The title of the 63rd Psalm informs us that David wrote these wods when he was in the wilderness of Judah. The tone of the language reveals the lonely spirit of the fugitive. Some have conjectured that the Psalm was written when David fled from Absalom.

There is much that can edify our hearts from David’s wilderness experience. We too must pass through wildernesses as a result of disappointment, betrayal, bereavement, sickness or failure. Matthew Henry wrote however, “we have reason to thank God it is the wilderness of Judah we are in and not the wilderness of sin”. Better to be in a wilderness designed by God for our spiritual improvement than a spiritual wilderness where we sin with impunity.

It is the spiritual improvement David experienced in his wilderness that we whall focus upon in this study and may God return us to these words when we enter our own wilderness experiences.

HIS LONGING IN THE DRY & THIRSTY LAND

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:
my soul thirsteth for thee,
my flesh longeth for thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
To see thy power and thy glory,
so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Psalm 63:1-2

Looking around him at the barrenness of the landscape David felt a greater barrenness within his heart. While his physical body needed and craved water his soul had a greater thirst.

In the wilderness of Judah the man of God was cut off from Mount Zion, the tabernacle and the priesthood. He longed for the sanctuary; he longed for the presence of God. He believed however that this wilderness could become Bethel to his soul, a place of divine visitation, therefore he sought God’s power and glory.

He sought God by crying out “O God” and “my God”.

Regarding the “O God” Matthew Henry wrote, “This is a serious word, pity it should ever be used as a bye-word”. It denotes the reverence of the seeking soul. Yet David could seek as one who could affirm, “ my God”. What a thrill to have a personal relationship with Him!

He sought God’s presence early. As the first rays of morning light diffused across the wilderness his heart was toward the Lord. Despite all of his turmoil and difficulty, his pain and his sorrow – his heart longed for God. His faith was intensified in adversity.

There was no desert in his heart though there was a desert all around him (CH Spurgeon)

Revival begins when the people of God begin thirsting for the presence of the Lord. Thirst must be an incredibly painful experience for the wilderness traveller. The desire for water is one of the most basic of human instincts. Spiritually; we must have an instinct for God – for His power and glory in our lives. Even in the wilderness, when we are discouraged and alone, afraid and defeated God can come and that place of bitterness and disappointment can be hallowed by His amazing presence.

HIS LOVING IN THE DRY & THIRSTY LAND

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life,
my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live:
I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Psalm 63:3-4

In his wilderness David never gave up on the God of love. These verses are more about God’s love for David than they are about David’s love for God. The reason why he could praise God and lift up his hands, even in the wilderness, was because he knew that God’s lovingkindness was better even than life itself.

We love life, to live is a natural desire. Yet life will pass away, and for all of us it is slowly slipping down the long channel to the grave. But God’s love remains and will carry us over the cold river to the shoreline of eternity from whence the angels will transport us up the hill and to the gates of the golden city. Therefore as God’s love outlasts life, that love is better than life itself. Is this not reason enough to praise God? – HIs lovingkindness is better than life.

This is the fact that trumps human experience and sentimental feelings. In the harshness of the wilderness when his life was under threat David was not feeling good. But even there he knew the God of love to be watching over and being faithful to His covenant. So it is with us in all of our calamities.

HIS LEARNING IN THE DRY AND THIRSTY LAND

LEARNING SATISFACTION

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;
and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

Psalm 63:5

Therefore on account of these truths, which only the wilderness could inculcate – David’s soul was satisfied. Christ mends every broken heart, he fills every void, he redeems from every sin, he restores every backslider, he wipes away every tear – He never fails as a our constant companion! Have we any reason not to be satisfied?

LEARNING PRAYERFULNESS

When I remember thee upon my bed,
and meditate on thee in the night watches.

PSALM 63:6

In this wilderness David learned to pray. Lying upon his bed with stars as his canvas, with the dusty ground beneath, with the noises of wild beasts in the distance, and the enemy seeking his life – he meditated upon God. Rather than filling his soul with thoughts of anger, revenge and self pity he thought about the Lord and he lifted up his heart to Him.

In the secret lonely place David learned God; oftentimes for God’s people the lonely times are the occasions when God comes down and enriches the soul

That bread which saints eat in secret how pleasant it is…Believers find rich mines of gold and silver in solitary places…they that know what it is to enjoy God in secret, would not leave it or lose it, to be kings or commanders over the whole world (George Swinnock)

Being positive devotionally will enable us to rise above the challenges that afflict us in our wilderness sojourn.

LEARNING TO TRUST

Because thou hast been my help,
therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

PSALM 63:7

as the spirit and soul of the whole Psalm is contracted into this Psalm so the spirit of Psalm is contracted into this verse (John Donne)

As he meditated upon God David remembered that he never had been failed by God once. Therefore he renewed his faith and his trust for this circumstances.

The hard times prove one truth – that God is never a failure. We can continue to trust Him. Our wildernesses are His opportunities for proving this. This is why and how the desert blossoms as the rose in the Christian experience.

LEARNING TO FOLLOW

My soul followeth hard after thee:
thy right hand upholdeth me.

PSALM 63:8

As God had not failed, nor would He, David followed the Lord even in the wilderness. He would cling to the Lord with same attachment that Ruth had for Naomi.

whither thou goest will I go (Ruth 1:16)

Whatever our circumstances we must keep following devotionally and practically; never losing sight of Jesus.

LEARNING JUSTICE

But those that seek my soul, to destroy it,
shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword:
they shall be a portion for foxes.
But the king shall rejoice in God;
every one that sweareth by him shall glory:
but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

PSALM 63:9-11

David closed his Psalm by resting in the God of justice. Injustice may succeed for a time but God’s justice ultimately will prevail. The life of David is evidence of this very fact. Anointed by Samuel to be King was a most unlikely and surprising circumstance but he was God’s vessel. Saul attempted to thwart the purposes of God as did Absalom. No weapon that was formed against the anointed servant of Jehovah prospered.

So it is in our circumstances. We may be troubled by a lack of justice in our lives. Keep believing, trusting and praying – you will be vindicated. We are perplexed by the most vociferous and sustained attack on the morality of God’s Word ever in our culture. Our noble and proud Christian culture is being ripped apart and destroyed. Righteousness is being negated BUT God is on the throne. He will intervene – the lies will stopped.

We press forward with faith and resolve in the dry and thirsty land.

All graphics were created by Jetpack’s AI image generator to illustrate the lessons.