Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

When the psalmist speaks of the courts (that is, the courtyards) of God, he is employing an imagery both of majesty and beauty -- majesty in the sense of the place where God lives and reigns as King (just as we speak of the court of an earthly monarch, where the monarch dwells and rules, with servants to carry out his smallest command), and beauty in terms of the magnificence of both the dwelling place itself (as befits a ruler), and of the dwelling's surroundings, which (on earth) are normally large and meticulously tended estates, containing expansive lawns, colorful gardens and other eye-pleasing features.

Although the psalmist is employing earthly imagery, the Bible makes clear that the beauty of Heaven surpasses any comparison that could possibly be described or imagined. (In 2 Corinthians 12:4, Paul (who was granted a foretaste of Heaven by God) could only characterize the revelations he heard as "inexpressible".) And, for the Christian, the greatest joy will be the ability to remain in God's presence, experiencing perfect, unbroken fellowship with Him, for eternity. (As the apostle John noted in 1 John 3:2, "When He [Christ] appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall Him as He is.")

August 12 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report