Psalm 63
Psalm 63 was written by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. This is a time in his life where he could not go to the designated place and worship God. In those days the temple has not been built yet. They were still using the tabernacle. The tent with the courtyard and the white curtain walls with only one beautiful door in.
Psalm 63 is short with only 11 verses, but it is big on truth. We will read it thru and then take a few min. and go thru it.
Psa 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
Psa 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psa 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Psa 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psa 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Psa 63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Psa 63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
Psa 63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
Psa 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God;
I love assurance. I am very thankful for it. Each and every day I can also say O God, thou art my God. He is not someone else’s God. He is my God. I belong to Him. I did what His Word says. I agreed with God that I was a sinner going to hell, and I believed in Jesus and what He did on the cross, He died paid for my sin and rose again 3 days later. And then I called upon the Lord to save me with a repentant heart.
And immediately I was adopted. He is my God and I am His. It is a done deal. Never to be changed. That is a wonderful thing. Something to be thankful for each and every day. No reason to ever doubt it.
David here shows that he also knew he was secure in his relationship with God. He did not know Jesus’ name yet. He could not look back at the cross like we can, but David could look forward to the coming Messiah. David could put his faith in those promises and enter into a relationship with God. David was also saved by faith like we are and he also had assurance of it.
early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee,
Early in the morning. Open your eyes in bed and pray before the feet ever hit the floor. Thank Him for another day. Thank Him for you salvation. Spend a few min seeking God early in the morning.
And you see why David wanted to seek God early. He says my soul thirsteth for thee. He did not seek God early because of a rule, or because someone was making him. He did it because His soul thirsted for God. He wanted to. And yes he realized he needed to.
Thirst is more than just a desire it is a need. We should understand this very well living in this desert. Especially in the summer. We get thirsty because we have a need. A need that can only be satisfied by drinking something. If we do not get water, we will first get dehydrated, if we still do not get water we get very sick. It is a necessity.
David is going to use this truth to illustrate a spiritual truth. He is going to seek God and do it early because his soul thirsts for God. His soul has a need to be refreshed by God. So David is going to seek God. The implied truth here is that if you seek God to be refreshed that you will be refreshed.
Pro_8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Now he uses an illustration. David looks around where he is (in the wilderness of Judah) and says my body is in a dry land. And likewise my soul is in a dry land. The two conditions are similar.
my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
We used to live in Colorado. There was a river in the town where I was raised and Tina lived not too far from a creek. We could drive for a short distance and see running water in a river or a stream or even a waterfall. There is something refreshing in it. To watch the moving water and just listen to it. And of course if you needed water it was readily available.
It was quite a change to move to Phoenix. On the drive we would see signs before bridges and it would give a name with the words river or creek in it and when you drive over the bridge and look down there is not a drop of water anywhere. And it is pretty evident that there has not been any water there for a long time.
We know what it is like to be in a place where there is no refreshing water to look at. David is in the wilderness of Judah. A very dry place. They would have to get water from a well. There are cases documented for us in the Bible where in that land they fought over wells. Water was hard to come by.
David is in the wilderness and looks around and sees no water. And he thinks on this and says you know, my soul is in a similar condition. If I wanted to refresh myself with a creek or a river I cannot. It is not possible for me where I am at. There is no water here. I do not have the ability to refresh myself. Spiritually I am in the same situation. I do not have the ability to refresh myself.
I have a need, a spiritual thirst for God and am in a dry land. Look at what he says next.
Psa 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
What refreshing is he longing for. Thirsting for, that is not in the wilderness where he is.
To see thy power and thy glory. But in a specific way. Yes David would see God’s power in the wilderness as far as protecting him from Saul and in providing for him and his men. David is not thirsting to see God’s power and glory in that way. He says as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
This brings up the question. Ok, how did David see God’s power and glory in the sanctuary.
In several ways. He is talking about the tabernacle. He would see the white wall stopping anyone from entering. White is a picture of righteousness. And God’s Holiness, His righteousness is like a wall to all sinners barring them from entry and keeping them from fellowshipping with God.
However, he would see the one door. The one way in. And it was beautiful. Full of embroidery, the door was very noticeable, very inviting. It showed that God wanted to fellowship with man. There was a way in to fellowship with God. And right at the door was the altar of sacrifice. A picture that God would send His lamb to take away the sin of the world. Everything in that tabernacle pointed to Jesus. The table of showbread and the candlestick and the altar of incense and the ark and the mercy seat. All of it showed forth God’s glory and power.
David could not go into where the ark was or where the candlestick was, but he could bring his sacrifice and participate in the gatherings, and the feasts, and the fellowship and the singing, and the praise and the teaching and the reading of God’s Word and all that took place there.
To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Another way David would see God’s power and glory is when God would move in a heart and change a life. Anytime someone gets right with God or chooses to do what God wants. It brings God glory. David would see God work in the lives of people in the sanctuary.
Speaking of Abraham the N.T. says.
Rom_4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
When Abraham was strong in faith, it was giving glory to God. Believing what God says and acting upon it gives glory to God. Every time David saw someone chose to believe God at the sanctuary he was seeing God work. He was seeing God glorifying Himself in the lives of men.
For all of these reasons. For the sanctuary and what it pictured, for the activity’s that happened there and for how God moved in the lives of people there. For all of those reasons David thirsted to see it all again.
There is a spiritual refreshing when you stop and think about God and when you praise God and when you see God work. All of that refreshes you and all of that David saw at the sanctuary.
And that is what we try to do at the church of grace. Think about our great God, thank Him and praise Him for who He is and what He does.
This brings up the next thought. David might not be able to go to the sanctuary. Saul would catch him and kill him. But God can still be found in the wilderness. God can still refresh me here. He is still worthy of being praised. Look at what he says next.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psa 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
He is my God. I will seek Him early. Because His lovingkindness is better than life itself. The most important thing in the world is God’s love to me. It is better than anything else. Nothing can compare. No amount of money can beat it. It is sad how many people want a fortune and they think that if they just had more money that they would be happy.
The sad truth is that most rich people are some of the most miserable people around. And if they are not miserable now, they will be in the end if they do not find God’s lovingkindness.
David says nothing is better than God’s love and because of that my lips shall praise thee. While I live I will bless thee and I will lift up my hands in His name. It does not matter where I am or what circumstances I find myself. David is exiled from home. On the run for his life. And for doing nothing wrong. It is because of Saul’s sin that David is in a land with no water.
David chooses not to get into a pity party and blame God for what is going on.
None of the circumstances that David is in takes away from God’s love. It does not diminish in any way God’s worthiness. So David determines and wants to praise God no matter what. my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: It is a choice.
Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Yes I cannot go to the sanctuary. Yes I cannot be refreshed with the sights there and the feasts and seeing everything and I cannot go and see God work in people there.
But that’s ok. My God loves me and if I seek Him, I will be refreshed. Even in this wilderness. He says My soul shall be satisfied. God will refresh me. There is no doubt here. And since my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness then my mouth shall praise God with joyful lips.
Notice the colon at the end of verse 5. This connects his getting satisfied with the next verse. David is going to tell us how this happens. Even in bad circumstances and even in a spiritual desert. How is my soul going to be refreshed and satisfied? So much so that I have joy.
I think this is an important thing to know. Why? Because sooner or later we all will find ourselves in bad circumstances or in a spiritual desert. When we are what do we need to do to seek God and find refreshing and satisfaction and joy.
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
David says this happens when he remembers God upon his bed. So in the morning when he wakes up and before he even gets out of bed he remembers God. And in the night when it is his turn to stand watch he will remember God. Or even when someone else is doing the watching, David would remember God.
We get satisfaction and spiritual refreshing when we think about God. When we put thoughts of God first, above other needs and wants.
Php_4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
It does make a difference what we choose to think about. If you want spiritual refreshing then you need to think about the right things.
David would think back to all of the times that God has helped him.
Psa 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
God delivered David from the lion and the bear and then delivered David from tending sheep to be anointed as king. God protected David and it was God that was with David that day with Goliath.
David is saying remember what God has done for you. Because thou hast been my help. Remember how God has saved your soul from hell. And remember how many times God has helped you with your needs. The big things and even the little things.
A short while back I was out walking a long street putting out John and Roman packs with tracts in them. I had finished one side and was coming back on the other side. A lady came out of her house saw the John and Romans and picked it up. It was trash day and her garbage can was still out. She grabbed her garbage can and dragged it across the street to the side I was on and stopped standing in the middle of the side walk with her garbage can before her in the middle of the sidewalk. She will be blocking my way. It looks like she wants me to see her throw it away and give me a piece of her mind.
I see this and start praying. Lord so be it. If it is your will. Only protect me. I continue to put out John and Romans and am not rattled. I am about 4 or 5 houses away from her. I just calmly keep going at the same pace. When I am about two houses away, the lady changes her mind and I hear the garbage can going back across the street. I figured she has a short fuse, so I do not turn to look at her. Just continue being harmless and doing what the Lord wants. The Lord answered my prayer. He protected me.
Think about our great God and His lovingkindness and all the things He has done for us both big and small.
Psa 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
And have confidence that you are in the shadow of His wings. And therefore rejoice. Be refreshed. Be satisfied. You are the child of the King.
Psa 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
David then states that his following God is not a light thing. It is not a hobby or a sideline issue. My soul followeth hard after thee. He puts some dedication and some effort into it.
Some people don’t. They are still saved. They are still going to heaven if they called upon Him to save them with a repentant heart. But they don’t really put any effort in seeking God or spend the time thinking about Him and what He has done.
God gives us a free will to do that if we choose. But anyone who does that is simply missing out. On what? Daily refreshing for their soul. Joy. A close walk with God. I would rather put some effort in seeking God and spend some time thinking about Him and get refreshed. As a Christian it is a much better way to live.
David then makes a comment about those who are wicked.
Psa 63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Psa 63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
This is one of the verses that tells us where hell currently is. It is in the lower parts of the earth. That is their destination and David has total confidence that God will make sure that justice is done. So David does not have to worry about that.
Psa 63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
David says He is my God. His lovingkindness is better than life. My soul shall be satisfied. My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. I will meditate on thee. He is my help, I am in the shadow of His wings. The king shall rejoice in God.
May we all say the same things as David. It does not matter what the wicked do or what circumstances I am in, or where I am at. I shall rejoice in God.