Psalm 84 - My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

God of Heaven’s Armies, you find so much beauty in your people! They’re like lovely sanctuaries of your presence.
Deep within me ate these lovesick longings, desires and daydreams of living in union with you. When I’m near you my heart and my soul will sing and worship with my joyful songs of you, my true source and spring of life!
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God, even the sparrows and swallows are welcome to build a nest among your altars for the birds to raise their young.
What pleasure fills those who live every day in your temple, enjoying you as they worship in your presence! Selah.

In the Sanctuary of You Presence
(Ref 9/22)

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In Psalm 84, the psalmist reflects on the loveliness of God’s dwelling place and his longing to be near Him. He pictures even the sparrow and the swallow—small and fragile birds—finding a home at God’s altar. They rest undisturbed and unafraid in His presence, as though nothing could be happier than to dwell so close to Him.

Jesus later draws on the same image in Matthew 10:29–31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s care. … So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
The lesson is clear: if God watches over the smallest of birds, He surely cares for His children. He who numbers the hairs of our heads will never forget us. Unlike the distant gods of the nations, the living God bends down to care for both the mighty and the lowly. Every life is held with purpose, shaped to reflect His glory.

This truth is echoed in creation itself. In Japan, the blooming of the cherry blossoms is celebrated each spring in the festival of Hanami—“to see flowers.” After enduring long winters and violent storms, the trees send their roots deep into the earth, and at the appointed time, they burst forth in delicate beauty. Their blossoms, though fleeting, symbolize resilience, renewal, and the promise of new life.

How fitting that their season of bloom—March and April—coincides with our remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Like the cherry tree that withstands storms and yet blooms again, our Lord faced the cross, descended into death, and rose in glory. At the youthful age of 33, His life seemed cut short, but like blossoms that fall at their peak, His sacrifice bore eternal fruit. Through Him, new life springs forth, stronger than death.

Thus the sparrow, the swallow, and the cherry blossom all point us back to the same truth: our God is near, caring for the smallest detail of our lives, bringing beauty out of hardship, and raising us into hope. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4)

Almond Blossoms

The first time we read of the Almond Blossoms in the Word of God is in Ex 25:31-40.
This is where Father told Moses to make the Tabernacle and all the implements in the Tabernacle. In this scripture, He tells him how the golden lampstand must be made. The Menora.
This is the only light inside the Holy place. The lampstand was to be decorated with Almond blossoms. We know that all the implements were a picture of Jesus. The Lampstand is a picture of Jesus as the Word - the light to the World.
All the Furniture in the courtyard and holy place were either made of wood, covered by gold or bronze. The Menorah was the only solid gold item - this shows to Jesus’ Divinity, pureness of the Word, and His glory.
Psl 119:140 ”Your Word is very pure (tried and well refined)…”

It was made in the shape of Almond branches with blossoms - carrying the fire for light. It consisted of 7 oil lamps (7 - Fullness, Completeness Perfection, 7-fold Spirit of God (Rev 4: 5)) It had 3 branches to the left of the shaft with 3 flower buds and 3 branches to right with each 3 flower buds. The shaft had 4 flower buds, a total of 22 flower buds. Interesting to know is that the Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 letters - the building blocks of YHVH’s Word. Each of these 22 flower buds consisted of a bowl, knobs, and flowers. Thus there were 22 x 3 ornaments, a total of 66. Interesting to know that the Word of God consists of 66 books.

The Almond Tree is the 1st tree to awake in spring and the last tree to shed its leaves, thus the longest tree to ‘stay awake’. We also read of the Almond tree in
Jer 1: 11-12 “ …. Jeremiah, what sees thou? And I said I see a rod of an Almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, thou hast seen well; for I hasten My Word to perform it.”

The word contains the signification of watching and hastening. The word for almond tree IN Hebrew is SHA’KAD, and the word for “I will hasten” (Jer 1:12) is SHO’KED from the same root. The almond was the emblem of the Divine forwardness in bringing God’s promises to pass. Father God gives the answer for what an almond stands for; It is a picture of His Word. This means “to be watchful, to remain watchful, on the lookout and alert at all times”. Therefore the Menorah symbolized the Word of YHVH.

We also see the almond blossoms in Aaron’s rod. This was a dead piece of wood that blossomed with Almond flowers. In Jesus, we that are dead, are raised up to life by the living Word. Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he dies, yet he shall live.

The almond, being the first tree to bud in the spring, was a fit type of Him who is “the First-born from the dead.”

Aaron’s rod was also a picture of our authority as priests in God’s Kingdom. The Blossoms show the promise of fruit. Only through His Holy Spirit are we able to bear fruit when we eat His seed - The Word. No other seed can produce Kingdom fruit. We will be known by our fruit.

Psl 1. ..But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

God watches over His Word and promises to perform it. As God watches over the almond blossoms to open their beautiful leaves, so will He open the promises and prophecies of His Word to fill men’s hearts with joy and peace.

If the Almighty will spend a year of unceasing work to make a flower bloom, if He will lavish the wealth of earth and use the powers of the heavens upon it, then we may fairly assume that He will exercise as great or greater vigilance and effort to perform His Word touching the highest welfare of man. He will not fail to establish His kingdom.