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A Psalm by David, when he was in the desert of Judah.

63 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.
So I have seen you in the sanctuary,
    watching your power and your glory.
Because your loving kindness is better than life,
    my lips shall praise you.
So I will bless you while I live.
    I will lift up my hands in your name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food.
    My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
    when I remember you on my bed,
    and think about you in the night watches.
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.
But those who seek my soul to destroy it
    shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword.
    They shall be jackal food.
11 But 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.

Psalm 63

Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence

A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God; 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.(A)
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.(B)
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.(C)
So I will bless you as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands and call on your name.(D)

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,[a]
    and my mouth praises you with joyful lips(E)
when I think of you on my bed
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night,(F)
for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.(G)
My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.(H)

But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;(I)
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be prey for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 63.5 Heb with fat and fatness

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.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there. 14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.

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13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they wandered wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.(A) 14 David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the Lord[a] did not give him into his hand.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.14 Q ms Gk: MT God

13 So David and his men,(A) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14 David stayed in the wilderness(B) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.(C) Day after day Saul searched(D) for him, but God did not(E) give David into his hands.

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