How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling-place

1.How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of hosts, to me!
The tabernacles of thy grace
how pleasant, Lord, they be!

2.My thirsty soul longs veh'mently,
yea faints, thy courts to see:
My very heart and flesh cry out,
O living God, for thee.

3.Behold, the sparrow findeth out
an house wherein to rest;
The swallow also for herself
hath purchased a nest;

4.Ev'n thine own altars, where she safe
her young ones forth may bring,
O thou almighty Lord of hosts,
who art my God and King.

5.Bless'd are they in thy house that dwell,
they ever give thee praise.
Bless'd is the man whose strength thou art,
in whose heart are thy ways:

6.Who passing thorough Baca's vale,
therein do dig up wells;
Also the rain that falleth down
the pools with water fills.

7.So they from strength unwearied go
still forward unto strength,
Until in Zion they appear
before the Lord at length.

8.Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear;
O Jacob's God, give ear.
See God our shield, look on the face
of thine anointed dear.

9.For in thy courts one day excels
a thousand; rather in
My God's house will I keep a door,
than dwell in tents of sin.

10.For God the Lord's a sun and shield:
he'll grace and glory give;
And will withhold no good from them
that uprightly do live.

11.O thou that art the Lord of hosts,
that man is truly blessed,
Who by assured confidence
on thee alone doth rest.