PSALM 63: A Psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

¹ O God, you are my God;
    I earnestly search for you.
  My soul thirsts for you;
    my whole body longs for you
  in this parched and weary land
    where there is no water.
² I have seen you in your sanctuary
    and gazed upon your power and glory.
³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise you!
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise you with songs of joy.
⁶ I lie awake thinking of you,
    meditating on you through the night.
⁷ Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.
⁹ But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
    They will go down into the depths of the earth.
¹⁰ They will die by the sword
    and become the food of jackals.
¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God.
    All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,
    while liars will be silenced.

The subject line of Psalm 63 reads: “A Psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.” It is not uncommon to find ourselves in the desert. David, Israel, and Jesus spent days and even years in this barren land. Israel was there because of sin, David due to his enemies, and Jesus as he prepared for his public ministry. Many troubles can lead us into the desert, revealing our ongoing struggle for meaning, stability, and control. Although we naturally seek these, our souls search tirelessly for something more, which is ultimately found only in God.

In the desert, stripped of ordinary securities, God cultivated in David what he learned to value most—a consistent, intimate relationship with Him. Psalm 63 describes his steady search to know God, a search rooted in God’s power, glory, love, and provision (verses 2-5), culminating in gratitude and praise for God’s sovereign goodness (verses 5-7).

But before we turn David into a super-saint, consider how he begins verse 8: “I cling to you.” “I cling to you” seems to suggest that while he was making every effort to rely on God, he was also learning to let go of the conventional things that made him feel safe, significant, and confident. David especially learned to hold on to God’s right hand during times of adversity and trouble (verses 8b-10).

We tend to hold on to many things; King David reminds us to prioritize God above everything else. Our personal interests become apparent in the desert. There, we learn to cling to God, who has made us for Himself, and that our hearts are restless until they find rest in Him (The Confessions by St. Augustine). So, as we celebrate another week of walking with the Lord, may we find rest in God's faithful care.

The Lord's peace be with you!

Joe