A Song for the Journey (2)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 84.1-4
How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
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.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You.
Selah

Sing Psalm 84.1-4
(Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)
Lord of hosts, how sweet Your dwelling; how my soul longs for Your courts!
Let my soul with joy keep telling of Your grace forever more.
Like a bird upon the altar let my life to You belong.
Blessed are they who never falter as they praise Your grace with song!

Read Psalm 84.3, 4

Preparation
1. What image do the psalmists appeal to in these verses?

2. To what do they liken that image in verse 4?

Meditation
The apostle Paul may have had verse 3 in mind when he wrote that we should present ourselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12.1, 2). As sacrifices were daily offered on the altar in God’s temple, so we should offer ourselves each day to God. When our first steps each day are to offer ourselves to God, we will be more likely to know His blessings throughout the rest of the day.

What does this entail? First, begin your day with thanksgiving and praise. Let the Spirit lead you to offer prayers like sweet incense, celebrating all the goodness and greatness of God. Then, immerse yourself in the holy fire of His Word and Spirit. Let the Spirit form you, in the forge of God’s Word, increasingly into the image of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.12-18). Look and listen for specific ways you might be made more like Him through your reading and study of the Scriptures.

Finally, commit your day to the Lord. Be specific. Ask for wisdom, strength, grace, skill, and the power and leading of the Spirit to accompany throughout today’s segment of your journey. Seek the Kingdom and glory of God, as you have been called (1 Thess. 2.12), and let nothing distract you from following in the path Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2.1-6).

At the end of the day, lay down in the arms of the Lord to be refreshed in His grace, so that you can rise tomorrow and offer yourself to Him once again.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest…” (Ps. 84.3).
There are 33 different kinds of sparrows in creation, and they all sing.
Swallows are experts at catching flying insects. All in all, these two lovely creatures enhance the beauty and usefulness of any space they might inhabit.

Jesus taught His twelve disciples using sparrows as an example of God’s care for us: “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10.29, 31).

Within God’s purview and His purpose for sparrows, swallows, and us, is the work of giving Him praise. To glorify God is the chief end of all creation (Ps. 19.1, 2).

The money-changers, those who bought and sold, and those who carried the wares to be sold in the temple, all fell under the wrath of Jesus. Instead of praising and glorifying God in His house, they were using it as a “den of thieves”. This place of worship was supposed to be “a house of prayer for all nations” (Mk. 11.15-17). The doves and other birds were innocent in this matter. It was the people who were failing miserably.
We might be more valuable to God, but sometimes we are less useful, and can be intentionally disobedient.

Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way.
“Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You” (Ps. 84.4).

The birds in the temple sang praises and ate insects.

Would that we were as holy and useful as they!

Reflection
1. What does it mean for you to offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice?

2. How can the birds you see each day remind you of your calling from God? How might they serve as a prompt to thanksgiving or praise?

3. As singing is to sparrows, praise should be for us who are more valuable than sparrows. What can you do to enhance your praise life?

Here the Psalmist expresses more distinctly the proper and legitimate use of the sanctuary; and thus he distinguishes himself from hypocrites, who are sedulously attentive to the observance of outward ceremonies, but destitute of genuine heart godliness. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Psalm 84.4

Closing Prayer: Psalm 84.5-7
Seek the Lord for the strength you will need for all of this day’s work.

Sing Psalm 84.5-7
(Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)
Blessed are they whose strength is founded in Your strength, O Lord above.
All whose hearts in You are grounded journey in Your strength and love.
Though they weep with tears of sadness, grace shall all their way sustain.
In Your Presence, filled with gladness, they shall conquer all their pain.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.