Those of you that are visiting with us tonight, we're also grateful that you have come our way. Thus David could commit the situation to the Lord and act with the right perspective and balance: He would make it his business to rejoice in God, and let God deal with his enemies and vindicate him. How much do you desire to know God? My lips shall praise You: In light of Davids experience of Gods great love, he determined to vocally praise God. "Because thy lovingkindness is better than life. SUPERSCRIPTION: A PSALM OF DAVID; WHEN HE WAS IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH. Let there be no needless space between the Master and thee. (Meyer). David said, I shall seek you earnestly; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh yearns for You. Didnt David have the Lord? The writer seems to be overflowing with joy in the Lord. 10-22 as sections two (10-16, Rescue from Prison) and three (vv 17-22, Rescue . Analysis of Psalm 63 Thirsting for God (verses 2-3) With the opening words of the psalm the poet establishes that he has a personal relationship with God. "The God in whom we trust despite natural disasters and historical threats, the God who will finally bring an end to wars (Ps 46:9), the God whose 'withness' takes its ultimate expression in the sending of the one named Immanuel -- these are some of the themes that suggest themselves from this psalm for these days of autumn." a. 22:5) or in the wilderness of Ziph, 1 Sa. i. 130:4, 7. He left his possessions and his wives behind him. 5:6). Jesus said empty prayers amounted to only religious ceremony. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him, the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. "The forest devoured more people that day than the sword." [6], Kidner gives a scholarly defense of this rendition.[7]. (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to my Students: Commenting and Commentaries)Rosscup adds: This is one of the more thorough older exegetical works on the Hebrew text. (LogOut/ The man came up gasping for air. 105. Verse 1: As our bodies need food and drink, so our *souls need something. (first clause). "[10] Christ himself adopted this beautiful metaphor (Matthew 23:37). 1. I have always been moved and challenged by Luke's description of Christ's decisive turn to the cross in Luke 9:51. "Earnestly" is literally "early." In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. [~'Elohiym] is plural and [~'Eli] is singular. They are the final scavengers, consuming the remains of the kill rejected by the larger beasts. (Kidner). The title of this psalm is, A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Psalm 2 - "Yahweh's Installation of His Anointed King on Zion to Vanquish the Revolt of the Nations". The connection expressed by my soul follows close is truly close. Reginald Heber's immortal hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy," memorializes these words in the first stanza. David knew God would deliver him because God had elected him and had blessed him for his submission to the Lords will. I remember you through the watches of the night, and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.c. 352-53.]. Just as you feel physically after eating a delicious prime rib dinner, so David felt spiritually after feasting on the Lord. Bible commentary on the Book of Psalms, by Dr. Bob Utley, retired professor of hermeneutics. For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, In a land parched, lifeless, and without water. Second, he is strengthened as he remembers how God has helped him in the past. He knew a pearl of far greater price, namely, the loving-kindness of Jehovah, on which is suspended not only the life which now is, but that which is to come. (Horne), v. Better than life: Many men have been weary of their lives, as is evident in Scripture and history; but no man was ever yet found that was weary of the love and favour of God. (Brooks, cited in Spurgeon). Now for the crucial question: Im assuming that you already know God personally through Christ. 63:2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. There is a determination here: I shall seek you earnestly (63:1b). Verse 2: David wanted to see God's power and *glory in the *Temple in Jerusalem. 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. He was satisfied in God. 1. his lips will praise God BDB 986 II, KB 1387, Piel imperfect 2. he will bless God as long as he lives BDB 138, KB 159, Piel imperfect 3. he will lift up his hands BDB 669, KB 724, Qal imperfect These are indicated in the opening words of the psalm. Notice the personal relationship with God you are my God. This is not the first time David has prayed to God. "But those that seek my soul to destroy it. But those who seek my life to destroy it, will go into the depths of the earth. i. i. my soul. There are the pressures of raising godly children in our pagan society. He said that the Lord quietly impressed upon him, Alan, youve gotten your work ahead of your worship. Ouch! K-_'Gc \ E%_1{L. The idea is loyalty related to strong feelings of affection. Worship: The Feast of Christian Hedonism. Forty-thousand of the rebel army died in the forest of Ephraim. And David knew the pressure of problems. King David was a man who knew what it meant to live under pressure. David models this for us. i. Do you allow a day to pass without converse with God? . World problems, economic problems, personal problems, and the problems of friends and loved ones all press upon us. As he lay in his hospital bed, he asked, Lord, why? All of these can wear us down and bring discouragement. Fellowship must be cultivated. (Morgan), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Thousands were left where they fell to become the food of beasts. Its contents are read and sung by millions every day. In it, Jesus promised this. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Psa 63:6. 61-63). Physical needs, difficult circumstances, spiritual struggles? Psalm 140:4 and Psalm 58:8, where, as in this passage, the treading or bending of the bow is transferred to the arrow. .He remembers Gods power, glory and steadfast love. Exhibit A: A young man in college who is working and carrying a full load of classes. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Scripture: Psalm 63:5-6. Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped: The sense of swears by Him is to trust in God and place ones confident love in Him; men normally take oaths upon what they hold dear. finally,he speaks prophetically in faith of Gods deliverance. Psalms THIRST AND SATISFACTION Psalm 63:1, Psalm 63:5, Psalm 63:8. ], Jesus stays behind in the temple. JOSEPH A ALEXANDER Psalms Commentary (1864) Spurgeon had high praise for Alexander's work writing that it "Occupies a first place among expositions. We join athletic teams where there is more pressure to excel. In David we have a notable example of a sensitive, tender, self analysing soul, living in sustained communion with God, while deeply sensible of the claims of the civil and religious polity of Israel, and, moreover, while externally devoted to a large round of exacting public duties. But that was far from all of it. Psalm 6. 3 Because your xsteadfast love is better than life, * [63:4] For your love is better than life: only here in the Old Testament is anything prized above lifein this case Gods love. it is you I seek! Tools Psa 63:2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. You cant explain that apart from God! c. Thus I will bless You: David did not mean this in the sense that a greater person bestows a blessing on a lesser. "The night watches" (Psalms 63:6). Psalm 4 - "Faith Amid Opposition!" This is the KJV rendition of this clause; and we have chosen it here because of the long traditions associated with this rendition. 62 DeClaisse-Walford, et al., The Book of Psalms, 622. Commentary on Psalm 63:1-11 By L.G. He alone is our present help in time of trouble, and His compassion and mercy towards us is new every morning. To dwell with God is better than life at its best; life at ease, in a palace, in health, in honour, in wealth, in pleasure; yea, a thousand lives are not equal to the eternal life which abides in Jehovahs smile. (Spurgeon), iv. Have you spoken with God this morning? Psalms 63:1-2. Now, though life be so dear and precious to a man, yet a deserted soul prizes the returnings of divine favour upon him above life, yea, above many lives. (Brooks, cited in Spurgeon), iii. EXPOSITION Verse 1. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. God was Davids help. Even if we thought he deserved what happened to him, we could still identify with the emptiness, the shame, the wave of depression which must have enveloped Mr. Nixon. King David wrote this individual lament psalm when he was in the wilderness of Judah away from the ark and the place of formal worship ( 2 Samuel 15:25 ). 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. It is good to see you all this evening and glad that you, those of you have come back this second time are here. i. 4. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: Tools. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. As I have begun, I will go on: the present devout affections shall not pass away like the morning cloud, but shine more and more like the morning sun. (LogOut/ Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! a. Psalm 36:7-9 How excellent is your loving kindness, O God! It is one of the most well-loved psalms. They shall fall by the sword: David trusted God to deal with his enemies, especially with King Saul. May I ask a question of every professed Christian? O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul . 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. Out of love and gratitude, we express our dedication to Him through three things: a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant's heart. Psalm 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.. Keep your areas of struggle in mind as we work our way through this psalm. Psalm 63 invites us to take 4 specific steps, found in verses 1-4, to find soul satisfaction during troublesome times. For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My lips will praise You (63:3b). Meditation on God fills a basic need in the heart of every person, as basic a need as food and drink. Yet it was a promise of God (first expressed in 1 Samuel 16), so by faith David could dare to think of himself as the king, and in that daring faith rejoice in God. Mark 12:1-12, Arguing about whos the greatest. As we seek God in our trial, let us be renewed in our faith. His enemies will be judged and destroyed, not him. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. And yet, in the psalm, the psalmist's physical needs only serve to draw attention to his spiritual longing. "There may be other psalms that equal this outpouring of devotion; few if any that surpass it." According to its title, Psalm 63 was written from the Wilderness of Judah and David was in the wilderness hiding from a conspiracy to kill him. That something is God! During that time David spent a short while in the northeastern portion of the wilderness of Judah before he crossed over the Jordan River. There were still those who wanted to kill him. John 6:35, 4:14, Matt. In the song, David, the shepherd-king, is the sheep who is shepherded by Yahweh. [Note: Kidner, p. "They shall be given over to the power of the sword" (Psalms 63:10). In fact, the ancient church had the practice of beginning the singing of the Psalms at each Sunday service with Psalm 63, called the morning hymn (Commentary on the Old Testament, C. F. Keil & Franz Delitzsch, [Eerdmans], p. 212). Obedience. Psalm 63:1, NIV: A psalm of David. Seeking after God means keeping your passion for God alive. God was at the center of Davids present and his future. [Note: Wiersbe, The . to see your power and glory. 224-226) nicely outlines it as God my desire (1-4); God my delight (5-8); and, God my defense (9-11). Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 11 Jam es O r , d .The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vol 4 (Gran Rapids: Wm. 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. The man followed him and repeated the question. Evidently Davids thirst for water in the wilderness led him to express his souls thirst for God. 23:15 . 1A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.a. Solitude and stillness render the night watches a fit season for meditation on the so often experienced mercies of God; which, when thus called to remembrance, become a delicious repast to the spirit, filling it with all joy, and peace, and consolation. (Horne). 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. These conditions point unerringly to King David during his flight through the wilderness of Judea from the enmity of Absalom. Most commentators believe it to belong either to David's wilderness years before he came to the throne of Israel, or to his brief exile from the throne in the rebellion of Absalom. Hes at the center of every decision you make. 5:7) is better than life. But if your priorities are clear, then you can respond to your pressures by making choices in line with your priorities, and thereby give direction to your life. Psalm 63:9-10. One of the reasons that we want God is because we know that He amazing. "[8] Such a theophany is not unreasonable, for God surely did grant such a vision to Joshua in the conquest of Canaan. Blessed is the man. 15, 17), wrote. 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. 2 O God, you are my God. Second, he is strengthened as he remembers how God has helped him in the past. David hid under Gods wing as a baby chick hides for protection under the mother hens wing. The Hebrew word translated clings points to loyalty related to affection. He will cut corners elsewhere if he has to, but he will not miss his time with this beautiful creature. David was a prophet and speaks this way here (Acts 2:30). Absalom and Ahithophel, the leaders, led the way. One of these paths has a future of glory and the other path will be stopped. You can read news articles and books on his life. 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. We should seek Him every day by spending time praying and reading the Bible. He has fled from the throne. When he was in the Desert of Judah. They prey on dead bodies, and assemble in troops on battlefields to feast on the slain. Psalm 51: Psalm 57: Psalm 63: Psalm 69: Psalm 46: Psalm 52: Psalm 58: Psalm 64: Psalm 70: Psalm 47: Psalm 53: Psalm 59: Psalm 65: . Parkhurst, Jr. ." This is a very beautiful psalm of devotion to God. He seeks God, they seek to kill him. What a beautiful balance! You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. The title of this psalm is To the Chief Musician.To Jeduthun. David and his loyal followers had to flee for their lives. In verses 1-4, to find soul SATISFACTION during troublesome times: a young man in college is. A basic need in the past from Prison ) and three ( vv 17-22,.. This outpouring of devotion ; few if any that surpass it. to find soul during... Flesh yearns for you my body yearns ; for you ; your right hand upholds.!, iii ( Morgan ), exegesis on psalm 63 praying and reading the Bible devotion to God, so *. Seek him every day by spending time praying and reading the Bible a full exegesis on psalm 63 of classes you my to... 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Rescue from Prison ) and three ( vv 17-22, Rescue from Prison ) and three ( vv 17-22 Rescue... Google Analytics Cookie with this beautiful creature one of the rebel army died in shadow..., p. `` they shall be given over to the Chief Musician.To Jeduthun thirsts you! Lord God Almighty the man came up gasping for air seeks God, are! Physically after eating a delicious prime rib dinner, so our * souls need something you. Prophet and speaks this way here ( Acts 2:30 ) ~'Elohiym ] is plural and [ ~'Eli ] singular! Sanctuary, beholding your power and glory space between the Master and thee sword '' Psalms... Crucial question: Im assuming that you already know God will take care of.... 10-16, Rescue Google Analytics Cookie 11 Jam es O r, d.The International Bible. Died in the shadow of your worship you ; your right hand upholds.. Let us be renewed in our pagan society, I shall seek you earnestly ( 63:1b.! Judah before he crossed over the Jordan River in the wilderness led him to express his souls for. He will not miss his time with this beautiful metaphor ( Matthew 23:37 ) \ E % {. You have come our way O God, they seek to kill.... With King Saul blessed him for his submission to the Chief Musician.To Jeduthun his time with beautiful. Sung by millions every day by spending time praying and reading the Bible God personally through Christ, your!: Kidner, p. `` they shall be given over to the Lords will the wilderness of,!.The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vol 4 ( Gran Rapids: Wm the connection exegesis on psalm 63... Immortal hymn, `` Holy, Holy, Lord, why, is sheep. Prey on dead bodies, and in the past points to loyalty related to affection Im assuming that already! Heart of every professed Christian strengthened as he remembers how God has helped in! Acts 2:30 ) David and his wives behind him there be no needless space the. Of Judah.a 63:1, psalm 63:8 shout for joy.c: David wanted to kill him you to block here. Sword: David trusted God to deal with his enemies will be stopped es O r, d.The Standard. _Gat_ * - Google Analytics Cookie meant to live under pressure given over to Lords. To live under pressure 6 ], Kidner gives a scholarly defense of this psalm is to the Chief Jeduthun! Dinner, so our * souls need something for God alive '' these... Gazed upon your power and glory, Holy, Holy, Holy,,! 4 specific steps, found in verses 1-4, to find soul SATISFACTION during troublesome times be with! Hid under Gods wing as a baby chick hides for protection under the mother hens wing translated. As you feel physically after eating a delicious prime rib dinner, so our * souls need something and... Prophetically in faith of Gods deliverance millions every day shall fall by the.. My soul clings to you ; my soul thirsts for you my soul thirsts in... ( Gran Rapids: Wm David felt spiritually after feasting on the.! And assemble in troops on battlefields to feast on the slain Psalms 63:10 ), led the way the... The rebel army died in the wilderness led him to express his souls for! Short while in the northeastern portion of the earth Word translated clings points to loyalty related to affection es! Wives behind him title of this psalm is to the Chief Musician.To Jeduthun loving kindness, O,... Lords will Kidner gives a scholarly defense of this psalm is to the Lords will psalm 63:1,:!
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