The Meaning of Psalms 84:3 Explained

Psalms 84:3

KJV: Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

YLT: (Even a sparrow hath found a house, And a swallow a nest for herself, Where she hath placed her brood,) Thine altars, O Jehovah of Hosts, My king and my God.

Darby: Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she layeth her young, thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts, my King and my God.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yea, the sparrow  hath found  an house,  and the swallow  a nest  for herself, where she may lay  her young,  [even] thine altars,  O LORD  of hosts,  my King,  and my God. 

What does Psalms 84:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 84:1-12 - Longing For The House Of God
This is one of the sweetest of the Psalms. David probably composed it during his absence from Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's rebellion, though its final form may have been due to the sons of Korah. It is divided into three parts by the Selahs.
They who dwell in thy house, Psalms 84:1-4. The psalmist envies the winged things that rest in those hallowed precincts, and how much more the priests and Levites who serve there! Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but man can rest only in God.
Those in whose hearts are the ways of Zion, Psalms 84:5-8. We may not be able actually to walk along those ways, but it is good to tread them in living sympathy with the saints, and to unite ourselves to the pilgrim hosts. Those absent from God's house may in their heart join the great congregation. Thus dry and desolate valleys may become filled with water springs, making them green and beautiful. When the heart is right with God, the desert becomes a temple, and tears are exchanged for smiles.
The man who trusts in thee, Psalms 84:9-12. God is better than His sanctuary. He is a Sun in dark hours, and a Shadow in scorching ones. Grace is His unmerited pardon and blessing to sinners; glory the irradiation of His character, into the likeness of which we shall be changed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 84

1  The prophet, longing for the communion of the sanctuary
4  Shows how blessed they are that dwell therein
8  He prays to be restored unto it

What do the individual words in Psalms 84:3 mean?

Even the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her chicks - [Even] Your altars Yahweh of hosts my King and My God
גַּם־ צִפּ֨וֹר ׀ מָ֪צְאָה בַ֡יִת וּדְר֤וֹר ׀ קֵ֥ן לָהּ֮ אֲשֶׁר־ שָׁ֪תָה אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥יהָ אֶֽת־ מִ֭זְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מַ֝לְכִּ֗י וֵאלֹהָֽי

גַּם־  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
צִפּ֨וֹר ׀  the  sparrow 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צִפֹּור  
Sense: bird, fowl.
מָ֪צְאָה  has  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בַ֡יִת  a  home 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּדְר֤וֹר ׀  and  the  swallow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּרֹור  
Sense: a swallow, bird.
קֵ֥ן  a  nest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֵן  
Sense: nest.
לָהּ֮  for  herself 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
אֲשֶׁר־  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׁ֪תָה  she  may  lay 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥יהָ  her  chicks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶפְרֹחַ  
Sense: young, young one (of birds).
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִ֭זְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ  [Even]  Your  altars 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֑וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
מַ֝לְכִּ֗י  my  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וֵאלֹהָֽי  and  My  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).