Verse: Psalm 63:1-11 (NIV)
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God will glory in him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Devotion
David wrote this Psalm (song) at a very challenging point in his life. God had chosen David to be king of Israel. Because of that, other people whom he knew well actually attempted to kill him – more than once! As a result, he went to the desert to hide for his life. In no time flat, he went from king to refugee, from security to peril.
Like David, at this point in his life, I have often felt like I am in the wilderness with a scary and uncertain future. Especially during this past year. Perhaps, you have felt this way too.
Thankfully, David showed whom we should remember to turn to for help. David wisely turns to the Lord God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. David did not put his trust in material things he has acquired (he did not have access to them), his own self (he had done all that he could up to this point to survive), or other human beings (though, thankfully, some people did provide him with help). He reaffirmed his trust in God. He remembered that God comes first, before all other people, things, worries, and problems.
While feeling physically thirsty in a place with no water, David was able to write about what he knew was even more important – his spiritual thirst for God. At this challenging point in his life, David chose to stop and remember how awesome God’s power and glory is. As he woke in the night, he remembered all the good that God had done in the past. In the midst of what was terrible, he found the opportunity to speak to God and to sing to Him. David spoke a key truth when he said that God’s love is better than anything in life.
Often, we need to stop in the middle of our trouble and remember the Lord, just as David did. God’s love is better than anything that we need to survive on Earth. In fact, God’s love is what fully satisfies us, like delicious food. Even in the midst of trouble.
Interestingly, with this song, David demonstrated the power of singing praises to God. It is a practice that we can always use in challenging times – singing and speaking to the Lord – thanking and praising Him for his goodness. There is real power in this practice that breaks us out of trouble and encourages our being.
As David wrote, God will always respond as our spiritual protector, providing shelter under His wings. In our spirit, we can cling like a child to our good Father in heaven. His strong hand will hold us, as a loving Father, as we walk along rough paths in life.
Finally, at the conclusion of the Psalm, David reveals the truth that, in the end, evil will be destroyed. Terrible things may happen. But, there is hope. Those of us who find our joy (rejoice) in God will experience His glory – in this world and the next.
Prayer
Father, thank you for showing us who you are through your love for us. Thank you for being our protector. Thank you for your goodness in times of trouble. Thank you for the hope that we have in knowing you. We praise and thank you. We look forward, so much, to being with you and knowing you in all your glory. Amen.
Author: Chris Fraser
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