Jeremiah 12:9

Mine heritage is unto Me as a speckled bird.

A speckled bird

Mine (God’s) heritage is unto Me as a speckled bird. As an owl, say some, that loveth not the light; as a peacock, say others, as oft changed as moved. God, that could not endure miscellany seed, nor linsey-woolsey, in Israel, can less endure that His people should be as a speckled bird, here of one colour, and there of another; or as a cake not turned (Hosea 5:4). (John Trapp.)

God’s people as speckled birds

“Mine heritage (the godly man’s) is unto me as a speckled bird.” When living at Cambridge Mr. Spurgeon was appointed to preach at a village lust outside the city, and during the day, after much reading and meditation, he was unable to light upon a suitable text, and was, as Bunyan would say, “much tumbled up and down” in his thoughts. Rising from prayer and the reading of the Scriptures he walked to the window, and, looking out, espied on the other side of the narrow street a solitary canary upon the roof ridge, surrounded by a crowd of sparrows that were all pecking at it. At that moment the verse quoted flashed into his mind, and he started off upon his country walk, restful in heart and mind, and composed his sermon as he journeyed, the main points of his discourse being the peculiarity of God’s people and the persecutions they suffer in consequence. He thus speaks of the episode himself: “I preached with freedom and ease to myself, and, I believe, with comfort to my rustic audience. The text was sent to me, and if the ravens did not bring it, certainly the sparrows did.” (Chas. Spurgeon.).