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Psalm 63

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God;
    I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
    my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
    where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary
    and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you,
    meditating on you through the night.
Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
    They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword
    and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God.
    All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,
    while liars will be silenced.

The Thirsting Soul Satisfied in God.

A Psalm of David, [a]when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

63 God, (A)You are my God; I shall be watching for You;
My soul (B)thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a (C)dry and exhausted land where there is no water.
So have I (D)seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and glory.
Because Your [b](E)favor is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
So I will bless You (F)as long as I live;
I will (G)lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul is (H)satisfied as with fat and fatness,
And my mouth offers (I)praises with joyful lips.

When I remember You (J)on my bed,
I meditate on You in the (K)night watches,
For (L)You have been my help,
And in the (M)shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
My soul (N)clings [c]to You;
Your (O)right hand takes hold of me.

But those who (P)seek my [d]life to destroy it,
Will go into the [e](Q)depths of the earth.
10 [f]They will be [g](R)turned over to the power of the sword;
They will be a [h](S)prey for foxes.
11 But the (T)king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who (U)swears by Him will boast,
For the (V)mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 63 Title 1 Sam 22:5; 23:14
  2. Psalm 63:3 Or faithfulness
  3. Psalm 63:8 Lit after
  4. Psalm 63:9 Lit soul
  5. Psalm 63:9 Lit lowest places
  6. Psalm 63:10 Lit They will pour him out
  7. Psalm 63:10 Lit poured out by
  8. Psalm 63:10 Lit portion

David Hides in the Wilderness

13 So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all. 14 David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.

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13 Then David and his men, (A)about six hundred, rose up and departed from Keilah, and they went (B)wherever they could go. When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up [a]the pursuit. 14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of (C)Ziph. And Saul searched for him every day, but (D)God did not hand him over to him.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:13 Lit going out