A Levite's Appreciation

The composers of the 84th Psalm were the sons of Korah, Levites who served at Jehovah's temple and highly esteemed their service privileges.  "How lovely your grand tabernacle  is, O Jehovah of armies!"   One of them exclaims.  "My soul has yearned and also pined away for the courtyards of Jehovah. My own heart and my very flesh cry out joyfully to the living God." -Psalm 84:1, 2. 

This Levite had such a  longing to serve at Jehovah's temple that even the ordinary scenery along the way to Jerusalem appeared attractive to him.  'Passing along through the low plain of the baca bushes," he said, "they turn it into a spring itself." (Psalm 84:6) Yes,  a normally dry area was like a well-watered region. 

Because the psalmist was a nonpriestly Levite, he could serve at the temple for only one week every six months.  (1 Chronicles 24:1-19; 2 Chronicles 23:8; Luke 1:5, 8, 9) The rest of his time was spent at home in one of the Levite cities. He therefore sang: "Even the bird itself has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself. , where she has put her young ones-your grand altar, O Jehovah of armies, my King and my God!" (Psalm 84:3)  How happy the Levites would have been if he was like the birds that had a more permanent dwelling place at the temple!

It would have bee easy for the Levite to give in to bitterness because he could not serve at the temple more often. However, he was pleased to serve as he could, and he surely realized that wholehearted devotion to Jehovah is worth the effort. What helped this faithful Levite to remain content with his service privileges? 

Next time: Learn to Be Content

From the Watchtower magazine, 1997