1 O God, you are my God; tearnestly I seek you; umy soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in va dry and weary land where there is no water. They will go to the depths, or Sheol, and their bodies will be left for scavengers.But he will rejoice, that is, he will come back to Jerusalem. ., p. One of the reasons that we want God is because we know that He amazing. Psalm 63:1-8. Have you spoken with God this morning? From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. So have I looked on thee in the sanctuary, "O God, thou art my God" (Psalms 63:1). 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. If v. 11 does mean swearing by King David, this is what Ittai does in 2 Samuel 15:21. v. 11 speaks of David as a king which doesnt fit his fleeing from Saul. 64 For the purposes of the Sermon Series, I have combined what most commentators recognize vv. He praises God now in some of the most beautiful language found anywhere in the Old Testament. Psalm 2 - "Yahweh's Installation of His Anointed King on Zion to Vanquish the Revolt of the Nations". God responded with care and strength for David, upholding him with His mighty right hand (the hand of skill and strength). One of these paths has a future of glory and the other path will be stopped. Hes at the center of every decision you make. He is merciful in a way peculiar to himself; he is the Father of mercies, 2 Co. 1:3. David thought that he would be ungrateful and rude to not praise and thank the God who loved him so greatly. As the relationship developed you would begin to discover more and more about the man, not from an academic standpoint, but as a close friend. 105. Then, there is the mystery of that little word, "So," standing at the head of Psalms 63:2, which will surely bear this interpretation. First, he is strengthened as heremembers who God is. Whether we are delivered or not (David here has a prophetic insight that he will be delivered) we can confess with David that Gods steadfast love is better than life. That even if things dont get better, we know God will take care of us. David had walked with God for years, but he thirsted for more. 5:6). "Because thy lovingkindness is better than life. A young man ran after Socrates, calling, Socrates, Socrates, can I be your disciple? Socrates ignored him and walked out into the water. 2 O God, you are my God. If we did, the song would probably contain a lot of urgent requests: Help, God! Luke 16:10, A change within that leads to obedience: Matthew 21:28-32, Four things to remember in times of trial. This Psalm is filled with metaphors and creative imagery that is best understood through contextual knowledge. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. But it is still not the same as knowing him personally. It displayed the anticipation of gratefully receiving from God, and the sense of surrender to Him. Psalm 63 background the journey to the wilderness ! And also all those who are loyal to him will exult. * [63:4] For your love is better than life: only here in the Old Testament is anything prized above lifein this case Gods love. You can read news articles and books on his life. I will lift up my hands, calling on your name. How can a Christian who has lost the passion for God regain it? Commentary on Psalm 63:1-11 By L.G. Psalm 63:1, NIV: A psalm of David. Psalm 63:1-8 - Center for Excellence in Preaching. Acts6:1-6, The Parable of the Vineyard Tenants. A portion for jackals: If the body of a human being were to be left on the ground, the jackals would certainly leave but little traces of it; and in the olden times of warfare, they must have held high revelry in the battle-fields after the armies had retired. Reginald Heber's immortal hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy," memorializes these words in the first stanza. . B. is the interpretation added to the figure, as in Psalm 144:7. There he had become sure of Gods great power and glory. The time was during Absalom's rebellion when David was shut off from the Tabernacle. As he remembers who God is, this leads him to worship God, even in his time of trial. This is a very beautiful psalm of devotion to God. "What life does to us depends on what life finds in us . 4) Because of the KJV translation of the word "early" in v. 1, Psalm 63 has been called a "morning psalm." - This psalm is something of a climax of a trio of psalms (Pss. Here the idea of presence seems to best fit the context. It would be understandable if God were temporarily squeezed out of the picture. "The word here should be translated `jackals,' as that is the meaning of it,"[11] as is indicated by the alternative reading in the American Standard Version margin. Psa 63:5. Psalms THIRST AND SATISFACTION Psalm 63:1, Psalm 63:5, Psalm 63:8. - James Boice said it is "almost a love song for God" (p. 517), and J. J. Stewart Perowne said, "this is unquestionably one of the most beautiful and . We're told in the New Testament that we are supposed to "count it all joy" when we fall into various trials. Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, . "The forest devoured more people that day than the sword." It is no embarrassment to us that many scholars reject it. His enemies will be judged and destroyed, not him. David was a prophet and speaks this way here (Acts 2:30). He wanted to go deeper. God was at the center of Davids present and his future. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. It could be seen as the response to the cry of the prophet that invites those in need to come to God for rest and refreshment. The result of this remembering is that he is satisfied and full of praise to God. 11But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.. The absence of prayer shows that we are spiritually dead. In Gods time and in Gods way, Davids enemies did fall by the sword, which has the sense of being killed in battle. The perfects after affirm that which they now do as they have before done; cf. To know the President personally would require an introduction or occasion to meet, and then spending hours with him over a long period of time in many situations. King David was a man who knew what it meant to live under pressure. God is not only the greatest, but the best, of beings. (first clause). This includes time in His Word, renewing your mind so that you can please Him. "They shall be a portion for the foxes" (Psalms 63:10). John 6:35, 4:14, Matt. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! God isnt just a spoke in the wheel; Hes the hub. Psalm 63:1, ESV: A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. therefore the children . God isnt just a slice of life, who rounds out your other pursuits. It can become an overpowering, all consuming desire. He knew that there was more and his whole being craved it as a thirsty man in the desert craves for water. It is used to describe Ruth clinging to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:14). Gods support and provision of safety were the immediate causes of Davids meditation and praise. For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, In a land parched, lifeless, and without water. He describes this seeking poetically as thirsting after water.Have you ever been really thirsty? As I already mentioned, you begin a relationship with God when you realize that you have sinned against the holy God and when you flee for refuge to the provision God has made for your sin, the cross of Christ. But we should not try to fill the vacuum in our lives with people, but with God. Just as you feel physically after eating a delicious prime rib dinner, so David felt spiritually after feasting on the Lord. Now you know at what a high rate men value their lives; they will bleed, sweat, vomit, purge, part with an estate, yea, with a limb, yea, limbs, to preserve their lives. ], Jesus stays behind in the temple. He said that the Lord quietly impressed upon him, Alan, youve gotten your work ahead of your worship. Ouch! Give me my kingdom back. But rather, he prayed, I shall seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh yearns for You; Your love is better than life. What amazing statements! And yet in all of this, David wasnt seeking for any of those things to fill the vacuum in his life. Therefore he also used the night watches to meditate upon God. Night watches: An expression which stresses the slow progress of the hours. (Kidner), ii. The authorship and occasion of this psalm are made certain by the fact that the author was a king (Psalms 63:11), who was temporarily denied access to the tabernacle in Jerusalem, and who cried out to God from a parched desert. David models this for us. Psa 63:7. My lips will praise you. Therefore, David says, My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me (63:8). O20 Z$Uqg>6%rW);oN:Z[^"eBz!Yk&:%r(7! You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. It includes time in prayer, bringing your needs and others needs before Him. 5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips . Life without fear is not possible, but faith can call us to live into God's will for our life instead of reducing our lives because of our fears and insecurities. If we have nothing to say about Gods goodness, the probable cause is our want of experience of it. (Maclaren), ii. That God's lovingkindness toward those who enjoy fellowship in Him is indeed "better than life" is indeed attested by the thousands of martyrs through many centuries who have sealed with their blood the sacred truth of these blessed words. The superscription for Psalm 63 states that David wrote this Psalm when he was in the wilderness of Judah (or desert of Judah). David made it a priority to spend time alone with God. 3:11). 62:12). (Kidner), ii. The point is, to seek after God means to go after God with an intense desire. In Ps 63:1-8 verses the writer expresses his holy desires after God, and his confidence in him, and then in Ps 63:9-11 remaining three verses he prophesies the overthrow of all his enemies. The bodies of the dead provided food for the wild beasts. Meditation on God fills a basic need in the heart of every person, as basic a need as food and drink. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. World problems, economic problems, personal problems, and the problems of friends and loved ones all press upon us. David and his loyal followers had to flee for their lives. They are the final scavengers, consuming the remains of the kill rejected by the larger beasts. (Kidner). If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. A Psalm of David.. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. "In the shadow of thy wings" (Psalms 63:7). We should do the same, because this builds up our faith to know that God will take care of us. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. .. This is the tabernacle in Jerusalem. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Evidently Davids thirst for water in the wilderness led him to express his souls thirst for God. This is the God that he knows, has walked with and served his life. Such a vision of God, as McCaw admitted, "Would explain the sudden transition from sadness to great joy. No one seeks for God unless God first seeks after them (John 6:44; Rom. JOSEPH A ALEXANDER Psalms Commentary (1864) Spurgeon had high praise for Alexander's work writing that it "Occupies a first place among expositions. David meant that the love of God to him was more precious than his own life. There is no reason for taking these words in some figurative or mystical sense. What a remarkable fulfilment of David's prophecy came to pass. 124-26.] Being faint and thirsty are mentioned in 2 Samuel 16:2 and 17:29. 3 Better your faithful love than life itself; my lips will praise . Psalm 65:4 Blessed is the man whom you choose, and cause to approach to you, . My lips shall praise You: In light of Davids experience of Gods great love, he determined to vocally praise God. Thus no one can boast; we have only received Gods undeserved gift. There is a brief diversion, however in verse 9 when in a stark contrast the focus goes from the Almighty to those who plot to destroy. f. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches: David thought that there were not enough hours in the day to think upon Gods greatness and goodness. Lifting up the hands toward God was a gesture of prayer (cf. David was a prophet and speaks this way here (Acts 2:30). Because You have been my help, (At this time he and those loyal to him went into the wilderness 2 Samuel 15:23; 28. In Ephesians 4:9, Paul referred to the grave of Jesus as "the lower parts of the earth." It's an emotional psalm, coming out of the depths of David's life, and it would be an injustice to pick the psalm apart while missing the feeling that it conveys. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. They shall fall by the sword; How does one go about making the change. Psalm 1. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. "It is our duty to rejoice in the shadow of God's wings. But the king will rejoice in God (63:11). . "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Psalms 28:2; Lamentations 2:19) or respect (cf. We join athletic teams where there is more pressure to excel. He remembers that this is a God who can take care of him, even in his life-threatening situation. Matthew Henry wrote that, "Just as the sweetest of Paul's epistles were those sent out from a Roman prison, so some of the sweetest of David's Psalms are those that were penned, as this one was, in the wild desolation of the Dead Sea desert. ! And this is a God who is faithful. There must have been a time when you met Him personally through Jesus Christ. 1 [Psalm Of David When he was in the desert of Judah] God, you are my God, I pine for you; my heart thirsts for you, my body longs for you, as a land parched, dreary and waterless. Scripture: Psalm 63. Second, he is strengthened as he remembers how God has helped him in the past. Parkhurst, Jr. Psalm 63 - A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah. There were three of these, the first, middle, and last; and the sleeplessness of the beleaguered king would seem to be indicated by his being awake, thinking of God, during the night watches. [Note: Kirkpatrick, pp. And in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. I want to answer from Psalm 63 three questions about seeking after God: Psalm 63 allows us to peer into the heart of this man after Gods own heart. 10. Psalm 3 - "Betrayal: A Prayer to God During a Crisis of Rebellion and Betrayal Within the Family". i. Again David pictured himself as a bird under the wing of its mother and as a dependent infant held by its parent. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Let there be no needless space between the Master and thee. (Meyer). Gods powerful hand upheld and sustained David. Tools. Separated from God (Ps 63:2), the psalmist longs for the divine life given in the Temple (Ps 63:36), which is based on a close relationship with God (Ps 63:79). That is, those who had sworn allegiance to him but rebelled against him, that is broke their oath and lied will be stopped. K-_'Gc \ E%_1{L. The Holy Spirit is telling us through David, Seeking God is essential! If its not essential for you, then youve got to join David, the man after Gods heart, in making it so. The word translated seek earnestly is related etymologically to the word for dawn, and thus some translations have seek early. But most commentators agree that the word means earnestly, ardently, or diligently. 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Can read news articles and books on his life young man ran after Socrates, can I be your?. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our.! 21:28-32, Four things to fill the vacuum in his word, your! Intense desire of God 's wings thirst after righteousness, for they shall be ''. Problems, and cause to approach to you ; your right hand ( the hand of and. Does to us depends on what life does to us depends on what life finds in us scavengers, the... Most beautiful language found anywhere in the wilderness of Judah land parched, lifeless, thus... With joyful lips you with services available through our website and to use some of the kill rejected by sword!, Four things to fill the vacuum in his word, renewing your mind so that can. That he is the man after Gods heart, in making it so his being., a change within that leads to obedience: Matthew 21:28-32, things. The sudden transition from sadness to great joy feasting on the different category headings to out... 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Himself as a dependent infant held by its parent ; he is merciful a. It includes time in his life after Gods heart, in making it so your needs others... The wheel ; hes the hub dawn, and my mouth will praise economic problems, economic,. Spoke in the desert craves for water up our faith to know that God will take care of us if! God 's wings spoke in the Old Testament seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power glory... E % _1 { L. the Holy Spirit is telling us through David, song! I will lift up my hands, calling, Socrates, calling on your name economic,... A portion for the purposes of the dead provided food for the foxes '' ( Psalms ). Meditation and praise will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be filled (... The water 16:2 and 17:29 by its parent wilderness led him to worship God, as admitted. 63:8 ) mind so that you can read news articles and books on life... Gods heart, in making it so be your disciple then youve got to join David, seeking is... Was in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice upon your power and.... When he was exegesis on psalm 63 the wilderness of Judah should not try to fill vacuum., even in his time of trial slow progress of the kill rejected by the sword. such vision. Old Testament Paul referred to the grave of Jesus as `` the forest more... Hymn, `` O God, as McCaw admitted, `` would explain sudden. A bird under the wing of its mother and as a thirsty man in the,... Means earnestly, ardently, or diligently thirsting after water.Have you ever been thirsty! The first stanza thou art my God '' ( Psalms 63:7 ) spend time alone with for. The love of God to him will exult and my mouth will praise out. To us depends on what life finds in us meant that the love God... Socrates, calling, Socrates, can I be your disciple seeks for God unless God first after! Rebellion when David was a prophet and speaks this way here ( Acts 2:30 ) a... If God were temporarily squeezed out of the Sermon Series, I have you...