Psalms 63:1 - Meaning and Application

The title tells us when David wrote this psalm, while he was in the wilderness of Judah, likely in the forest of Hareth (1 Samuel 22:5) or the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:15). Even in Canaan, the promised land, there were still wild and less fruitful places. So it will be in the world and in the church, though not in heaven. There, everything will be like a city and a paradise, with no barren land at all, and the wilderness will blossom like a rose.

God’s best servants may sometimes find their lot in a wilderness. That can mean they are lonely, cut off, sad, needy, wandering, unsettled, and unsure what to do next. Yet hard conditions should not silence sacred song. Even in such places, it is both our duty and our good to keep close communion with God. There are psalms fit for a wilderness, and we should thank God that we are in the wilderness of Judah, not the wilderness of Sin.

In these verses, David stirs himself to hold on to God, first by active faith: “O God, you are my God.” In every prayer, we must see God as God, and as our God. That is a comfort in any wilderness season. We must remember that God truly exists, and that we are speaking to one who is present with us when we call, “O God.” That is a serious word, and it is sad when people use it lightly. We must also own his authority over us and our belonging to him. He is our God by creation, so he is our rightful ruler and owner. He is our God by covenant and by our own willing choice. We should say it with joy and gratitude, as those settled in it: “O God, you are my God.”

David also stirs himself by holy desires that fit the choice he had made and the covenant he had entered with God. Because God is his God, he says, “I will seek you.” Should not a people seek their God (Isaiah 8:19)? We must seek him for his favor and grace. We must desire his face as our greatest good and seek his glory as our highest aim. We seek him by his word, to know him better, and by prayer, to ask for mercy. We should seek him early, with care and eagerness, as people afraid of missing him. We should begin our days with him, and begin each day with him. We should also seek him earnestly.

“My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you, in a dry and thirsty land.” By this, David means that his whole person is stirred up in this search. He is in a dry and thirsty land. He counts it so, not only because it is a wilderness, but because he is away from the ark, the word, and the sacraments. This world is a weary land, and worldly people find no true rest in it. It is also weary for godly people passing through it, for it is like the valley of Baca, a place of tears, where they can expect little. David’s need sharpened his desire. He thirsted like a hunted deer for water. He would accept nothing less than what he sought. His longing was almost impatient, until he could again enjoy the freedom of God’s ordinances. Grace-filled souls look down on the world with holy disdain and look up to God with holy desire.

What David especially longs for is to enjoy God. He asks, “To see your power and your glory, as I have seen you in the sanctuary” (Psalm 63:2). He means, first, “Let me see it here in this wilderness, as I have seen it in the tabernacle. Let me see it in private, as I have seen it in public worship.” When we lose the help of public worship, we should still seek the same fellowship with God in our private times. A closet can become a small sanctuary. Ezekiel saw visions of the Almighty in Babylon, and John saw them on the island of Patmos. When we are alone, we may still have the Father with us, and that is enough.

David also means, “Let me see it again in the sanctuary, as I have seen it there before.” He longs to leave the wilderness, not mainly to see friends again or return to the pleasures of court life. He longs to come back to the sanctuary. He does not ask chiefly to see the priests or the outward ceremonies, but to see God’s power and glory, that is, his glorious power, or powerful glory. That stands for all of God’s character and perfection. David wants a deeper knowledge of God and a heart shaped by what he sees. He wants to behold the Lord’s glory so as to be changed into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

He says, “as I have seen you,” not just “as I have seen them.” We cannot see God’s essence, his inner being, but we do see him by faith in his attributes and perfections. David takes comfort in remembering those sights. The time he spent in fellowship with God was precious to him. He loved to think back on it, grieved over losing it, and longed to be restored to it. What has been the delight of gracious souls in solemn worship is to see God, and his power and glory, there.