48. Nests

Here’s the next block in the Bible Sampler Quilt, “Bird’s Nest“.

I’m writing this post from my favorite place in my “nest”, my front patio. King David is writing this psalm from exile – probably in a cave somewhere – while his awful son Absalom enjoys the stolen fruits of David’s empire, Jerusalem.

But David is upbeat and even sings words of praise in this passage. You’ve got to hand it to him there. I tend to hold a bit of a grudge against David, which I should not be doing. But what about those major slip ups? (i.e. Bathsheba, the baby son, Uriah, Michal, etc.)

I am intrigued by nests. I find them all over our yard.

Some are cleverly woven, which amazes me. I couldn’t do that with a beak.

Some look like they’re sloppily assembled, but they get the job done.

Sometimes I’m surprised by the choice of location when it’s so close to where I regularly walk or sit. A hummingbird built her spiderweb nest right in this patio, and I saw the little family progress at eye level. It felt nice to know that the mamma bird trusted me.

If I were to have fun interpreting this passage of scripture, I’d say that David is yearning for his home in this psalm. He says that “Even the swallow found a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even Your altars, oh Lord of hosts, my King and my God. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!”

So the birds could make their nests near the courts of the Lord, yet King David had to stay in exile if he knew what was good for him. He longed to be back home, and back in the temple.

Now I could take this opportunity to encourage you, dear reader, to stay close to God’s “court”: your church, to attend often, stay in fellowship, and don’t take the freedom of worship we enjoy for granted, etc. But I won’t, even though I believe these things are good to do. David reminds me that God is with me, not only in His holy temple, but outside of it as well. He is even with me in the deepest place of self-exile.

This passage finishes up with David proclaiming from his distant cave, “Oh Lord of Hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!”