On the meaning of the phrase in the title, "upon Gittith," see the notes at the title to Psalm 8:1-9. On the meaning of the phrase "for (margin, to) the sons of Korah," see the notes at the title to Psalm 42:1-11. The author of the psalm is unknown, though it bears a strong resemblance to the forty-second, and may have been composed by David himself. If so, it was dedicated, or devoted, as that was, to "the sons of Korah," to be adapted by them to music, and to be employed in public worship, and it may also have been composed on the same occasion. It is to be observed, however, that there were not only numerous occasions in the life of David, but also in the lives of other pious Hebrews, to which the sentiments in this psalm would be appropriate; and we cannot, therefore, affirm with certainty that it was composed by David. If it had been, moreover, it is difficult to account for the fact that his name is not prefixed to it. See, however, the notes at Psalm 84:9.
The occasion on which the psalm was composed is apparent from the psalm itself. It was evidently when the writer was deprived, for some cause now unknown, of the privileges of the sanctuary. That cause may have been exile, or sickness, or distance, or imprisonment; but whatever it was, the psalmist expresses his own deep feelings on the subject; the sense which he has of the blessedness of an attendance on the sanctuary, and of the happiness of those who were permitted to attend - regarding it as such a privilege that even the sparrow and the swallow might be supposed to be happy in being permitted to dwell near the altar of God. He describes, also, the joy and rejoicing of those who went up in companies, or in solemn procession, to the place of public worship - a happy, triumphant group on their way to the house of God.
It is not possible, however, to ascertain the exact time, or the particular occasion, when the psalm was written. The language is such as might have been used when the public worship was conducted either in the tabernacle, or in the temple - for the words employed are such as were adapted to either. It must have been, however, before the temple was destroyed, for it is clear that the usual place of public worship was still standing, and consequently it was before the captivity. The psalm is not one indicating public calamity; it is one of private love and sorrow.
The contents of the psalm are as follows:
I. The psalmist expresses his own sense of the loveliness of the place where God is worshipped, and his earnest longing for the courts of the Lord, Psalm 84:1-2.
II. He illustrates this feeling by a beautiful image drawn from the sparrow and the swallow - building their nests unobstructed and unalarmed near the very altar of God - as if they must be happy to be so near to God, and to dwell peaceably there, Psalm 84:3-4.
III. He describes the happiness of those who are on the way to the place of public worship: their joy; their progress in strength of purpose as they approached the place; their happiness in appearing before God, Psalm 84:5-7.
IV. He pours forth his earnest prayer that he might be permitted thus to approach God; that he might be allowed to abide in the courts of God; that he might find a home there; that he might even spend a day there - for a day there was better than a thousand elsewhere, Psalm 84:8-12.
The whole psalm is a beautiful expression of love to the sanctuary, as felt by all who truly worship God.

The psalmist longs for communion with God in the sanctuary, Psalm 84:1-3. The blessedness of those who enjoy God's ordinances, Psalm 84:4-7. With confidence in God, he prays for restoration to his house and worship, Psalm 84:8-12.
The title here is the same as that of Psalm 81, only that was for Asaph, this for the sons of Torah. This person was one of the chief rebels against Moses and Aaron; there were three, Torah, Dathan, and Abiram, who made an insurrection; and the earth opened, and swallowed them and their partisans up, Numbers 16: The children of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fathers; but by a particular dispensation of Providence, the children of Korah were spared. See Numbers 26:11 (note), and the note there. The family of Torah was continued in Israel; and it appears from 1-Chronicles 26:1-19 that they were still employed about the temple, and were porters or keepers of the doors. They were also singers in the temple; see 2-Chronicles 20:19. This Psalm might have been sent to them to be sung, or one of themselves might have been its author.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 84
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Of "gittith", See Gill on Psalm 8:1. The Targum renders it here, as there,
"to praise upon the harp that was brought from Gath;''
and of the sons of Korah, See Gill on Psalm 42:1 and the argument of this psalm is thought to be much the same with that and Psalm 43:1. It was, very probably, written by David; to whom the Targum, on Psalm 84:8, ascribes it; though it does not bear his name, the spirit it breathes, and the language in which it is written, show it to be his; though not when he was an exile among the Philistines, in the times of Saul, as some in Kimchi think; for then the ark was not in Zion, as is suggested Psalm 84:7, but elsewhere; for it was brought thither by David, after he was king of Israel, 2-Samuel 7:2, but rather when he fled from his son Absalom; though there is nothing in it that necessarily supposes him to be banished, or at a distance from the house of God; only he expresses his great affection for it, and his earnest desires for returning seasons and opportunities of worshipping God in it; and the general view of it is to set forth the blessedness of such who frequently attend divine service: the inscription of it, in the Syriac version, is,
"for the sons of Korah, when David meditated to go out of Zion, to worship in the house of God: and it is called a prophecy concerning Christ, and concerning his church,''
as it undoubtedly is. Bishop Patrick thinks it was composed by some pious Levite in the country, when Sennacherib's army had blocked up the way to Jerusalem, and hindered them from waiting upon the service of God at the temple; and others refer it to the times of the Babylonish captivity; and both Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the captivity, when the temple and altars of God were in ruins; but this does not agree with the loveliness of them, in which they were at the time of writing this psalm.

(Psalm 84:1-7) The psalmist expresses his affection to the ordinances of God.
(Psalm 84:8-12) His desire towards the God of the ordinances.

Longing for the House of God, and for the Happiness of Dwelling There
With Ps 83 the circle of the Asaphic songs is closed (twelve Psalm, viz., one in the Second Book and eleven in the Third), and with Psalm 84:1-12 begins the other half of the Korahitic circle of songs, opened by the last of the Korahitic Elohim-Psalm. True, Hengstenberg (transl. vol. iii. Appendix. p. xlv) says that no one would, with my Symbolae, p. 22, regard this Psalm 84:1-12 as an Elohimic Psalm; but the marks of the Elohimic style are obvious. Not only that the poet uses Elohim twice, and that in Psalm 84:8, where a non-Elohimic Psalm ought to have said Jahve; it also delights in compound names of God, which are so heaped up that Jahve Tsebaoth occurs three times, and the specifically Elohimic Jahve Elohim Tsebaoth once. The origin of this Psalm has been treated of already in connection with its counterpart, Psalm 42:1. It is a thoroughly heartfelt and intelligent expression of the love to the sanctuary of Jahve which years towards it out of the distance, and calls all those happy who have the like good fortune to have their home there. The prayer takes the form of an intercession for God's anointed; for the poet is among the followers of David, the banished one.
(Note: Nic. Nonnen takes a different view in his Dissertatio de Tzippor et Deror, etc., 1741. He considers one of the Ephraimites who were brought back to the fellowship of the true worship of God in the reign of Jehoshaphat (2-Chronicles 19:4) to be the subject of the Psalm.)
He does not pray, as it were, out of his soul (Hengstenberg, Tholuck, von Gerlach), but for him; for loving Jahve of Hosts, the heavenly King, he also loves His inviolably chosen one. And wherefore should he not do so, since with him a new era for the neglected sanctuary had dawned, and the delightful services of the Lord had taken a new start, and one so rich in song? With him he shares both joy and brief. With his future he indissolubly unites his own.
To the Precentor upon the Gittith, the inscription runs, by Ben-Korah, a Psalm. Concerning על־הגּתּית, vid., on Psalm 8:1. The structure of the Psalm is artistic. It consists of two halves with a distichic ashr-conclusion. The schema is 3. 5. 2 5. 5. 5. 3. 2.