"O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” (v.1)
King David was in a very inhospitable environment with disastrous circumstances beyond his control when he composed Psalm 63. After his son, Prince Absalom, instigated a revolt against him, king David fled eastward from Jerusalem through the Judean Desert, most likely at the end of the summer ( 2 Sam. 16:1) to the friendlier region of Gilead on the other side of the Jordan River (2 Sam. 17:24). As we examine this psalm, we will see David’s desire to worship the Lord even though he had been cut off from access to the sanctuary in Jerusalem by those who pursued him.
King David understood that every human being is thirsty for God. Some are more aware of this thirst than others, and some deny that they are even thirsty at all. But deny or admit, every person has this thirst, and those who do not know Him, attempt to quench it with someone or something other than God. We actually need a relationship with God more than we need food to eat, air to breath, or water to drink. We will of course die physically without food, air, and water; but without God, we will experience the death of separation from God for eternity. British pastor F. B. Meyer wrote, “God has set Eternity in our heart, and man’s infinite capacity cannot be filled or satisfied with the things of time and sense.”
This psalm reminds us that, when we find ourselves in a dry place in life both physically and spiritually like David did, we need to "follow hard after God and He will uphold us” (v.8), to rejoice in Him through the dryness knowing that He will protect and provide for us, that we may glorify Him (v.11).
The Truth: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28) - (God replace our worries with His peace (Philippians 4:6-7).
