Few similes paint a more vivid picture of loneliness than the three used in Psalm 102:6-7. Here, it is written: “I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. I lie awake and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.” Consider the haunting isolation that each bird faced.
A pelican’s customary habitat is near water. How strange it would be to find one in a wilderness, far away from its usual environment.
A desert is a locale where few creatures live. It is a place away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city. The owl was living in a desert—far away from a crowded city.
Sparrows are social creatures. Rarely will you find a single sparrow perched in a location. A sparrow sitting alone on a housetop is unusual.
Though facing severe isolation, incredible loneliness, and extreme vulnerability, the psalmist knew that he was not alone. “The children of Your servants will continue, and their descendants will be established before You” (Psalm 102:28).
God Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake You” (Hebrews 13:5).
Jehovah is still God and is faithful to His people, even when you are feeling all alone.
