The Bible — World English Bible

Psalm 63

In brief

Psalm 63 is a psalm of David written while he was in the wilderness of Judah. In a dry land, he confesses that his soul thirsts for God and that he seeks him earnestly at dawn. He remembers seeing him in the sanctuary and affirms that his loving kindness is better than life. He decides to bless him, to meditate on him at night and to take shelter in the shadow of his wings. The psalm ends with the certainty that the king will rejoice in God.

The chapter in 3 parts

  1. v. 1-4A thirst for God in the wilderness
  2. v. 5-8Satisfied, meditating at night, held up by his right hand
  3. v. 9-11Those who threaten will fall, the king will rejoice in God

1God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

2So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory.

3Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

4So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name.

5My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,

6when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.

7For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.

8My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

9But those who seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

10They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food.

11But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.

Key verses

Verse 1
God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

David is in the wilderness, but his first thirst is for God. He does not first ask to be brought out of the dryness.

Verse 3
Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

This verse compares God's loving kindness to life itself. David judges it more precious than his own existence.

Verse 6
when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.

Meditating at night reminds us that prayer is not limited to times of worship. Thinking of God on your bed is a way of seeking him.

Verse 7-8
For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings. My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.

The shadow of his wings and the right hand that holds up give the image of a shelter. David clings to God and acknowledges that God holds him.

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What the sermons say

The Thirst for God: The Burning Desire That Changes EverythingKevin Ango takes up verse 1: David is in the wilderness, exhausted, but looks first at his thirst for God. He concludes that those who are truly thirsty pray, seek and persevere differently.Read the summary →Moses Before the Bitter WatersDaniel Décary mentions this psalm when speaking of Moses at the waters of Marah: like David, he cries out to the LORD in the wilderness. He offers the cross of Jesus as the lasting answer to our thirst.Read the summary →Face to Face with God: Winning the Battle of the ImageTonny Tshibangu compares the congregation to David, thirsty in a dry land. He sees thirst as the starting point of meeting God, even before deliverance or healing.Read the summary →Thanksgiving, the Believer's Secret WeaponJoseph Moussio cites verse 3, because your loving kindness is better than life. He draws from it a reason to give thanks even before seeing the answer to our prayers.Read the summary →

Frequently asked questions about Psalm 63

What does Psalm 63 mean?

Psalm 63 expresses a deep desire to know God in a difficult season. David, in the wilderness, compares his thirst for God to that of dry ground. He remembers God's kindness, praises him, meditates on him at night and leans on him. The psalm shows that a relationship with God can satisfy even when circumstances stay hard.

How can I pray or meditate on Psalm 63?

Read it early in the morning or in the evening before sleep, since it speaks of dawn and of night. Take the verses one by one and answer them in your own words: tell God what you are seeking and what you have seen of his kindness, then choose a verse to keep in mind through the day, for example verse 3.

In which wilderness did David write Psalm 63?

The title speaks of the wilderness of Judah. Readers often link it to the time when David fled from Saul, or to his flight from Absalom, but the text does not settle it. Verse 11 speaks of the king, which points rather to David's royal period, though this is not certain.

Articles quoting Psalm 63

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World English Bible translation — public domain.