Psalm 84

“Even the sparrow has found a home, 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.” (Psalm 84:3, NKJV)

Psalm 84 is a pilgrim’s song. Although not formally included among the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120–134), it expresses the longing of those journeying to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. Imagine the pilgrim making his way toward Jerusalem, his heart filled with anticipation. He longs to enter the courts of the Lord, to worship in the place where God has chosen to make His presence known. As he thinks about the sanctuary, his attention turns to two seemingly insignificant birds—a sparrow and a swallow. The sparrow has found a home, and the swallow has built a nest where she can raise her young. These little creatures have settled in the very place the pilgrim is traveling to reach! They live where he longs to be, enjoying continually what he can experience only during his visit.

But there is a remarkable difference. The birds found a place, but the pilgrim longed for the Person of the place! The sparrow wasn’t interested in worship, nor did the swallow understand the significance of her surroundings. They were simply looking for shelter. But the pilgrim was seeking something infinitely greater. His heart cried out, not merely for the courts of the Lord, but for “the living God” (v. 2). It wasn’t the beauty of the building, the activity of the worshipers, or even the sacredness of the sanctuary that drew him. It was the presence of the Lord.

And therein lies a searching question for us. Have we become so occupied with the place of worship, the programs of the church, and the activities of religion that we’ve lost our longing for the Person who makes it all worthwhile? We can attend church, sing the songs, hear the sermons, and participate in the activities without ever truly seeking Him. Through Jesus Christ, however, we enjoy a privilege greater than the ancient pilgrim could have imagined. What the psalmist longed for, Christ has provided for us! Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has opened the way into the presence of God. “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). The psalmist traveled to the place where God’s presence was manifested, but through Christ, we have access to the Father wherever we are. Indeed, by His Spirit, God now dwells in His people (Ephesians 2:21–22).

Yet access does not necessarily mean appreciation. The birds were content to dwell near God’s house. The pilgrim wasn’t content until he had drawn near to God Himself. How tragic it would be if we, having been granted through Christ the very access the psalmist longed for, became so comfortable with the things of God that we lost our hunger for God Himself. The psalmist longed for what Christ has made available to us. May we never take for granted what cost Him His life to provide.