A Psalm About Being in God’s Presence

Alan brought a lovely teaching from Psalm 84 for about being in God’s presence. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included Alan’s outline with some notes and links to Bible Gateway to read Scriptures Alan references. Enjoy!

A Psalm About Being in God’s Presence

Introduction: Three Ways God is Present

1. His omnipresence (Psalm 139)
2. His positional presence – the temple, the tabernacle, where believers are gathered (Matthew 18:19-20)
3. His indwelling presence (John 17:20-23)

Psalm 84

1. Three Results of Being in God’s Presence (Psalm 84:1-2)
   • Where God is present, there is beauty.
     • It’s a beautiful thing to see God’s presence in His people.
     • Keith Green “Stained Glass” (click to listen on YouTube; scroll a bit to read the lyrics in the comments)
   • God’s presence creates a hunger for more of Him.
     • Sometimes we aren’t hungry for God because we are satiated with everything else.
     • We don’t know we are to hunger for Him.
     • Psalm 63:1
   • God’s presence brings a substantive joy to the whole of our person.
     • Psalm 16:11
     • Psalm 32:11
     • Psalm 51:12
     • It’s a joy built on the surety of salvation, walking in God’s way, and having Christ’s righteousness.
2. Contentment in God’s Presence (Psalm 84:3-4)
   • God’s presence lets you know you are valuable.
     • The Psalmist says something about two birds which Jesus mentions in the New Testament:
       • Sparrows
         • was considered a worthless bird, but God values it and gives it a home (Matthew 10:29)
         • God gives a home to birds, how much more does He value us?
       • Swallows
   • God’s presence can be a remedy to restlessness.
     • A swallow is always darting about, but even it has a nest.
     • Matthew 11:28-29
     • When we sacrifice those things that make our spirit restless on the altar of God, we can find peace in Him.
   • God’s presence is an inexhaustible personal resource.
     • He is to David the “Lord of Hosts” and “My King.”
     • God is not so exhausted in taking care of the multitudes that He wouldn’t have enough time for you individually.
3. God’s Presence in Our Hearts (Psalm 84:5-11)
   • God in our heart is a source of daily strength in life’s trials, if we really want it.
     • To want it, we have to keep our heart highway open to God (Philippians 4:13)
     • “I can’t; He can. He never said I could; He always said He would. And He always will.” -Major Ian Thomas
   • God in our heart can turn sorrow in our lives into a spring in others’.
     • Living Water (John 7:38)
   • God in our heart is our shield and our anointing.
     • He sets our hearts apart to Him.
   • God in our heart should be seen as better than everything else.
     • Is it?
     • Better is one day in Your courts!
   • The evidence of God’s presence in our heart is how much we really trust Him.