Psalm 63: Wilderness

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Psalm 63 Wilderness
O God, You are my God I shall seek You
earnestly My soul thirsts for You, my flesh
yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where
there is no water. (Psalm 63 1)
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King David Enthroned over Judah
_at_ 30 in Hebron Enthroned over Israel _at_ 37 in
Jerusalem Death (after 40 year reign) _at_ 70 (971
BC)
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Psalm 63 Individual Lament Psalm

• Background the theme of trust that Psalms 61
  62 stress now reaches a climax in Psalm 63.
• Lament Psalms Structure/Components
• Problem stated
• Complaint against enemies
• Trust in God stated
• Solution provided
• Vow to praise once delivered

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Psalm 63 Individual Lament Psalm

• Background
• Superscription A Psalm of David, when he was
  in the wilderness of Judah.
• Why?
• During Davids flight from Saul?
• During Davids flight from Absalom?
• Psalm 3 clearly written during this time

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Absalom (my father is peace)

• Handsome son of David by Maacah in Hebron when
  David was about 35 years old
• Brother of Tamar who was raped by Amnon, Davids
  oldest son
• Slays Amnon flees north to Geshur for 3 yrs.
• Is permitted by David to return to Jerusalem
  (around age 24 David 59)
• Does not see David for two years
• Begins conspiracy while David builds his palace
  and the tabernacle and then places the ark

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Absalom

• Absaloms 4-year Conspiracy (2 Sam. 151-6)
• Weapons men procured (151)
• Criticism of David (152-3)
• Promises to be better than David (154)
• Exercised personal charm flattery (155-6)
• So Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of
  Israel (156)

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Absalom David

• Absaloms Rebellion Davids Exile (157-23)
• Absalom is now about 30 David 65
• David has been king for 35 years
• And David said to all his servants who were with
  him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, for
  otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom.
  Go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly and
  bring down calamity on us and strike the city
  with the edge of the sword.
• And David went up the Mount of Olives and wept
  as he went, and his head was covered and he
  walked barefoot. (2 Samuel 1514 30)

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Psalm 63 Message

• Now separated from the tabernacle, the formal
  place of worship, by those who seek to kill him,
  Davids satisfies his souls yearnings for
  worship by praising God for His loyal-love even
  during his present duress, and confidently
  anticipates his future joy when his enemies are
  stopped.

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• Psalm 63
• A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness
  of Judah.
• 1 O God, Thou art my God I shall seek Thee
  earnestly My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh
  yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where
  there is no water.
• 2 Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary, to
  see Thy power and Thy glory.
• 3 Because Thy lovingkindness is better than
  life, My lips will praise Thee.
• 4 So I will bless Thee as long as I live I will
  lift up my hands in Thy name.
• 5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and
  fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful
  lips.
• 6 When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on
  Thee in the night watches,
• 7 For Thou hast been my help, and in the shadow
  of Thy wings I sing for joy.
• 8 My soul clings to Thee Thy right hand upholds
  me.
• 9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
  will go into the depths of the earth.
• 10 They will be delivered over to the power of
  the sword They will be a prey for foxes.
• 11 But the king will rejoice in God Everyone
  who swears by Him will glory, For the mouths of
  those who speak lies will be stopped.

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Psalm 63

• Introduction Contrasting his present parched
  experience with his recollections of Gods power
  and glory in the tabernacle, David yearns for
  Gods presence (1-2)
• Body David satisfies his soul by praising God
  for His loyal-love, for the riches of the spirit,
  and for the help (3-8)
• Conclusion David confidently anticipates the
  destruction of those that seek to kill him (9-11)

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Psalm 63

• Introduction Contrasting his present parched
  experience with his recollections of Gods power
  and glory in the tabernacle, David yearns for
  Gods presence (1-2)
• A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness
  of Judah.
• 1 O God, Thou art my God I shall seek Thee
  earnestly My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh
  yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where
  there is no water.
• 2 Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary, to
  see Thy power and Thy glory.

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Psalm 63

• Introduction Contrasting his present parched
  experience with his recollections of Gods power
  and glory in the tabernacle, David yearns for
  Gods presence (1-2)
• Seek You earnestly (in the morning)
• Soul/flesh thirsts/yearn for You
• Land dry, weary, no water
• Davids soul dry, weary, no nourishment
• Longing for the presence of God (Why?)

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Psalm 63

• Introduction Contrasting his present parched
  experience with his recollections of Gods power
  and glory in the tabernacle, David yearns for
  Gods presence (1-2)
• Longing for the presence of God (Why?)
• Because David had beheld You in the sanctuary,
  to see Your power and Your glory
• Sanctuary the place set apart
• Glory heavy or importance

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Psalm 63 David, the worshipper

• Singers and singing (1 Chronicles 1516-27
  251-7)
• Musicians and instruments (1 Chronicles 235,
  251-7)
• Ministry of Levites before the Ark (1 Chronicles
  166,6,37)
• Recording (1 Chronicles 164, 2812, 19)
• Thanking the Lord (1 Chronicles 164, 8, 41)
• Praise (1 Chronicles 164, 36)
• Psalms (1 Chronicles 169, Psalm 986)
• Rejoicing and joy (1 Chronicles 1610, 16, 25,
  31)
• Clapping hands (Psalm 471, 988, Isaiah 5512)
• Shouting (1 Chronicles 1528, Psalm 471, 5
  Isaiah 126)
• Dancing (1 Chronicles 1529 2 Samuel 614, Psalm
  1493 Psalm 1504)
• Lifting up hands (Psalm 134 1412) (Lamentations
  341)
• Worship (1 Chronicles 1629, Psalm 291-2, 956)
• Seeking the Lord (1 Chronicles 1610-11, 2
  Chronicles 714)
• Spiritual sacrifices (Psalm 276, 1 Peter 23-5,
  Hebrews 1315,16)
• Saying Amen (1 Chronicles 1636)

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Psalm 63

• Introduction (1-2)
• Body David satisfies his soul by praising God
  for His loyal-love, for the riches of the spirit,
  and for the help (3-8)
• Praise for
• Gods superior loyal-love (3-4)
• The satisfaction of his soul (5-6)
• Gods sustaining of David (7-8)

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Psalm 63

• Praise forGods superior loyal-love (3-4)
• Hebrew hesed (loyal relational love)
• Examples
• Davids hesed covenant with Jonathan
• Gods hesed covenant with David
• Because God is such a great and loyal
  covenant-keeper, David praises and blesses His
  name (full reputation)

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Psalm 63

• Praise forThe satisfaction of his soul (5-6)
• Whats the order of events in 5-6?
• Cause remember meditate
• Effect soul satisfaction praise

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Psalm 63

• Praise forGods sustaining of David (7-8)
• Cause
• Gods help form of the word for helper in
  Gen. 2 (completion protection)
• Gods hand which upholds and wing which
  protect
• Effect
• I sing for joy
• My soul clings to You

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Psalm 63

• Introduction (1-2)
• Body (3-8)
• Conclusion David confidently anticipates the
  destruction of those that seek to kill him (9-11)
• But those who seek my life, to destroy it, will
  go into the depths of the earth. They will be
  delivered over to the power of the sword They
  will be a prey for foxes. But the king will
  rejoice in God Everyone who swears by Him will
  glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies
  will be stopped.

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Psalm 63 Application for today

• All worshippers who are in the wilderness find
  that this is a psalm for them. For them the
  psalm reminds that the loyal-love of God is of
  surpassing worth, worth more than life itself.
  Their longing thirst for God can be satisfied by
  the recall and realization of Yahwehs upholding
  power.

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Psalm 63 Application for today

• Read and discuss
• Psalm 7325
• Psalm 3610
• Psalm 165-6
• Philippians 121-23 312-20
• Galatians 220
• Ephesians 314-21

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Psalm 63 Wilderness
O God, You are my God I shall seek You
earnestly My soul thirsts for You, my flesh
yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where
there is no water. (Psalm 63 1)
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Psalms Bible Study 700-845pm

• June 10 Intro Psalm1
• June 17 Psalm 2
• June 24 NO CLASS
• July 1 Psalm 63
• July 8 Psalm 23
• July 15 Psalms of Ascent
• Hallel Psalms
• Psalm 150
• Praise Worship

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