Christianity

Psalms 63Thirst for God in the Wilderness

Summary

Psalm 63 is a prayer of longing headed with David's time in the wilderness of Judah. The psalmist seeks God early and thirsts for him in a dry land, remembering seeing his power and glory in the sanctuary. He declares that God's lovingkindness is better than life and that he meditates on God through the night watches, clinging close while God's right hand upholds him. It ends with the defeat of enemies and the king rejoicing in God.

Key verse

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”

Psalms 63:1

Themes

Spiritual Thirst
Seeking God Early
Lovingkindness
Night Meditation

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

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

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

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

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

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.

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.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Psalm 42: My Soul Thirsteth for God
Psalm 42 shares the image of a soul thirsting for God while away from the sanctuary, though in a more sorrowful tone.
Judaism
Tehillim 63 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
Where the KJV says early will I seek thee, the JPS 1917 reads earnestly will I seek Thee, reflecting a Hebrew verb related to the word for dawn that can mean either.
Christianity
John 4: Living Water
Jesus' promise in John 4 of water that ends thirst forever addresses the same longing for God expressed in Psalm 63:1.

Questions about Psalms 63

Why is Psalm 63 called the morning psalm?

Verse 1 in the KJV says early will I seek thee, and early Christians sang it at morning prayer. It remains part of the morning office in Eastern and Western churches.

When was David in the wilderness of Judah?

He hid there while fleeing Saul (1 Samuel 23 and 24) and again during Absalom's revolt (2 Samuel 15 to 17). Verse 11 mentions the king, which some see as fitting the later period.