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Young At Heart Bible Study: The Book of Psalms Psalm 63
Psalm 63: Better Than Life
We know little about this Psalm except that it comes from a time when David was on therun in the wilderness of Judah. This area was on the eastern part of Judah, near theDead Sea, and David had probably spent much time in the caves there. The fact that heis referred to as the king within the psalm leads us to think that this was written during Absalom’s rebellion. This Psalm has been a devotional favorite because of its beautifulpoetry, and it gives wonderful glimpse into the devotional life of David himself.
(1) <A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.> O God, you are my God; early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longsfor thee in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water is; (2) to see yourpower and your glory, so I have seen you in the sanctuary.
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This is a song of a worshipper relying upon his God and longing to be returned tothe place of God’s glory.
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In Hebrew David said, “O Elohim you are my El,” the idea being that he waslooking to God as El – a personal God, and the God who shows His strength. Inother words, David would appeal to God not just as the Creator but as the One who cared for him and was mighty to save.
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David would seek God early – always the best practice, and of course onefollowed by Christ Himself, who would get up a great while before dawn to seek God. (See, for example, Mark 1:35)
Psalms Bible Study Psalm 63
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David’s entire being thirsted for God’s presence, much a person in the desert would thirst for water. He longed to be in God’s Presence with all His saints! In worship, he had seen the glory of God revealed.
(3) Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.(4) Thus will I bless you while I live: I will lift up my hands in your name.(5) My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouthshall praise you with joyful lips, (6) When I remember you upon my bed,and meditate on you in the night watches.
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David feels that the experience of knowing God’s mercies (his
chesed
) is betterthan life. Here is a picture of praise which is active and expressive. While our worship is a matter of the heart, it necessarily involves the whole man. He wouldpraise God with his lips, meaning outwardly as well as inwardly, and would raisehis hands in that ancient posture of worship.
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While our culture seeks to avoid “fatness,” David’s culture used fat or grease as apicture of prosperity – even prosperity of the soul!
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His praise would begin in the morning and he would also close out the night with worship and meditation on the Lord – with joyful lips!
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David highly prized biblical meditation and viewed it as a wonderful way to closehis day. He would meditate on the Word of the Lord.
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Meditating on the Word was one of the “secrets of success” for David and many other heroes of the faith. It was a spiritual and mental discipline that was highly
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Psalms Bible Study Psalm 63
prized – and had actually been commanded by God. Let’s look at some Scripturesin the Psalms and elsewhere that deal with the topic:
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(Genesis 24:63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at evening…
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(Joshua 1:8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; butthou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to doaccording to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
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(Psalm 1:2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law dothhe meditate day and night.
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(Psalm 19:14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
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(Psalm 63:6) When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on theein the night watches.
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(Psalm 104:34) My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in theLORD.
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(Psalm 119:15) I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
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(Psalm 119:23) Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servantdid meditate in thy statutes.
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(Psalm 119:48) My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.
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(Psalm 119:78) Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely withme without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
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