with us in him. We must look with an eye of faith, and then God will with an eye of favour look upon the face of the anointed, who does show his face when we without him dare not show ours.
II. He pleads his love to God's ordinances and his dependence upon God himself.
1. God's courts were his choice, Ps 84:10. A very great regard he had for holy ordinances: he valued them above any thing else, and he expresses his value for them, (1.) By preferring the time of God's worship before all other time: A day spent in thy courts, in attending on the services of religion, wholly abstracted from all secular affairs, is better than a thousand, not than a thousand in thy courts, but any where else in this world, though in the midst of all the delights of the children of men. Better than a thousand, he does not say days, you may supply it with years, with ages, if you will, and yet David will set his hand to it. "A day in thy courts, a sabbath day, a holy day, a feast-day, though but one day, would be very welcome to me; nay" (as some of the rabbin paraphrase it), "though I were to die for it the next day, yet that would be more sweet than years spent in the business and pleasure of this world. One of these days shall with its pleasure chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, to shame, as not worthy to be compared." (2.) By preferring the place of worship before any other place: I would rather be a door-keeper, rather be in the meanest place and office, in the house of my God, than dwell in state, as master, in the tents of wickedness. Observe, He calls even the tabernacle a house, for the presence of God in it made even those curtains more stately than a palace and more strong than a castle. It is the house of my God; the covenant-interest he had in God as his God was the sweet string on which he loved dearly to be harping; those, and those only, who can, upon good ground, call God theirs, delight in the courts of his house. I would rather be a porter in God's house than a prince in those tents where wickedness reigns, rather lie at the threshold (so the word is); that was the beggar's place (Ac 3:2): "no matter" (says David), "let that be my place rather than none." The Pharisees loved synagogues well enough, provided they might have the uppermost seats there (Mt 23:6), that they might make a figure. Holy David is not solicitous about that; if he may but be admitted to the threshold, he will say, Master, it is good to be here. Some read it, I would rather be fixed to a post in the house of my God than live at liberty in the tents of wickedness, alluding to the law concerning servants, who, if they would not go out free, were to have their ear bored to the door-post, Ex 21:5,6. David loved his master and loved his work so well that he desired to be tied to this service for ever, to be more free to it, but never to go out free from it, preferring bonds to duty far before the greatest liberty to sin. Such a superlative delight have holy hearts in holy duties; no satisfaction in their account comparable to that in communion with God.
2. God himself was his hope, and joy, and all. Therefore he loved the house of his God, because his expectation was from his God, and there he used to communicate himself, Ps 84:11. See, (1.) What God is, and will be, to his people: The Lord God is a sun and shield. We are here in darkness, but, if God be our God, he will be to us a sun, to enlighten and enliven us, to guide and direct us. We are here in danger, but he will be to us a shield to secure us from the fiery darts that fly thickly about us. With his favour he will compass us as with a shield. Let us therefore always walk in the light of the Lord, and never throw ourselves out of his protection, and we shall find him a sun to supply us with all good and a shield to shelter us from all evil. (2.) What he does, and will, bestow upon them: The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace signifies both the good-will of God towards us and the good work of God in us; glory signifies both the honour which he now puts upon us, in giving us the adoption of sons, and that which he has prepared for us in the inheritance of sons. God will give them grace in this world as a preparation for glory, and glory in the other world as the perfection of grace; both are God's gift, his free gift. And as, on the one hand, wherever God gives grace he will give glory (for grace is glory begun, and is an earnest of it), so, on the other hand, he will give glory hereafter to none to whom he does not give grace now, or who receive his grace in vain. And if God will give grace and glory, which are the two great things that concur to make us happy in both worlds, we may be sure that no good thing will be withheld from those that walk uprightly. It is the character of all good people that they walk uprightly, that they worship God in spirit and in truth, and have their conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity; and such may be sure that God will withhold no good thing from them, that is requisite to their comfortable passage through this world. Make sure grace and glory, and other things shall be added. This is a comprehensive promise, and is such an assurance of the present comfort of the saints that, whatever they desire, and think they need, they may be sure that either Infinite Wisdom sees it is not good for them or Infinite Goodness will give it to them in due time. Let it be our care to walk uprightly, and then let us trust God to give us every thing that is good for us.
Lastly, He pronounces those blessed who put their confidence in God, as he did, Ps 84:12. Those are blessed who have the liberty of ordinances and the privileges of God's house. But, though we should be debarred from them, yet we are not therefore debarred from blessedness if we trust in God. If we cannot go to the house of the Lord, we may go by faith to the Lord of the house, and in him we shall be happy and may be easy.
雖然大衛的名字不在本詩的標題上，但我們有理由認為他是作者，因為本詩處處流露他卓越的靈，且與他所寫的第六十三篇十分相似。一般認為大衛是在因押沙龍叛亂而被迫離開本城之時寫了這詩；他為遠離那城而悲傷，不是因為那是王城，而是因為那是聖城——這詩便是明證。本詩包含了一個蒙恩靈魂對神並與神相交的敬虔渴慕。這詩雖然沒有這樣的標題，卻很可以視為安息日——我們嚴肅聚會之日——的詩歌。
詩人在此以極大的敬虔表達他的情感：一、對神典章的愛慕——他對典章的看重（詩八四1），對典章的渴慕（詩八四2,3），他確信那些享受典章之人的福樂（詩八四4-7），以及他將自己的福樂極大地寄託於對典章的享受（詩八四10）。二、對典章之神的愛慕——他對神的渴慕（詩八四8,9），他對神的信心（詩八四11），以及他確信那些以神為倚靠之人的福樂（詩八四12）。
唱這詩時，我們當有與大衛一樣向著神的敬虔情感，這樣唱起來就必十分甘甜。