Psalm 84 opens with a single, aching line: "How lovely are your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts!" The superscription of this psalm in Hebrew—"For the director of music; according to Gittith; of the Sons of Korah"—points us to two questions: who were the Sons of Korah, and what does Gittith mean? The Sons of Korah were a Levitical guild, descended from Korah, a name that evokes both rebellion (see Numbers 16) and faithful service; despite Korah's sin, his descendants became custodians of temple worship. Gittith most likely refers to a tune or musical direction, perhaps linked to Gath or a particular melody, reminding us that this longing for God's house was expressed in music and liturgical art as well as in theology.
The theology behind that longing is simple and profound: the psalmist treasures God's presence above all. The complicated family history behind the Sons of Korah shows God's ability to redeem and repurpose human stories for holy ends—where there was a scandal of rebellion, God preserved a line that would lead worship. This directs our gaze to Christ, who as the Word