MEDITATING ON PSALM 63 with Lisa
Posted on Jan 21, 2017
Title: A Love Better Than Life (title from James Montgomery Boice)
Please take some time to read and ponder Psalm 63. This is one of my all-time favorite psalms; it blesses my soul more than words can say.
Many years ago during a sermon by Peter Peer on Psalm 63, I wrote the following notes in my Bible: he titled the psalm: “Seek God Supremely.” There are 4 words of declaration: “Thou art my God” and 5 words of commitment: “I shall seek Thee earnestly. David is having a captivating communication with His Creator and Lord. Also, I had in my Bible: “God should be enough to fill me, resulting in much praise and joy” (vs. 5 & 7)” That sermon, or most importantly, that psalm has made a lasting impact on me.
As I was studying my Bible this morning preparing for the lesson, I especially liked the notes from my Ryrie Study Bible on Palm 63. For the background of this psalm, David is in the Judean wilderness having fellowship with his LORD, who is the desire of his being (vs. 1-4), the delight of his soul (vs. 5-8) and the defense of his life (vs. 9-11). I like that, and I so desire to have the LORD as my complete desire, delight and defense in this life, which is filled with delights and difficulties. Lastly, David rejoices in God and praises Him for His mighty power and His magnificent glory. And I asked myself, “Shouldn’t I be praising the LORD too like that?” Then a hymn came to my mind, “Hallelujah, Thine the Glory, Hallelujah. Amen. Hallelujah, Thine the Glory, Revive us again.” (If you know it, take some time to sing it to the LORD.)
As I took a quick break to fold some laundry this morning, I kept singing the hymn over and over again. I think the Lord is pleased when we sing His praises even while doing laundry (lol).
Now back to the Psalm 63, I had to check out the notes from my MacArthur Bible Commentary to get another perspective on this amazing psalm. John MacArthur outlines the psalm in this way:
- Present – Seeking God’s Presence (63:1-5)
- Past – Remembering God’s Power (63:6-8)
- Future – Anticipating God’s Judgment (63:9-11)
MacArthur writes that EARLY WILL I SEEK YOU (v. 1) shows an eagerness to be with the Lord daily and MY SOUL THIRSTS: David longs for God’s presence like a wanderer in a desert longing for water. IN A DRY AND THIRSTY LAND: David writes this psalm while hiding in the wilderness of Judea, but longing to be back worshiping in Jerusalem.
BETTER THAN LIFE: God’s covenant love [hesed HEBREW] is more valuable to David than life itself.
Wow, that’s amazing stuff! Is the Lord’s love for me [and for you] better than life? I’ve prayed this verse for years and truly believe He is the only one who satisfies my longing heart and that His love is better than life! How about you, do you feel this way?
MY SOUL FOLLOWS CLOSE BEHIND YOU, MacArthur says in response to God’s repeated invitation to “hold fast” to Him, the psalmist clings to God. This signifies David’s unfailing commitment to his LORD. Do I have this unfailing commitment to the Lord? Do I cling to Him daily? How about you?
Now for a few notes from James Montgomery Boice’s, Psalms- Vol. 2: “This background of Psalm 63 helps us appreciate the emotional passion of the psalm. Separated from God’s sanctuary, David is longing for a sense of the presence of God, as a friend longs for one from whom he is separated, or a lover longs for his beloved. This makes the psalm almost a love song for God, especially when David says, ‘My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you’ “(v. 1). Commentator Derek Kidner says, “There may be other songs that equal this outpouring of devotion; [but there are] few if any that surpass it.” J.J. Steward Perowne says, “This is unquestionably one of the most beautiful and touching psalms in the whole Psalter” (notes from page 517). I would have to agree.
Boice outlines the psalm into three parts, which I believe is very appropriate:
- Longing for God (vs. 1-4)
- Satisfaction in God (vs. 5-8)
- Vindication by God (vs. 9-11)
(For greater insight into the psalm, check out Boice’s book and read pages 516-521.)
Lastly, here is my outline as I spent much time meditating on Psalm 63; I hope it will be a blessing to you: (1) Seek the Lord, (2) Thirst for the Lord, (3) Praise the Lord, (4) Bless the Lord, (5) Sing to the Lord, (6) Meditate on the Lord, (7) Cling to the Lord, and (8) Rejoice in the Lord.
What a wonderful to-do list!
Personal notes by Lisa Patton (Bible notes from Ryrie, MacArthur and James Montgomery Boice)
