How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God …
For a day is Your courts is better than a thousand outside. Psalm 84:1-2,10 (NASB)
Today is Valentine’s Day when love and beauty are celebrated. Desire and longing is expressed. But how is our passion and hunger for God’s presence?
This week I noticed two places in the Bible where you find the words “How lovely!” (There may be more, but these were brought to my attention.)
The first is Psalm 84:
How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! Psalm 84:1 (NASB)
How lovely it is when we get close to God and seek His face, when simply being in His Presence is our priority. The psalmist says in Psalm 27:4
One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD… Psalm 27:4 (NKJV)
How many of us can say with the Psalmist that the one thing we desire and seek after in life is to dwell in the Presence of God and behold His beauty? James tells us that we have an awesome promise:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 (NASB)
When we take the time to draw near and to be in His presence, we realise how wonderful He is.
O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9 (NASB)
How great is Your goodness… Psalm 31:19 (NASB)
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Psalm 36:7 (NASB)
Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!” Psalm 66:3 (NASB)
How sweet are Your words to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NASB)
How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:33 (NASB)
How lovely it is to dwell with Him and He with us, as the Psalmist experienced.
The other place where I discovered the words “how lovely” is in Isaiah.
How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7 (NASB)
Not only is it lovely to spend time with Him, it is such a lovely privilege to go in His name and share His good news and tell the world that our God reigns. It is a blessing to be able to share God’s good news of redemption, salvation and peace with others. With whom do you need to share the good news today?
Remember how lovely it is to spend time with Him and how lovely it is when we bring good news to others.