“I know every bird on the mountains. . . .”

— Psalm 50:11

One day, as we were hiking a mountain trail, my son and I heard a bird song that was unlike anything we had heard before. We stopped and looked at each other in amazement, listening to the bird repeat its long, intricate song over and over. I know a few birds by their songs, but there are still many that I don’t know yet. Some people, though, can identify hundreds of birds by their sounds. In this psalm God says, “I know every bird on the mountains. . . .” To consider that God knows every bird isn’t just to say that God is the most advanced birder there is. It means that nothing in all of this world escapes God’s attention. There is no creature, animal or human, that is outside of his field of vision, no song he hasn’t heard, no call or cry he doesn’t recognize, no flight pattern or footprint he can’t identify.

Not only does nothing escape God’s attention, but nothing can fool him either. The one who knows every bird urges us to be real, not false, in our relationship with him. God calls us to be sincere in worship—not just to pretend or go through the motions. We are to honor God in all we do, fulfilling our vows to the God who keeps his promises. And we know we can “call on [him] in the day of trouble,” for the Lord, who knows all the birds, will always hear our cry and meet our need.

Father in heaven, it’s humbling to be reminded that you know us so well. Help us to trust that you always hear us and care for us. Amen.