Tehilim Perek 84

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll be discussing Tehilim, Chapter 84.

This chapter is another written with Divine insight by the sons of Korach. For further background, listen to Tehilim chapter 42 in the NachDaily archives.

This is a prayer of desire to come close to God and to experience His light in His holy sanctuary.

The Malbim writes that there are 3 parts to this psalm, each ending with the word “Selah.”

The first part expresses the innermost desires of the soul to come to Hashem’s courtyards and experience His Presence. “My entire being wants to sing to God.”

The second part relates that even though at this current time we’re forbidden to walk on the Makom Hamikdash, we still are mitsapeh la’yeshua, longing for the day when we can.

I recently heard a Rav say that when runners see the finish line, they sprint even faster to the end. We’re right at the end of this long exile, and Mashiach is certainly on his way. The finish line is in sight! We need to use all our efforts and energy to sprint to it by strengthening ourselves in whatever mitzvos we can.

Praiseworthy are the people who strengthen themselves so as not to give up on the Geulah, the final Redemption!

The third and last part of the chapter is an explicit prayer for Mashiach. We ask Hashem to look down upon us and send His anointed one and rebuild the Beis Hamikdash, because one moment of truly experiencing God’s light is greater than any pleasure in the world.

Verse 11 says:

כִּ֤י טֽוֹב־י֥וֹם בַּחֲצֵרֶ֗יךָ מֵ֫אָ֥לֶף בָּחַ֗רְתִּי הִ֭סְתּוֹפֵף בְּבֵ֣ית אֱלֹהַ֑י מִ֝דּ֗וּר בְּאָהֳלֵי־רֶֽשַׁע׃

For one day in Your courtyard is better than one thousand elsewhere. I prefer to stand exposed at the threshold of my God’s House, than to dwell securely in the tents of wickedness.

This is really an amazing passuk. Rashi, Radak, and Metsudos explain that it’s better to live one day in Eretz Yisrael with the Beis Hakidash and die the next day, than to live a thousand years in exile!

One day of truly experiencing Hashem is better than anything that the world has to offer.

Think about the greatest pleasure, the most enjoyable thing that you can envision. Experiencing the Beis Hamikdash will be greater than that. The pure bliss of experiencing Hashem’s light and the light of Mashiach will be complete ecstasy!

The finish line is in sight. We’re almost there. We’re living in truly amazing and wondrous times. May we merit being the type of person to whom this chapter alludes: Ashrai adam boteach Bach, praiseworthy is the one who trusts in You! May we all greet Mashiach in the 3^rd Temple.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.