Psalm 63--My Soul Thirsts for You

Psalm 63
English Standard Version

My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
63 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

​9 But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

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David once again analogizes his need and desire for God to that of physical thirst.  Given that he was living in the wilderness at that time, he was probably well-acquainted with genuine thirst, and the need for living water which he could drink from.  David carries his personal experience into the analogy saying we are living in a dry and thirsty land--a world devoid of meaning and fulfilment apart from that which comes from knowing the LORD and serving Him.  Because we know that the LORD is as essential to us (more essential to us) than water is to life, we will ever praise Him and worship Him.

When we first find our satisfaction in the LORD, then we will be satisfied with everything else that the LORD gives us.  David seems to indicate here that the LORD is going to bless him with the fullness and richness of everything earth has to offer--meat that had fatty portions, a bed to sleep in, and security in a home without need to worry about thieves, robbers, or those who would break in to do harm to him.  He can rest easy in the LORD's provision and praise Him for all that He provides.  Our soul clings to Him and His right hand (the hand of strength and blessing) upholds us.

Those who are wicked and sought to destroy David (and us) will not have the same kind of enjoyment and peace in this life or the life to come.  They will go down to the grave and to the depths of Sheol (the place of the dead) where they will await their final judgment.  They will die in war and at the hands of evil men like them--those who live by the sword will die by the sword is essentially what David is saying here.  They will never be able to rest because they will be afraid that someone is always out to get them (and they are probably right about that).  They will become food for the wild, unclean beasts like the jackals.

However, David, and later Jesus who is the true King shall bless God.  All who swear by Him (the Father and I think also the Son) will be exalted (we will be co-heirs with Jesus and also called "sons of God," and the mouths of all the lars (those who were making false accusations against David and us) will be stopped as the Lord will judge all of them so that everyone will see the truth about who they are and who we are and that we are holy and blameless in His sight--not because of our own righteousness, but because of the righteousness of Christ our King.