1How lovely is Your dwelling place,
O LORD of Hosts!
2My soul longs, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she places her young near Your altars,
O LORD of Hosts, my King and my God.
4How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You.
Selah
5Blessed are those whose strength is in You,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6As they pass through the Valley of Baca,b
they make it a place of springs;
even the autumn rain covers it with pools.c
7They go from strength to strength,
until each appears before God in Zion.
8O LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Selah
9Take notice of our shield, O God,
and look with favor on the face of Your anointed.
10For 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.
11For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;
the LORD gives grace and glory;
He withholds no good thing
from those who walk with integrity.
12O LORD of Hosts,
how blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Verse 1 speaks about God's dwelling place. This translation does not fit the Almighty. It should be the house of God, i.e., the house attributed to God. God does not need to dwell in a house. This is similar to Islam as the mosques are described as the houses of Allah, the Almighty God.
Verse 2 mentions the courts of the Lord. This does fit well with Masjid Al Haram of Makkah, the areas surrounding the Kaabah.
Verse 3 mentions there were birds there. It can remind us of the story of Abrahah, the Yemenite Ethiopian Jewish general who was destroyed by flocks of birds who threw burnt stones at them.
Verse 4 mentions about the one who really dwells at God's house. They are the worshippers who are steadfast in praising the Almighty. In Islam, these are known as Akifin , i.e those who perfom I'tikaf.
Verse 5 is even better. It mentions about pilgrimage. What is the biggest pilgrimage on the face of this earth? Nothing other than the Hajj. Hajj was performed from the time of Abraham, continued by pagan Arabs and was continued by Islam brought by prophet Muhammad pbuh. Islam purified the act of Hajj. The pagan Arabs added deviant rituals to Hajj such as circumbulating the Kaabah naked.
Verse 6 mentions the Valley of Baca. Bakkah or its newer name Makkah is a valley. It is a very well-known fact. Some of the hills such as Safa and Marwah were not as obvious due to expansion of the Masjid. Safa and Marwah Hills are within the masjid complex today.
King James translated verse 6 as Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
It looks like whatever the word was, it is translated as either a well or a spring. This fits well with the well of Zamzam, that Allah granted to Hajar, the wife of Ibrahim (Abraham).
"Even the autumn rain covers it with pools". This description fits Makkah. Zamzam well that has been there for at least 4000 years benefits from rainwaters. You can read about the climate of Makkah at this link Climate of Mecca - Wikipedia
Verse 7: Subhan Allah. This is true. This is Fathu Makkah on 8 AH The Muslims grew stronger, and they all appeared before God in Zion. Appearing before God is at Arafah during Hajj on 10AH and continues till this age. Then the trouble is the word Zion here. Zion here is a translation. What is the meaning of it in Hebrew? It may be derived from the Hebrew Hebrew צִיָּה ṣiyya , which means dry land or desert. This derivation is mentioned by biblical scholars, not me. That is what Arafah is: a dry land. This is not the description of Jerusalem, which is very fertile. Additionally, if it was to be translated as a mount, then Arafah is a mount 'Mount Arafah'.
An interesting word is Selah. Biblical scholars, either Rabbi or Christian scholars, do not know precisely what it means. It is mentioned after, 'They are ever praising you' and after O LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Both phrases that preceded 'Selah' are speaking about prayer. In Islam, prayer is known as Solah الصلاة . I don't think it is a coincidence.
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