Psalm 63

Psalm 63 is a psalm of David in Book II of the Psalms (Psalms 42–72). It follows Psalm 62, which sings of quiet trust in God alone, and expresses the psalmist's longing for God and his satisfaction in Him while in the wilderness. The superscription reads, "A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah."

Structure

• Verse 1: In a dry and weary land where there is no water, the psalmist's soul and flesh long for God.
• Verses 2–4: The psalmist recalls having beheld God's power and glory in the sanctuary. Because God's lovingkindness is better than life, he resolves to bless God as long as he lives and to lift up his hands in God's name.
• Verses 5–8: His soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness. He remembers God upon his bed and meditates on Him in the night watches, rejoicing in the shadow of God's wings. His soul follows hard after God, and God's right hand upholds him.
• Verses 9–11: Those who seek the psalmist's life will go into the lower parts of the earth, fall by the sword, and become prey for jackals. The king will rejoice in God, and the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Key Verses

• Psalm 63:1: "My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is" — the psalm's central image, which likens longing for God to thirst in the wilderness.
• Psalm 63:3: "Because thy lovingkindness is better than life" — a confession that values God's lovingkindness (Hebrew hesed, steadfast love) above life itself.
• Psalm 63:8: "Thy right hand upholdeth me" — the psalmist's following after God and God's upholding of him appear side by side.

People and Places

• David: The author named in the superscription.
• Wilderness of Judah: The arid region extending east from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea.
• The king (v. 11): Commonly understood as referring to the psalmist himself, that is, David.

Points for Reflection

• The superscription states only that David was in the wilderness and does not identify a specific event. Interpreters connect it either with the time he hid from Saul in the wilderness of Judah (1 Samuel 23) or with his flight during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15). Because he calls himself "the king" in verse 11, many favor the Absalom setting, though the text does not settle the question.
• The Hebrew verb in verse 1 rendered "seek" is often explained as coming from the same root as the word for "dawn." For this reason, ancient versions such as the Septuagint translated it as seeking God early in the morning (compare the KJV, "early will I seek thee"), and the early church is reported to have sung this psalm at morning prayer.
• The theme of the soul's thirst connects with Psalm 42 and is read alongside New Testament passages such as "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37).