Psalm 84:10 says, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." This verse from Psalm 84 contains inspiring words to many of us as well as it gives us encouragement.
The psalmist tells us in this passage that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God instead of dwelling in the tents of the wicked. In the same way, he says it is better to spend one day in God's courts than a thousand years anywhere else.
What does this passage mean? While we can ascertain that the psalmist views it as a great privilege to be in the courts of God, oftentimes, the true meaning can be lost to us in the present day.
By understanding the Psalm as a whole and understanding the surrounding context, we can learn what it really means when the psalmist says, "Better is one day in your courts."
The Truth Behind Psalm 84:10
In the verses leading up to Psalm 84:10, the psalmist is praising the Lord (Psalm 84:1-9). The psalmist says how lovely God's dwelling place is, how his soul yearns for the courts of God, and how those who trust in Him are blessed.
Not only does he say his soul yearns for God's courts, but the psalmist says his soul faints for the courts of the Lord, and his heart, as well as his flesh cry out for them (Psalm 84:2).
When we see this surrounding context, we can see how important the courts of the Lord are to the psalmist. This leads us up to the psalmist making the declaration that it is better to spend one day in the Lord's courts than anywhere else (Psalm 84:10).
This is a weighty confession to make; however, it is one we can all relate to. It would be better to be in the presence of God than to be anywhere else.
Often when we think of courts, we think of a courthouse, or something related to the study of law. While this verse could mean the righteous courts of the Lord, it can also refer to being in the dwelling place of the Lord.
This is the most likely scenario, as God's dwelling place is the greatest place to be by far. It can be difficult for us to grasp these concepts; however, it is not hard to grasp the truth that it would be better to be with the Lord than anywhere else.
As human beings, we cannot fully understand what it will be like to be in the courts of the Lord or in other words, the dwelling place of the Lord. To be in the dwelling place of the Lord would mean to be in Heaven with Him.
We cannot ascertain or fully know what this will be like until we are with the Lord in heaven. It is something we can look forward to and eagerly yearn for, yet it is not something we can bring to fruition at the present time.
Better to Spend One Day with the Lord
As the psalmist declares, it is better to spend one day with the Lord than a thousand with anyone else. Sadly, we can get caught up in the sad business of setting up idols for ourselves.
We might start to want to be with others more than we want to spend time with God. In other words, we might prefer spending time with our friends, family, or spouse more than we want to spend time with the Lord.
While this is a truth for many people, not many individuals would admit to it. If this is true for you, you don't have to bring it up in conversation with other people in your life, but you do need to bring the concern before God. Repent and tell Him that you are sorry for placing anyone or anything above Him in your life.
After you have repented and turned away from placing someone or something else as the idol of your life, you will be able to recognize how much better it is to spend one day with the Lord than to spend a million days with someone else.
To be in God's presence will be wonderful. No matter what beauty you have seen on this earth will not compare to the beauty in God. Heaven will be a place of joy, love, and peace. The effects of sin and death will no longer be present in the courts of the Lord.
Since God is 100% goodness, peace, and mercy, we can rest assured that the courts of the Lord are a beautiful place. It is a place that, once we see it, we will never want to leave the courts.
The psalmist was a human just like us, yet he was able to understand what a wonderful thing it would be to be in the courts of the Lord. He never speaks of the courts of the Lord in a manner that would cause fear.
Rather, he speaks of them in a positive way that will fill our hearts with hope. The courts of the Lord will keep us safe, protected, and make us feel secure. Nowhere else in all the world can make us feel the same way that the Lord's courts will.
Thinking of being in the Lord's courts can be frightening for some people since it will be after death; however, there is nothing to fear if you know Jesus as your Savior.
While death might be painful, it only lasts for a short second. After we pass away, we will automatically be in the presence of the Lord. He will welcome us with open arms and invite us into His courts.
What Does This Mean?
Therefore, better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere means that it is better to spend just one day in God's presence than it is to spend a thousand anywhere else. We might think other places or other people will bring us happiness, but they won't.
Only God can bring us true peace, love, and joy. We are falling into a risky business when we think something or someone else can fulfill the desires that only God can fill in our hearts.
It is truly better to have the privilege of spending one day in the Lord's courts than anywhere else. Think about this in your own life. Examine yourself and see what your truthful answer would be.
Would you rather spend a day in the Lord's courts, sitting at the feet of Jesus, or would you rather spend a day in the presence of your favorite celebrity, influencer, or idol? All of these things can try to cause us to drift away from the Lord, but we must not allow them to.
We need to keep our hearts and minds focused on the Lord. We don't need to allow the idols of the world to cause us to lose sight of Jesus.
It is truly better to spend time in the presence of the Lord than anyone else. The Lord is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our God. Nothing and nobody are more important than Him.
For further reading:
Should You Seek to Dwell in the House of the Lord All the Days of Your Life?
Why Will We Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving?
What Does it Mean We Will Be Given the Keys to the Kingdom?
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