Psalm 84:
2;’“My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
6, “As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.”
10, “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
According to Wikipedia, the royal court of a monarch is explained as: “A term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure.” With Jesus Christ as my Lord, Adonai, he is meant to be the central figure, Monarch, of my life. We can go into great depths on him being the KING of Kings & LORD of Lords some other time.
The reason I explained the above is to bring to light the phrase, “the courts of my LORD”, in the Psalm. King David wrote Psalm 84, and he was all too familiar of the life within the court of a king. But compare the biblical phrase to the Wikipedia definition.
Did you notice it?
David fainted for the court, extended household, of his LORD. See David knew that he was a joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:16-17) so that meant he was a part of the extended household. But as part of that extended household it is his duty to attend to the ruler, ie: the LORD. David actively sought out where his Lord was at all times. It made it ever the easier to attend to his needs and wants by doing so. He even went to so far as to exclaim it was better than a thousand “ordinary” days.
To take it further, we read that the Lord was holding court. In the Valley of Baca. In the well! What an odd place. Baca means weeping or sorrow in Hebrew. This life is by no means Heaven. It is constantly full of sorrow. Not just the current national situation but in general. Apathy and death abound! But not so when you attend to your Lord. By keeping one’s eyes and attention focused on him, you soon forget about the surroundings and pass through it. But in a well? While this life is dry and dusty a well is a place of refuge and regeneration! What better place to hold court while on active duty!
Recently I’ve found out that my Lord is holding court in that well. To pass through Baca I must voluntarily enter the well. But how? By digging into his Word, donating my full attention to him and doing his will on a daily basis. It truly is sweet as you notice in verse 7, “They go from strength to strength.” What a blessing!
Stay in court! Attend to your Lord! Only then can you survive Baca!
Grace and peace, James
*Scripture from ESV, Crossway Publishers, 2001
*Royal Court, Wikipedia.com
*PIcture courtesy of Adobe Stock