Outside the House
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84:10 NASB
Stand at the threshold – How about you? Do you think that a day in God’s courts is better than a thousand elsewhere? Of course, you and I can’t experience what it was like to stand in the Temple court, but neither could David. The Temple was his dream, not his reality. So we are just like David. He longed for a day in the Temple of the Lord. How about you? Are you longing to simply stand at the threshold of God’s house?
Before you affirm your desire, it might be useful to take a harder look at the phrase, “stand at the threshold.” That translation could imply that you and I are simply pausing at the entrance before we continue in. But the Hebrew suggests something else. The words are baharti histofef. The word translated “threshold” is a hapax legomenon, occurring only here in the biblical text. Its root is sap, related to Akkadian and Aramaic where it could mean the door keeper, not simply standing at the door (see 1 Chronicles 9:24). If we suppose that this is what David has in mind, then the imagery changes. Would you rather be the doorkeeper of God’s house than dwell in the tents of the wicked? In other words, what if you never actually went in, but were always just at the door? Would that satisfy you? Would it still be better than dwelling (reclining, resting, enjoying) time in the other tents? How would you feel if your job was to just stand at the door? How would you feel if you were the one who greeted all those going in, watching them pass by as they came into God’s presence, but you remained on the edge? Would it be enough?
Perhaps David’s hapax legomenon allows us to reconsider our own self-centered desire. Perhaps it helps us determine if being on the peripheral is sufficient or if we really thought we should be invited into the center. If God asked you to just remain at your post at the edge of the assembly, never to enter into the inner action but only to guide others into the center, would you still long for such a position? Would your heart be just as thrilled with Him if He called you to be nothing more than the doormat? Or did you think that God wanted you to be the great center of attention in His assembly?
Topical Index: threshold, histofef, sap, Psalm 84:10
Ah, but in the Kingdom, he who is least is greatest, is it not true?
If I am a poor soul who lives only for self, who has nothing extra to give to others, am I not a beggar on the street? Am I not looking to everybody else for something? But if I am rich to the exact extent of the measure of what I can afford to give away, then the more I can afford to put others ahead of myself, the richer I am in that Kingdom, is it not so?
We are taught in today’s modern democratic world, especially in America, where we spurned a king, that a monarchal system is just bad, bad, bad. But the kingdom of Heaven seems to be more of a monarchy than a democratic republic to me. Hmm. I was also taught that it was just sheer egotism(!) when the king referred to himself, or the queen to herself, in the second person, but the worst was surely when a monarch referred to the ENTIRE KINGDOM as “Ourself”, or “Our Person”. Whoa!
But. A beggar on the street would think it a burden too great to bear if he had to entertain the thought of putting the best interests of ANYONE ahead of his own, much less an entire kingdom’s. A monarch, on the other hand, was tasked (and yes, many of them took that task very seriously, as best they had to understand it) with regarding everybody else’s interests the same thing as their own, for better or worse. Only after the entire interests of the country were taken care of, could he or she relax into his or her own. This is just simply inconceivable to said street beggar.
We are called to be kings and intercessors (priests) in the Kingdom, are we not? To me, that means that I am rich in the Kingdom’s goods to the exact extent that I can put out for, undergird, underwrite, protect the borders of, fight for the justice of, supply the needs of, including material, mental and spiritual, as well as intercede for, all around me. Given this, the day I manage to figure out how to do all of the above for even my ‘enemies’, too, would that mean that I would be Empress (conqueror) of the World? (hardy har har)
Thank you, Laurita, for this comment. Gives my wife and I a different perspective to think about. Refreshing!
Come On In
Don’t be a stranger. “Enter In.” The words have been spoken, the invitation has been issued, but who will respond?
He has said.. the Living word has spoken.. “Come unto Me – “ALL” (I love this word!) “ALL” who labor and are heavy laden.. and I will give you rest!! (Friend, for this.. I “qualify!”)
For I (sometimes) feel like I’ve been “rode hard-hung up wet, and pulled through a knothole twice!!” I’ve got the gray hairs, wrinkles and scars to prove it! Nobody (save One!) knows the troubles I’ve seen!
Oh, but may I share? May I share my “story?” May I testify concerning One who “lifted Me?” One whose never-ending, never-failing Love has redeemed my life from destruction? One who HAS constantly, consistently, daily, even “moment by moment” provided all my needs? One whose very Name is Faithful and True? One who defeated Death by dying? One whose every word is Breath and Life? One who was raised from Death unto Life Everlasting and has become the firstfruits of them that slept? One who has asended into Heaven and is now preparing a place for us? One who now intercedes (constantly) for those who are His own? One whose sheep follow Him as He leads them by the still waters and feeds them with the finest of wheat?
Have you seen this Man? What is His Name? ~ Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him! ~ (Psalm 2.12)
~ For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus ~ (Galatians 3.26)
.. and when you pray, say – “Our Father..” ABBA-Father! Amen.
And, as sons and daughters.. this Promise is ours ~ Draw near unto God- and He will draw near unto you!” (As His son..) – Ask. (As His daughter..) Seek. (As His children) Knock.. And? (the Rest of the Story?)..
It will be given unto you!! For the Veil has been torn from top to bottom! “Enter In!!”
Is quite all right for me to be on the fringe. I am okay with that.
I wonder about this from the perspective that we are the temple of YHWH
This is an interesting question to me and I have pondered parts of it every time I read this Psalm.
I have heard people say that they would be happy to just be a polisher of the brass doorknob of God’s house. The thought of this scenario horrifies me.
If that would be my assignment by My Father when I am living in His world, I hope that, by then,I would be humble enough to be pleased. However in this humanness in which I currently reside, I would be ashamed.
Not because of God but because of myself.
I was, at the beginning of this journey, given 70 years to use, grow, learn and prepare for what He is bringing into being at Messiah’s coming,.
If I am not preparing for leadership, or even Kingship as per its description in Psalm 72, or preparing for Priestly work in helping others along a path of responding to God, a question remains:
How did I waste my life? Because that is what I will have done. How did I count the following Him so worthless that I didn’t even try. I will be Truly Ashamed.
And that feeling is why you are now welcomed in the house. I think that until we come to realize we are not fit even to stand at the door, we are never fit to enter. God didn’t make the house for those who thought themselves worthy but for those who KNEW they weren’t.
Amein v’amein! The ones who feel unworthy are the ones who work hardest to please YHWH, even with serving at the door, but, would desire to be closer to ABBA walking closer to HIM, and being pruned bear fruit.
In my former “church” association, I was at one time in charge of simply standing at the door, greeting people, and handing them songbooks. And even though later on I had other duties, including song-leading and speaking, the job of just meeting people and making sure they had everything they needed was the one I enjoyed the most. And of which I have the fondest memories.
I want to be exactly where YHWY would have me. I trust His choice for me before I trust my own. I’d certainly rather be at the doorway than any farther away! As for being the center, none of us would want to be that; we would all love to gaze at the One that belongs there, though!