Psalms 63:0 ¶ A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
This is another of the psalms of David written when he was hiding in the wilderness of Judah—probably during the time of Absalom’s attempt to overthrow him since he references himself as king (v11).
I loved Spurgeon’s comment: “There was no desert in his heart, though there was a desert around him. We too may expect to be cast into rough places ere we go hence. In such seasons, may the Eternal Comforter abide with us, and cause us to bless the Lord at all times, making even the solitary place to become a temple for Jehovah.”
Psalms 63:1 ¶ 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 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
David opens this psalm taking comfort in the fact that he had a personal relationship with God. The greatest desire of David’s whole being (soul and flesh) was to be in God’s will, and I think he was feeling a distance in their relationship since he had to escape to the desert wilderness, a dry and thirsty land. He longed to see the power and glory of God at work on his behalf. He had spent time in the sanctuary meditating on creation and how it testified to God’s power and glory. He probably also thought about the many times that God had intervened on his behalf giving testimony to His power and glory. He knew that no power was greater and that nothing existed that could rival the glory of God.
The Hebrew for “seek” references earnestness and diligence, the fact that David felt his need to be urgent. The Hebrew for “thirst” emphasizes that truth; Webster defines thirsting as having a vehement (urgent) desire for something.
Psalms 63:3 ¶ Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psalms 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
David knew that to experience the lovingkindness, the favor and mercy of God, was better than life itself; and he would publicly praise Him for allowing him to experience such love. The Hebrew for “bless” states that this is an act of adoration. David adored God; he worshipped God with a deep reverence. The lifting of hands I think pictures an act of recognition of and submission to God as LORD of one’s life.
Psalms 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psalms 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Marrow and fatness are a reference to rich food. David is saying that the love of God satisfied his soul better than rich food could satisfy his flesh; therefore, he would praise God joyfully, with great delight, as he remembered all that God was to him when meditating during the dark of night.
The wording “night watches” is obviously a reference to time, but I think can also be rightly applied to the dark times of life, times of trouble and despair. One can have a troubled heart and still be joyful of all that is ours in Jesus as a child of God.
Meditations in the night, the early hours of the morning, have been some of my sweetest times of fellowship with the LORD. Some of my favorite original poems have resulted from such fellowship. Many personal discoveries of scriptural insight have occurred during those times. They are times when I have enjoyed a special Father-daughter time with my heavenly Father.
Psalms 63:7 ¶ Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
David is open and honest in declaring that he rejoiced because of all that God had done for him. As he rejoiced, he knew that he was under the protective cover of his LORD.
Spurgeon: “This is the grand use of memory, to furnish us with proofs of the Lord's faithfulness, and lead us onward to a growing confidence in him.”
Psalms 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Psalms 63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Psalms 63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
David was confident that because he was doing his best to follow God closely, he could be confident that God would sustain him in His strength, a strength that could be matched by no other. He was also confident that his enemies would be destroyed because to reject David was to reject God’s will.
Several commentators note that the word “foxes” in verse 10 should be “jackals” since they are the ultimate scavenger, eating whatever others leave behind. The Hebrew is the same for both.
Psalms 63:11 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.
In contrast to his enemies, David had nothing to fear from God because he had yielded himself in faith to Him. Those that speak lies, however, will be stopped because God will judge them (is implied).
Psalms 64:0 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Another prayer of David seeking God’s protection that is set to music. I so identify with David in having to continually remind himself that our faith in God will result in victory despite the sometimes bleak outlook of circumstance.
Psalms 64:1 ¶ Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
David cries out to God, pleading for Him to hear his prayer and not “let my enemies’ threats overwhelm me.” (NLT) Again, I can relate. It is often the fear of the power of our enemy (evil spiritual forces) that can bring us down despite what we know about our Father in heaven and His promises to supply our every need when we place our trust in Him.
Guzik quoting Maclaren: “He can but pray, but he can pray; and no man is helpless who can look up. However high and closely engirdling may be the walls that men or sorrows build around us, there is always an opening in the dungeon roof, through which heaven is visible and prayers can mount.”
Psalms 64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
Psalms 64:3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
Psalms 64:4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
Again, I like the wording of the NLT: “Protect me from the plots of the wicked, from the scheming of those who do evil. Sharp tongues are the swords they wield; bitter words are the arrows they aim. They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.”
The wording of these verses and those that follow makes me think that this prayer was uttered during the time David was king since the weapons being referenced were sharp tongues and bitter words instead of real swords and spears. These enemies are seeking to slander David’s reputation as they secretly plot against him.
V4 “perfect” – The Hebrew makes reference to being “morally pious, upright”; one who is seeking to obey God.
Spurgeon: “Slander has ever been the master weapon of the good man's enemies, and great is the care of the malicious to use it effectively. As warriors grind their swords, to give them an edge which will cut deep and wound desperately, so do the unscrupulous invent falsehoods which shall be calculated to inflict pain, to stab the reputation, to kill the honour of the righteous.”
Psalms 64:5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
It is true that wicked men joined together find strength in numbers as they make their cowardly evil plans. They are confident that what they do in secret will not be discovered.
Psalms 64:6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
These evil men pride themselves on their carefully laid plans to accomplish their evil purposes. They are sure of their ability to outsmart those who might choose to stop them.
Psalms 64:7 ¶ But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
Psalms 64:8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
What these evil men don’t take into consideration is that God knows all about their evil plans. In His perfect time, He will intervene and turn their evil plans against them, causing them to flee in fear.
Psalms 64:9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
Psalms 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
All men that witness God’s action against evil men will stand in awe of His power. Those that are committed to living right before God will find their faith strengthened and their hearts filled with praise to the LORD when they witness His hand at work on behalf of those that trust in Him.