Reflections on Psalm 63

Psalm 63, which we prayed together this past Sunday, begins with the title, “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.” In his distress, driven into hiding in the wilderness, David expresses such strong love for and commitment to his Lord that Derek Kidner, author of a wonderful commentary on the Psalms, is prompted to declare, “There may be other psalms that equal this outpouring of devotion; few if any that surpass it.” In verses 1-3 David tells us where his strength comes from:

“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.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.”

David desires to be with his God, he longs for him as for a dear friend; he values the love of his Father more than life! Do we know the love of our Father? Do we long for our Lord and King as for our dearest friend and best companion?

David links his longing for God and his knowledge of his love with looking upon him in the sanctuary, beholding his power and glory. Justin reminded us in his sermon on John 1:43-51 that we are fully seen and fully known—and still infinitely loved!—by our King. In this psalm, David leads us in looking upon God, an audacious move for a sinful king leading a sinful people. But as we see embodied in Jesus’ interaction with Nathaniel, God has looked on us first, has seen and loved us in the midst of our sin and human frailty. In the reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us “he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Cor 6:17), which is a profound mystery! It must at the very least, though, give us courage to follow David in looking upon our Lord in the sanctuary, in beholding his power and glory.

And who is this King of Glory? Paul gives us a beautiful picture in his letter to the Philippians. Speaking of Christ Jesus, Paul says (Phil 2:6-11):

“[...W]ho, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Behold our God seated on his throne; Come let us adore him!

Rebekah