What a remarkable fulfilment of David's prophecy came to pass. But if there are never any feelings of love, your marriage is in trouble. Your priorities keep you from being battered around by the waves of pressure and help you to steer a clear course toward the proper destination. People despair without the sense of life; David despaired without the sense of Gods great love. The parched desert just west of the Dead Sea reminded David of how hungry and thirsty his soul was for God. The enemies went down to death. 5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956) p. 2487. 2. Notice the personal relationship with God . . "[1], All but the timid scholars agree with Rawlinson who wrote: "All the indications agree exactly with the superscription that this psalm was composed by David as he fled through the wilderness of Judea toward the Jordan during the revolt of Absalom."[2]. 62:12). (Kidner), ii. When he was in the Desert of Judah. Many of us remember the day President Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal. In your marriage, keeping your passion alive means saying no to some things in order to say yes to your wife. Psalm 63:4. 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! [Note: G. S. Cansdale, Animals of Bible Lands, pp. There is no division between sacred and secular; all of life is related to God. If you figure that youve reached a level of maturity in your Christian life where you can put it in neutral and coast, youre in trouble! People are good, and human relationships are a blessing from God. stream Thus, more than twenty-thousand more were numbered among the slain. Blessed is the man. Here the psalmist turns his speech to God himself, as being desirous to give him the glory of his goodness, which is his glory: Also unto thee, O Lord! Review your past week or month and ask yourself, Did my schedule reflect that seeking God was my number one priority? You say, Well, thats my priority, but Ive been under a lot of pressure! Pressure is what reveals your true priorities. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The book is actually a collectio 6My soul shall be sated as with choice food. Abbreviations Used in . This is a very beautiful psalm of devotion to God. Have you spoken with God this morning? Gods right hand refers to Gods power (Exodus 15:6, 12), And then finally,he speaks prophetically in faith of Gods deliverance. It is used to describe Ruth clinging to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:14). Everyone who sides with God, as David did, can do the same. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. May I ask a question of every professed Christian? [Notice the contrasts: Davids mouth is full of praise, their lies. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES) Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. May all my enemies be destroyed and Gods true worshipers continue in giving praise (Ps 63:1011)! But knowing that God will faithfully and loving watch over him is better than all that he lost his former life of good things. To seek after God means that there is always more, because God is an infinite person. This is merely an Old Testament manner of speaking of the grave. Physical needs, difficult circumstances, spiritual struggles? "Those shall go into the lower parts of the earth" (Psalms 63:9). And also all those who are loyal to him will exult. Because You have been my help: Many of Davids psalms are simple cries for help. 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. Spurgeon noted that we should not limit our thanks and praise to such seasons: Even when our heart is rather desiring than enjoying we should still continue to magnify the Most High, for his love is truly precious; even if we do not personally, for the time being, happen to be rejoicing in it. He stayed steady in the storm because he had the inner resource of Gods strength. Just as you feel physically after eating a delicious prime rib dinner, so David felt spiritually after feasting on the Lord. My soul clings to You (63:8a). He said that the Lord quietly impressed upon him, Alan, youve gotten your work ahead of your worship. Ouch! The higher and more responsible the leadership position, the greater are the pressures. And the mouths of liars will be stopped. But our trials are meant to lead us to God. Reflecting on his God bolstered the kings confidence that the Lord would preserve him in his present situation. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. Luke2:40-52, How to overcome evil with good. His own son whom he loved was attempting to kill him. My soul follows close behind You; 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. "The jackals are the scavengers of the East. One of these paths has a future of glory and the other path will be stopped. Psa 63:6. 2 Thus I have gazed on you in the sanctuary, seeing your power and your glory. Psalms Sunday Morning (00:07) Leave your bibles open to psalm 63 if you would. He knew that there was more and his whole being craved it as a thirsty man in the desert craves for water. 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. Thus will I bless thee That is, so as I have done, and have now said. David and his loyal followers had to flee for their lives. "Because thy lovingkindness is better than life. They shall fall by the sword: David trusted God to deal with his enemies, especially with King Saul. The same Hebrew word describes both animals. Other times it has the idea of presence, as in the wings of the cherubim that surround the throne of God. David chooses to seek after 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 Psalm 63:1-8 - Center for Excellence in Preaching. "They shall be given over to the power of the sword" (Psalms 63:10). He is like someone in desperate need of water in a dry and weary land where there is no water.. We join athletic teams where there is more pressure to excel. He left his possessions and his wives behind him. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. "At the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.". 5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips . 9But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; None of these details are missing from the prophecy. Psalm 4 - "Faith Amid Opposition!" Three things: Gods lovingkindness (63:3) was better to David than life itself. 3 Because your xsteadfast love is better than life, i. 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. David had reason to be afraid, lonely . a. I. Commentary on Psalm 63:1-11 By L.G. Then he meets the woman of his dreams. A Psalm of David.. In the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy (63:7b). I will . Bear with me for a second to let me wet my throat again. The title of this psalm is To the Chief Musician. We too need to earnestly seek after God in our time of trial. You can check these in your browser security settings. John 6:35, 4:14, Matt. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. I invite you to turn there in your Bibles. is the interpretation added to the figure, as in Psalm 144:7. a. New American Standard Version Therefore he also used the night watches to meditate upon God. and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Keep your areas of struggle in mind as we work our way through this psalm. "The psalm integrates well with the Isaiah text. Psalm 1. O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. Meditation on the person and works of God can bring refreshment and invigoration to any believer. 63:1 O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. b. [6], Kidner gives a scholarly defense of this rendition.[7]. JOSEPH A ALEXANDER Psalms Commentary (1864) Spurgeon had high praise for Alexander's work writing that it "Occupies a first place among expositions. Yet that is not what David sang of here. The next day, he flew off into oblivion and disgrace. 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). How can we make time alone with God a priority and yet avoid a legalistic approach to it? Psalms - Chapter 63. Verse 1. "In the shadow of thy wings" (Psalms 63:7). Verses 8-9 conclude the first section of the psalm by revealing the fruit of the psalmist's prescription for his own soul. 11 Jam es O r , d .The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vol 4 (Gran Rapids: Wm. 10. As he remembers who God is, this leads him to worship God, even in his time of trial. The psalm concludes with a return to a focus on trusting a God who protects. Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice: The idea of the shelter of shadow of Gods wings is repeated many times in the psalms. e. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness: David spoke of a satisfaction that too few people know, even among believers. The Hebrew chiasm in each of the two . O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul . These people are liars v. 11. We ought not to make our praises of God to depend upon our own personal and present reception of benefits; this would be mere selfishness: even publicans and sinners have a good word for those whose hands are enriching them with gifts; it is the true believer only who will bless the Lord when he takes away his gifts or hides his face. (Spurgeon). Psalm 23 is a realistic hopeful passage written by David about the presence of trials in his life versus the provision and relationship the Lord has for him. For example, many people fill their lives with family and friends. Psalms is a collection of poems and one of only two Old Testament books authored by multiple authors. As soon as David arose in the morning, he became aware of his need for God-just as he needed water shortly after waking up. 5:7) is better than life. Because You have been my help, Gods powerful hand upheld and sustained David. This Psalm is filled with metaphors and creative imagery that is best understood through contextual knowledge. In the midst of such pressures, there is one thing that will determine the course of your life: your priorities. The wicked would not prevail in the long run. . Psalm 63:1-8. That which is bitter is called , root , stringere, from . In Gods time and in Gods way, Davids enemies did fall by the sword, which has the sense of being killed in battle. i. The point is, the person who seeks after God will be a person of strength and stability, a person with inner resources to meet every crisis in life. Psalms 63:1-2. He has fled from the throne. Thousands were left where they fell to become the food of beasts. He had to think about how all of his loyal followers who fled with him were going to get food and water in this barren wilderness. He considered the Lords loyal love even better than life itself. If you or I were under the kinds of pressure David faced at this point in his life, I doubt if we would be writing songs. . 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. Thats how it must be with God, if you want to seek Him. I only want to touch lightly on this question so that I can concentrate on the third question. Prioritiesgodly prioritiesare crucial! Thus seeking after God means to have an intimate personal relationship with Him; always to desire more of Him; and, to pursue God alone to fill the vacuum in your life. Jesus said (John 17:3), This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. Your introduction to God comes when you turn from your sin to God and trust in Jesus Christ and His death on your behalf. David was a prophet and speaks this way here (Acts 2:30). Twenty thousand of Absalom's forces were slain by the sword in the battle that ended the rebellion, which was fought in the forest of Ephraim (2 Samuel 18:7f). David wasnt consumed with thoughts of getting even. Psalm 4. But while keeping the depth of feeling in mind, it is helpful to separate out three strands of what it means to seek after God: O God, You are my God. David knew God in an intimate, personal way. God isnt just a slice of life, who rounds out your other pursuits. Let me ask you this morning What trials are you going through today? He alone is our present help in time of trouble, and His compassion and mercy towards us is new every morning. We'll find out who is his enemy, soon. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient. David knew God would deliver him because God had elected him and had blessed him for his submission to the Lords will. It includes time in prayer, bringing your needs and others needs before Him. Glorying is the equivalent of rejoicing. Indeed, even our Lord Jesus Christ was tried and tested and tempted during his time on this earth. "Some have interpreted this to mean that David was here granted a vision of God just as clear and distinct as he had seen in the sanctuary. SUPERSCRIPTION: A PSALM OF DAVID; WHEN HE WAS IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH. 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. First, he is strengthened as heremembers who God is. - 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 . The perfects after affirm that which they now do as they have before done; cf. Psalm 2. Psalms THIRST AND SATISFACTION Psalm 63:1, Psalm 63:5, Psalm 63:8. A. W. Tozer, in his devotional classic, The Pursuit of God ([Christian Publications], pp. 11But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.. Psalm 65 - At the Temple, In the Earth. Psalms 28:2; Lamentations 2:19) or respect (cf. Strive in everything to act in such a way that others may praise and honor the God whom you profess to serve because they have seen His attributes shining through your life." That should be our aim at all times, but especially in a time of trial. The International Bible Lesson (Uniform Series ) for October 31, 2010 , is from Psalm 63:1-11 . Shall go into the lower parts of the earth. What did he see? 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. 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