Psalms 63:1-8

«A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.» Shall we praise God in the garden and not praise him in the wilderness? No; we will sing a new song when we come into the desert; for, even if we are in a desert, that is no reason why there should be a desert in us, so let us praise God even in our wilderness experience.

Psalms 63:1. O God,

Two very solemn words; never use them, I pray you, as hasty, thoughtless expressions. God's name must never be taken in vain; I fear that there are some who do this, and are not rebuked for it. When we say, «O God,» there ought to be something solemn to follow.

Psalms 63:1. Thou art my God;

The second word «God» signifies «my strong one, my mighty one, to whom I can bring all my weakness and all my care; for thou art strong enough to take care of me even in the wilderness.»

Psalms 63:1. Early will I seek thee:

That is, «at once.» «I will not delay, but immediately will I seek thee. I will not so much seek to get out of the wilderness, or seek for comfort in the wilderness, as seek for everything in thee.»

Psalms 63:1. My soul thirsteth for thee,

This is a blessed experience. It is a sad thing to be without God in any degree, but it is a blessed thing when we cannot rest without him.

Psalms 63:1. My flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

«My flesh» that lowest part of me, even that has been awakened and quickened: «my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.» «Where there is no water, no well, no cloud, no rain, I am longing for thee, my God.» «My flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;»

Psalms 63:2. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

David remembers better times that he had enjoyed in the past, and he longs to have them back again. He wants again to know, and feel, and enjoy, all he has ever known, and felt, and enjoyed; and, blessed be God, he will grant us that boon.

Psalms 63:3. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live:

«Whether I live in a sterile wilderness or in a fertile land, I will bless thee while I live.»

Psalms 63:4. I will lift up my hands in thy name.

«I will pluck up spirit; I will begin to pray; I will begin to work. I will look toward heaven: ‘I will lift up my hands in thy name.'»

Psalms 63:5. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

There is everything that is satisfactory in God. If we do but enjoy his presence, we cannot lack anything. Are we not put, as it were, into heaven itself when we are brought near to God? Are we not willing to remain for a while on earth, and to keep out of heaven, if we may but have the Lord with us, and constantly enjoy his company?

Psalms 63:6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

When one is living near to God, he is not afraid of sleeplessness. He would be glad of the rest that sleep brings, but if he cannot sleep, he finds a sweeter rest in God. I remarked, one day, to one who lives very near to God, that it was a weary and sad thing to lie sleepless, and he said to me something that stuck by me. «I do not think so,» said he, «for, when I wake in the night, my Heavenly Father talks so sweetly to me that I do not want to go to sleep, and when he does not want to speak to me, I speak to him in prayer, and so the hours glide away most happily.»

Psalms 63:7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy refuge will I rejoice.

«If I cannot look up, and see the light of thy face, the very shade of thy wings shall make me glad, and I will sing like a nightingale, in the dark.»

Psalms 63:8. My soul followeth hard after thee:

The Hebrew is, «My soul is glued to thee.» «I am like a dog that keeps close to his master's heels, and will not leave him.»

Psalms 63:8. Thy right hand upholdeth me.

We should not follow the Lord if his hand were not still underneath us to keep us going.

Psalms 63:9. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

The jackal is the creature meant here, for he haunts the battlefield, and devours the slain. So it came to pass with many of David's foes. They fell in battle, and the wild beasts devoured them.

Psalms 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.

If they cannot be stopped by reason or by repentance, they shall be stopped with a shovelful of earth, for God will stop the mouths of all are in one way or another.