The confessionalhymn of the soul striving for God is the 83rd psalm.

The lines of this psalm presumably belong to King David, and the reason for writing was his forced flight from Jerusalem. Great love and piety to the Creator sound from the lips of the psalmist. King David grieves for the usual way of life and the possibility of unity with God in the place of His special presence – the tabernacle, i.e. the Church.  The Psalm reminds us that a believer cannot live out of touch with the Lord and His Church. Only in the Church salvation is possible. The psalm, like deep waters, is filled with a great power of love and gratitude to God, overflowing the heart.

"How dear are your tents, O Lord of armies!"

"The 'tents' are the founded holy churches of God; every God-loving soul strains after them," wrote St. Athanasius the Great.

The soul longs for unity with God, it wants to bring its spiritual fruit, it craves to taste the saving wine that truly cheers the hearts of believers. And only in Your Church, O Lord, a complete unity with You is possible.

"The passion of my soul's desire is for the house of the Lord; my heart and my flesh are crying out for the living God."

How do these lines have something in common with the words of Saint Augustine, addressed to the Living God: "O Life for which everything lives: The Life that gives me life, the Life that goes to make up my life; The Life that I live and without which I die; The Life that I rise up and without which I perish; The Life that I cheer about and without which I grieve; Life is life-giving, sweet, beloved, commemorable! Tell me: where are you? Where can I find You, so as not to grow scarce in my strength, but to exist with You?"

Despondence for God is a natural state of the soul. We lose our quietude when we rend away from the Lord, we languish without communication with our Creator. We die, cutting off our connection with Him. Life is possible only in God. Faith in Him lights the way. Without God, everything is in darkness. The Lord is the only one source of life, the meaning of our existence, the one goal, butnowise it’s not a means. The soul calms down only by approaching to God and trusting Him.

"The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God."

How happy the birds are with their nests, how good and calm they are in them. They come home from everywhere. In the same way, man feels good in Your House, O Lord! You are the King of life. Every day is in Your hands. You are the Master of my heart. I'm only sad that I have to fly out of God's nest for a while, that I can't stay there all the time, be in unity with You. Where You are, O Lord, and where Your Church is, there is my house.

"Happy are they whose resting-place is in your house: they will still be praising you. Happy is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion."

Blessed are those who have the opportunity to praise You and to serve You in Your House, O Lord. This is the greatest good. You bless those who come to You, have mercy and solace. Your home is a place of strength and the highest dream.  The exiled ones draw strength from You, being far from Your temple. The heartfelt attraction to the temple finds solace in You. You bless and return to the House of God.

"O Lord God of armies, let my prayer come to you: give ear, O God of Jacob. O God, let your eyes be on him who is our safe cover, and let your heart be turned to your king. For a day in your house is better than a thousand. It is better to be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to be living in the tents of sin. The Lord God is our sun and our strength: the Lord will give grace and glory: he will not keep back any good thing from those whose ways are upright."

According to the words of St. Athanasius the Great, "I would rather be small and insignificant among those belonging to the Church, than being great among a sinful people. This applies to the Jews who were taken to Babylon, but it is also readily usable to us. Because as the grace of the Spirit taught them not to neglect the fact that they are deprived of God's home, so we listen to reason by this to always love temples dedicated to God and to desire to be in them."

The Lord will grant His faithful ones with grace, and will strengthen them. He will give everything necessary to those who do not let evil into their hearts. Mercy to the merciful. Let us be afraid to become a refuge of fears, love is our flag and stronghold.

"O Lord of armies, happy is the man whose hope is in you."

Belief in You saves. I believe, O Lord, and I place all of myself in Your hands. My path is unity with You, Lord.  The author is sure that his dearestwish to return "to the courts of the Lord" will be fulfilled, and the power of faith in God gives confidence in receiving protection and solace, that’s why the psalmist calls such people blessed, i.e. happy.

Psalm 84:

"How dear are your tents, O Lord of armies! The passion of my soul's desire is for the house of the Lord; my heart and my flesh are crying out for the living God. The little birds have places for themselves, where they may put their young, even your altars, O Lord of armies, my King and my God. Happy are they whose resting-place is in your house: they will still be praising you. Happy is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Going through the valley of balsam-trees, they make it a place of springs; it is clothed with blessings by the early rain. They go from strength to strength; every one of them comes before God in Zion. O Lord God of armies, let my prayer come to you: give ear, O God of Jacob. O God, let your eyes be on him who is our safe cover, and let your heart be turned to your king. For a day in your house is better than a thousand. It is better to be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to be living in the tents of sin. The Lord God is our sun and our strength: the Lord will give grace and glory: he will not keep back any good thing from those whose ways are upright. O Lord of armies, happy is the man whose hope is in you."