Psalm 63[a]

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,(A)
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.(B)

I have seen you in the sanctuary(C)
    and beheld your power and your glory.(D)
Because your love is better than life,(E)
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,(F)
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.(G)
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;(H)
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.(I)
Because you are my help,(J)
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.(K)
I cling to you;(L)
    your right hand upholds me.(M)

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;(N)
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.(O)
10 They will be given over to the sword(P)
    and become food for jackals.(Q)

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,(R)
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.(S)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 63:1 In Hebrew texts 63:1-11 is numbered 63:2-12.

A psalm of David when he was in the Desert of Judah.

63 God, you are my God.
    I seek you with all my heart.
With all my strength I thirst for you
    in this dry desert
    where there isn’t any water.

I have seen you in the sacred tent.
    There I have seen your power and your glory.
Your love is better than life.
    So I will bring glory to you with my lips.
I will praise you as long as I live.
    I will call on your name when I lift up my hands in prayer.
I will be as satisfied as if I had eaten the best food there is.
    I will sing praise to you with my mouth.

As I lie on my bed I remember you.
    I think of you all night long.
Because you have helped me,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I hold on to you tightly.
    Your powerful right hand takes good care of me.

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed.
    They will go down into the grave.
10 They will be killed by swords.
    They will become food for wild dogs.

11 But the king will be filled with joy because of what God has done.
    All those who make promises in God’s name will be able to brag.
    But the mouths of liars will be shut.

Wishing to Be Near God

A song of David when he was in the desert of Judah.

63 God, you are my God.
    I want to follow you.
My whole being
    thirsts for you,
like a man in a dry, empty land
    where there is no water.
I have seen you in the Temple.
    I have seen your strength and glory.
Your love is better than life.
    I will praise you.
I will praise you as long as I live.
    I will lift up my hands in prayer to your name.
I will be content as if I had eaten the best foods.
    My lips will sing. My mouth will praise you.

I remember you while I’m lying in bed.
    I think about you through the night.
You are my help.
    Because of your protection, I sing.
I stay close to you.
    You support me with your right hand.

Some people are trying to kill me.
    But they will go down to the grave.
10 They will be killed with swords.
    They will be eaten by wild dogs.
11 But the king will rejoice in his God.
    All who make promises in his name will praise him.
    But the mouths of liars will be shut.

Wishing to Be Near God

A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Judah.

63 God, you are my God.
    I search for you.
I thirst for you
    like someone in a dry, empty land
    where there is no water.
I have seen you in the Temple
    and have seen your strength and glory.
Because your love is better than life,
    I will praise you.
I will praise you as long as I live.
    I will lift up my hands in prayer to your name.
I will be content as if I had eaten the best foods.
    My lips will sing, and my mouth will praise you.

I remember you while I’m lying in bed;
    I think about you through the night.
You are my help.
    Because of your protection, I sing.
I stay close to you;
    you support me with your right hand.

Some people are trying to kill me,
    but they will go down to the grave.
10 They will be killed with swords
    and eaten by wild dogs.
11 But the king will rejoice in his God.
    All who make promises in his name will praise him,
    but the mouths of liars will be shut.