John Calvin Commentary Psalms 84:3

"Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts, My King, and my God." — Psalms 84:3 (ASV)

The sparrow also hath found a house for herself, and the swallow a nest for herself. Some read this verse as one continuous sentence, conveying the idea that the birds made their nests near the altars, from which it might more evidently appear how hard and distressing his condition was in being kept at a distance from them.

This opinion seems to be supported by the circumstance that, immediately before the Hebrew word for altars, there is the particle את, eth, which is commonly joined with the accusative case. But as it is also sometimes used in exclamations, the prophet, I have no doubt, breaking off in the middle of his sentence, all at once exclaims that nothing would be more pleasing to him than to behold the altar of God.

David then, in the first place, to emphasize the misery of his condition, compares himself with the sparrows and swallows, showing how hard it was for the children of Abraham to be driven out of the heritage which had been promised them, while the little birds found some place or other for building their nests.

He might sometimes find a comfortable retreat and might even dwell among unbelievers with some degree of honor and status; but as long as he was deprived of liberty of access to the sanctuary, he seemed to himself to be, in a way, banished from the whole world. Undoubtedly, the true purpose we ought to set for ourselves in life is to be engaged in the service of God.

The manner in which he requires us to serve him is spiritual; but still it is necessary for us to use those external aids which he has wisely appointed for our observance. This is the reason why David all at once breaks forth into the exclamation, O thine altars! thou Jehovah of Hosts! Some might be ready to say, regarding his present circumstances, that there were many retreats in the world where he might live in safety and repose, yes, that there were many who would gladly receive him as a guest under their roof, and that therefore he had no reason to be so greatly distressed.

To this he answers that he would rather relinquish the whole world than continue in a state of exclusion from the holy tabernacle. He felt no place delightful at a distance from God’s altars; and, in short, no dwelling-place was pleasing to him beyond the limits of the Holy Land.

He intimates this by the appellations he gives to God: My King, and my God. In speaking this way, he shows us that his life was uncomfortable and embittered because he was banished from the kingdom of God.

“Although all men,” as if he had said, “should vie with each other in their eagerness to offer me shelter and entertainment, yet as you are my King, what pleasure would it give me to live in the world as long as I am excluded from the territory of the Holy Land? And again, as you are my God, for what purpose do I live but to seek you? Now, when you cast me off, should I not despise every place of retreat and shelter offered to me, however pleasant and delightful it may be to my flesh?”