This psalm was attributed to the descendants of Korah. This psalm has no problems or complaints; it is simply a song of praise to God. This man obviously loved God and enjoyed being in a worship service.
He began by describing how great it was to worship God. In those days, Jewish believers had to travel from all over Israel to worship in God’s house, and their main mode of transportation were their feet. What they called God’s house was originally the Tabernacle, but under Solomon it became the Temple. It was called the House of God because He was always present; God chose to dwell specifically in the Most Holy Place represented by the Ark of the Covenant. He wanted the people to know He loved them, would meet their needs and bless them if they would love and obey Him. (Verses 1-4).
In verses 5-8, the writer described the joy of those who “set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem”. Because it was a good distance for anyone living outside the boundaries of Judah, these pilgrimages might only occur for the yearly festivals. He knew some people would start on their journey with heavy hearts; he expressed it as walking through the Valley of Weeping. Yet, he knew that as they continued walking toward Jerusalem, thinking about the festival, and worshipping God, their spirits would begin to rise in the way rain refreshes a dry field.
In verses 9-12, the writer prayed for the king. Then he described how he would rather have the most menial job serving the Lord than enjoy all the comforts of the richest ungodly person. “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in You.”
The great advantage New Testament believers have over the Old Testament believers is God no longer lives in a building but lives in each of us. We can worship God any time we want to, knowing that He invites us to freely come.