¹ How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! ² My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. ³ The bird also has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. ⁴ How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah. (Psalm 84:1–4)

What a contrast with our previous meditation from Jeremiah 23:36, the rebuke to those who speak falsely the words of the Living God (vs. 2), the LORD of Hosts. Here we see a picture of worship as we dwell in His presence. The imagery of birds flying through the temple and making nests in the building is beautiful.

When I walk into our local building supply store, it doesn’t take long to notice the chirping birds as they flitter about. Up in the steelwork of the ceiling, evidence of birds’ nests abound. If management has made any effort to shoo them out, the feathered creatures of our God are not deterred. Imagine OT Israel in the tabernacle (during King David’s time) or in Solomon’s temple, the birds flying about, coming and going. I can’t imagine Jesus, when walking through the temple during His day, trying to shoo them out. Indeed, He drove out the money changers and their animals, those who were using the temple for their merchandizing, but not the birds freely flying about.

What is interesting about birds like this is that they build their nests as if they own the place. What a comfortable, suitable place for them to make their home and raise their young ones from eggs to hatchlings. How blessed is the believer who can walk, as it were, into the house of the great God of the universe, the LORD of Hosts, and live there in absolute comfort and suitability, feeling right at home there. This is more fantastic than walking into the White House (in the US) or the prime minister’s home of Canada or England and making oneself at home.

The LORD of Hosts, King and God, may strike a terrifying note to false prophets and those who presume to speak His word erroneously and arrogantly. But to those who yearn simply to be in His courts, who desire to sing for joy to the living God (vs. 2), dwelling in His presence is sweet. Jesus said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). Like a child who can freely come and go into his parents’ home, so we, being part of the family of God, can enjoy dwelling with the LORD of Hosts, King and God, because He is also our Father.

Lord God, Father, I do long to be home with You forever in Your presence.