Sunday, September 7, 2025

Reflection - Psalm 84 - Sunshine for Your Soul

Source (book): "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Psalm 84, "Sunshine for Your Soul", Page 110.
By Joanie Yoder, Our Daily Bread Writer


 Psalm 84
PHOTO: Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young —
a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.                                      Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayers, O Lord Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.                                      Selah
Look upon our shield, O God;
Look with favor on your anointed one.

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.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.


Sunshine for Your Soul
Many people feel cheerful in fair weather, but they are depressed when skies are gray. The travel industry thrives on this fact by luring millions of people to brighter climates. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the sun and its many benefits. But if we rely on good weather to maintain our good cheer, the climate of our inner world will be as changeable as the weather.

This was my condition before I became a Christian while in my teens. Each morning I would check out the weather. If it was bright, I felt happy, if it was gloomy, so was I. One night I realized I needed Jesus. Kneeling by my bed, I accepted His forgiveness for my sins and invited Him into my life. The next morning I forgot to check the weather! It simply didn't matter anymore. The "sun of righteousness" had risen in my heart (Malachi 4:2) and had replaced my fickle source of happiness with himself.

Since then, my personal world has known some dark times, but the Lord has been my constant "sun and shield" (Psalm 84:11). I will prefer sunny days, but I'm a worshiper of God's Son who shines brightly within me - whatever the weather.
- Joanie Yoder
Picture posted by Valentina Mendetskaia
Picture upscaled by AI Image Upscaler at https://pixnova.ai/image-upscaler/
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young —
a place near your altar,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.                                      Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayers, O Lord Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.                                      Selah
Look upon our shield, O God;
Look with favor on your anointed one.

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.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.


For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
Sunshine for Your Soul
Many people feel cheerful in fair weather, but they are depressed when skies are gray. The travel industry thrives on this fact by luring millions of people to brighter climates. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the sun and its many benefits. But if we rely on good weather to maintain our good cheer, the climate of our inner world will be as changeable as the weather.


 Many people feel cheerful in fair weather, but they are depressed when skies are gray.
PHOTO: Many people feel cheerful in fair weather, but they are depressed when skies are gray. The travel industry thrives on this fact by luring millions of people to brighter climates. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the sun and its many benefits. But if we rely on good weather to maintain our good cheer, the climate of our inner world will be as changeable as the weather.
Picture posted by 🦋🦋Sonja’sCreations13🦋🦋
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQmMB3Ey93Z5KkMcJ6tsD70pQqU_tHV2cFwn3DzNbj-A_ME9TeXhMTZS3GPwvNiFsf7BoGurt8yqg3AsjOUftEilvWi_2Fm1RscNfK_zG9WgbDy25HWIgewC_HlBXSQNF2J03JliIA-MOl7m3v-mfcrUM58EKBfGcLkYU1UNuX6aeupq1KUhlc7IWqtw/s1024/44710aa870b5bdc7af82d190300ff07d_1.png
https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/44/71/0a/44710aa870b5bdc7af82d190300ff07d.jpg
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/1112881757928381580/


This was my condition before I became a Christian while in my teens. Each morning I would check out the weather. If it was bright, I felt happy, if it was gloomy, so was I. One night I realized I needed Jesus. Kneeling by my bed, I accepted His forgiveness for my sins and invited Him into my life. The next morning I forgot to check the weather! It simply didn't matter anymore. The "sun of righteousness" had risen in my heart (Malachi 4:2) and had replaced my fickle source of happiness with himself.
 

 One night I realized I needed Jesus.
PHOTO: One night I realized I needed Jesus. Kneeling by my bed, I accepted His forgiveness for my sins and invited Him into my life. The next morning I forgot to check the weather! It simply didn't matter anymore. The "sun of righteousness" had risen in my heart (Malachi 4:2) and had replaced my fickle source of happiness with himself.
Picture posted by ✞HerryHyn🌹
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3JdEW_JYeSXPdF8Z4T-3q21NsDZdotHAHArHAkr8feYFfCGwu_pZSNed_6psmTi1WDvXjAHOtOzA_LucgVE1ZDkaxln-cvV0EtDriMFlsjVFUOY0ScWT5Pfeg7aHn2oazegSF9H1BsonyJJGbF8f3RZeboHV6WvrvFcLQNvlSOptNtbhlk2VlPqVeUo/s1024/075625cdce97b05f17e8dd0b0445ac37_11.png
https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/07/56/25/075625cdce97b05f17e8dd0b0445ac37.jpg
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/774124929534561/


Since then, my personal world has known some dark times, but the Lord has been my constant "sun and shield" (Psalm 84:11). I will prefer sunny days, but I'm a worshiper of God's Son who shines brightly within me - whatever the weather.
- Joanie Yoder


 Since then, my personal world has known some dark times
PHOTO: Since then, my personal world has known some dark times, but the Lord has been my constant "sun and shield" (Psalm 84:11). I will prefer sunny days, but I'm a worshiper of God's Son who shines brightly within me - whatever the weather.
Picture posted by Etsy 
Picture upscaled by AI Image Upscaler at https://pixnova.ai/image-upscaler/
https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/d5/b7/09/d5b709516b8685c6258a02ec89203e4a.jpg
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/1062356999599035608/


 Dear Lord
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we pray that the Lord be our constant 'sun and shield'. Our personal world may have some dark times, and we may prefer sunny days. But may we be worshiper of God's Son who shines brightly within us - whatever the weather.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen."
Picture posted by Maria Rosales on 13 September 2024
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUuFcbA_LQeu_1iuN2n-WTuPzhJILeTigAaEz3yhzI2yb4KFvv9aDz3YzR2qf2NAyaV9rNtOeMnMbZWhcQTWt274P9B4c7QQ29o7UYC7CidgNfCfj7xwYrB5wcPzdSH1twY5krZu5QHo-BU2ojfHThlO-rjNYtZEi7Q5TlmeogSMWjEoB8nytKn7trx4/s1500/angeles-de-dios_1.png
https://tarotdemariarosales.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/angeles-de-dios.jpg
https://tarotdemariarosales.com/espiritualidad/angeles-de-dios-que-debes-invocar-y-hacer-parte-de-tu-vida/

Reflection - Psalm 84 - Sunshine for Your Soul
Source (book): "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Psalm 84, "Sunshine for Your Soul", Page 110.
By Joanie Yoder, Our Daily Bread Writer



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Reference
[1] From "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Copyright @ 2009 by Discovery House Publishers, Psalm 84, "Sunshine for Your Soul", Page 110.

Links


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