We’ve all gone looking for something or other in our life. Perhaps we misplaced something important, so we diligently look high and low throughout our house or office for the lost item. Sometimes the missing thing is very dear to our heart, and we’d do anything to find it again. We even hear about a beloved dog or cat who goes missing, perhaps while on a far vacation, and after a while of searching the family has to return home, sometimes even thousands of miles away. That beloved pet dearly loves his family, and by some miracle will travel those thousands of miles back home, showing up on the doorstep months, or even years later! Seeking the love of their family kept them going. That is how much David loved and sought after God. He speaks a lot about this deep longing and desire to find and keep God in his life in our psalm study for today.
Several psalms come with a heading, and Psalm 63 is one of them. Its heading tells us that this psalm was written by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. It was likely that he was there during the years as a young adult when he was running for his life from King Saul, who sought to kill him, or many years later as an older man, while king, when he had to flee during the coup of his son Absalom. So we see that this psalm was written when David was in a time of distress. Whether written when he was young or older, he was away from his home, his family, and his friends. All alone, he had a deep longing and desire for God (vs. 1).
David was out in the wilderness, a dry and barren land, where very little grows, and even fewer people live. The few animals that live there usually only come out at night when it is cooler. It was hot, very hot there, and David knew what it was like to get extremely thirsty. And though he longed for water, which there was very little of, he longed for God even more. Do we long for God like that? Most of us have the opportunity to go to church, take part in worship, either in person or online, and read the Bible every day, but do we? David longed for that even more than he did a glass of ice-cold water!
He also sought after God “early” (vs. 1). This could mean both early in his life or early in the day. David had a personal relationship with God from his childhood, back as a young boy when his father gave him the job of watching the family sheep. Fortunate is the person who comes to faith in Jesus as a child! It also, and most commonly refers to beginning one’s day with time spent with the Lord. The believer should prioritize seeking God at the start of each day, recognizing that spiritual nourishment comes from Him alone. The fuel we give our heart and mind each morning greatly affects the remainder of the day. David began and ended each day with God. As he would lie upon his bed at the end of the day, he would meditate upon the Lord and His Word (vs. 6). When our day is hemmed with prayer and meditation on God’s Word, it is much less likely to unravel.
As David continued his psalm, he described that knowing God’s love and mercy was dearer to him than life itself (vs. 3). What is the most important thing in your life? David felt, and for all believers, it should be being in a right relationship with Jesus. True satisfaction in life comes from God, not worldly pleasures. When we walk close with God each day, we are satisfied just as we are when we enjoy our favorite foods (vs. 5).
When we meditate upon the Words and Truth found in the Bible, God will uphold us with His sustaining power. David felt God’s divine help like a hand of support (vs. 8). David wrote this during a difficult time, possibly during the rebellion of his son, Absalom. Even during that terrible time, God was present, and David trusted in Him. Life can be painful at times, yet God offers His comforting hand in the midst of it. We are not beyond His reach. In the middle of all of these troubles, David found that God was not only a sustaining hand for him, but also a shelter from the danger (vs. 7). Like a baby bird hiding in the shelter of its mother’s wings, David found that he could cling to God and be safe.
As our psalm draws to a close we read that God will judge the wicked (vs 9-11). It will be a fair and just judgment, and we can rejoice in His justice. We can trust that God will ultimately vindicate His people and bring justice. Looking back we are encouraged to seek God earnestly, worship Him wholeheartedly, and meditate on His Word. He is our protector, and will judge the wicked.
Until Jesus returns, we have an unfailing shelter. The world may think we are foolish to trust in the Lord to shelter us, but we can rejoice. Has God ever failed you? Does He promise to meet all of your needs? Does He keep His promises? God’s love is constant, and He cares for His people. God is in control of our life, and we can find strength in His promises!
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