1 H ow lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

How lovely are your dwellings, Yahweh of Armies!

2 M y soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God.

My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

3 Y es, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Yes, the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, near your altars, Yahweh of Armies, my King, and my God.

4 B lessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah!

Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah.

5 B lessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you; who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.

6 P assing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills with blessings.

Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

7 T hey go from strength to strength; each of them appears before God in Zion.

They go from strength to strength. Everyone of them appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah!

Yahweh, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, God of Jacob. Selah.

9 B ehold our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed!

Behold, God our shield, look at the face of your anointed.

10 F or a day in Your courts is better than a thousand; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11 F or the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows grace and favor and glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.

12 O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You!

Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you.