Psalm 63
Sunday, 28 November 2021
“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” – Psalm 63:1
David’s songs (the Psalms) often deal with real life issues and thus one can easily flow with their themes. They serve as a platform for people to get connected with God in their times of distress and agony. The heading given to Psalm 63 says that it was written when he was in the wilderness of Judah. The road that leads from Jerusalem to Jericho passes through the northern side of this wilderness in Judah. This Psalm is also known as a morning hymn.
In the words of Matthew Henry: “Even in Canaan, though a fruitful land and the people numerous, yet there were wildernesses, places less fruitful and less inhabited than other places. It will be so in the world, in the church, but not in heaven;…All the straits and difficulties of a wilderness must not put us out of tune for sacred songs;” It is our duty and interest to maintain a joyful relationship with God even in a wilderness! Hagar saw God in the wilderness; Moses, Elijah and David saw God while in the wilderness.
Christopher Wordsworth wrote, any devoted heart that yearns to see God in his home will love to see God in the middle of his wilderness of loneliness, sorrow, sickness, and death. The Psalm begins with David asserting the fact that God is his God – the strong personal conviction and a desire for intimate relationship are the secret of David’s strong faith in God. Then verse 6 says: “when I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.” Such is the relationship developed by David that his mind even on his bed dwells on God!! Even in David’s rest he feeds on God!!
In the following verses we can see the intimacy of David expressed:
Vs.1 – You are my God: Relationship
Vs.1- My soul thirsts for you: Desire
Vs.3 – My lips will praise You: Praise
Vs.4 – I will lift up My hands in Your name: Strong Confidence
Vs.5 – My soul is satisfied: Satisfaction
Vs.5 – My mouth offers praises with joyful lips: Joy
Vs.6 – When I remember You on my bed: Remembrance
Vs.7 – For You have been my help: Help
Vs.8 – My soul clings to You: Dependence
The total trust of David was in God and his whole life centered on God. That is the reason he could praise God and write songs even when chased by his opponents and even when he was in great distress!
As we journey through our human life, we too face many wilderness experiences – which may distance us from God, if we do not develop an intimacy with Him. He promised to be with us “a very present help.” But if we stay away from Him, He may not hear when we call in our distress!! Let us do everything that we can, to stay close to this God!
When man distanced himself from God through sin, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to draw man closer to Himself. The dividing wall between God and man was destroyed by Jesus!-now each of us can enjoy that intimate relationship with GOD. How about when you sin and God seems distant?—that’s when you confess your sin to Him- He will forgive your sin and cleanse you from all your wrongs (1John 1:9). Once more you can have that uninterrupted fellowship with Him!
Dear friend, would you come into such an intimate relationship with God? Then like David you can say, “O God, You are my God!”
Promise: “For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:7)
Listen: ‘GOD, You are my GOD’