Psalms 63 - Trust / Psalm 63
Go ahead, church, and turn to Psalm 63. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Chris, and I serve as the community life director here on our staff at The Well. I also get to moonlight as the campus pastor here at midweek and over at our Southeast campus, and I am so grateful to be with you here today to teach from God’s Word.
We are landing the plane on our Psalms series. We’ve been in it all summer, and what a powerful experience it has been for us as a church to look at this beautiful book in our Bible and see God in a new and fresh way. I’ve been so grateful for the Psalms and the way they challenge us to live honest, authentic lives before the Lord in prayer, song, and worship.
For myself personally, it has been crazy how the Lord has used the Psalms in my own life. My wife and I were away last week at a husband-and-wife retreat, and the pastor doing the morning devotionals was going through the Psalms. Even before we started the series, I bought a couple of books by Tim Keller and C. S. Lewis about the Psalms, and I’ve been reading through those. On top of that, it seems like in random conversations with folks sharing what’s happening in their lives, they’ll say, “Yeah, I’ve been reading through the Psalms, and this is what God is speaking to me.” It has felt like all summer long, it’s been the Psalms over and over again.
We as a teaching team really wanted our church to see God in a fresh way through this study. We wanted us to recognize that God is near—He is not distant from us. He is a God of love and compassion, a God whose very character is faithfulness. Most of all, we wanted to remind you that God is with us. That has been the theme all summer long, and we’re going to remind ourselves one more time of that truth today.
David in the Judean Wilderness
If you look at the top of Psalm 63, the author is King David, and it says that he is on the run in the wilderness of Judah. We know from verse 9 that there are people seeking to destroy his life. David is a fugitive running through a barren wasteland.
David found himself in what we would call the wilderness at multiple points in his life. Before he became king, Saul sought to kill him, and he had to flee into the desert. But if we look at verse 11, it says:
Psalms 63:11 (NASB)
But the king will rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him will glory, For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.
Because of that mention of the king, this was most likely not written when David was a young man running from Saul. It was probably written in the context of 2 Samuel, when his son Absalom conspired to take over the throne, launched a coup, and ran David out of Jerusalem. David was forced, along with some of his family and soldiers, to flee the capital city. They left as quickly as they could, crossed over the Kidron Valley while people hurled insults and stones at them, and made their way into the Judean wilderness.
I’ve been to Israel, and the Judean wilderness is absolutely a big hunk of nothing. It is a sea of sand and stone, about 35 miles long and 15 miles wide, sitting right on the hills from Jerusalem down to the Dead Sea. There is nothing there. It is just rock and sand. It’s hot—think Fresno hot, plus another ten degrees. Nothing grows there; rain is scarce. It is not the kind of place you want to vacation.
David is there, not only having been deposed and forced into hiding, but carrying the heartbreak that his own son did this. His son Absalom said, “Dad, I want to be king, and I hate you so much that I’m not only throwing you out, I’m going to take your life.” David is on the run, terrified for his life, but he’s also dealing with the heartbreak of a parent. I have four daughters. If one of my daughters just looks at me funny, my heart breaks. Imagine if one of them wanted to kill me.
David is dealing with having everything he owned taken from him in a second. He is forced to run like a common criminal. His power, position, prestige, and prosperity were stripped in an instant. If you lived through the seventies, you might remember when Richard Nixon went from being the leader of the free world one day to exile the next. David goes from the top of the hill to out in the wilderness almost overnight.
Thirsting for the True God
In the midst of this wilderness, David seeks the one person he knows will carry him through.
Psalms 63:1 (NASB)
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
David turns to God—and not just to a distant deity, but to his God. That phrase, “O God, you are my God,” is deeply personal and intimate. This isn’t a foxhole prayer where a soldier says, “God, if You just get me out of this, I promise I’ll believe in You.” This is a man who has walked with God in a deep, personal relationship.
There is a profound difference between knowing about a person and actually knowing them. Knowing a person means you are involved in their life: you spend time with them, laugh with them, cry with them, argue with them, and get to know their heart. David knows God intimately. Scripture calls David a man after God’s own heart. He has walked with God from the time he was a young shepherd boy. And as we saw in Psalm 32, even in the darkest moments of his life—in the midst of adultery and murder—David received forgiveness, grace, and steadfast love. When David says, “O God, you are my God,” he is speaking from the depths of personal intimacy.
Notice that he doesn’t sit idly by, waiting for God to bail him out. He is proactive: “Earnestly I seek you.” He is in passionate pursuit of God. That word earnestly means ardently or diligently. In ancient times, it was used to describe wild donkeys searching desperately for food. David is saying, “The number one objective of my life is to pursue God.”
There is an ancient story about the Greek philosopher Socrates. A young man came up to him and said, “I want to be your disciple.” Socrates didn’t say anything; he just turned and walked into the river. The young man followed him into the water and asked again, “I want to be your disciple.” Socrates grabbed the man and pushed him under the water, holding him down. The man struggled and gasped, and finally Socrates pulled him up. As the man was wheezing for air, Socrates said, “When you desire truth as much as you just desired air, then you can be my disciple.”
David is making that exact declaration: he thirsts for God. He says, “My soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” In a place where he could literally die of physical dehydration, David’s primary focus isn’t on physical water; he recognizes his spiritual thirst. His focus is not his physical reality, but the God who satisfies his soul.
If you read through this entire psalm, David doesn’t make a single petition. He never says, “God, get me out of this mess. Take me back to Jerusalem. Restore my palace, my wealth, and my comfort.” Instead, he says, “Lord, I just want more of You.” It echoes what we read in Psalm 42:
Psalms 42:1 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.
It echoes Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:6 (NASB)
’Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
David declares that in the barren wilderness, God is enough. He might lack food, shelter, and water, but his greatest need is the Lord. And he anchors this trust by remembering who God is.
Psalms 63:2 (NASB)
Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
David had to flee Jerusalem, where the tabernacle stood and where God’s glory dwelled. David had experienced God’s power and presence there. Even though he was physically cut off from the sanctuary, he remembered what he had seen. That past experience gave him confidence in his present trial.
Better Than Life
David moves from remembering God’s power to celebrating God’s character.
Psalms 63:3-4 (NASB)
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
There is an old Mel Brooks film where he plays a French monarch, looks into the camera, grins, and says, “It’s good to be the king.” In earthly terms, David had it all. He had wives, power, wealth, and prestige. Yet when it was all stripped away in an instant, he looked at his life and said, “None of it matters compared to Your steadfast love. Your love is better than life itself.”
What a sobering lesson for us. We run after so many things, don’t we? We chase professional success, social acceptance, relational happiness, beauty, pleasure, and comfort. We go to great lengths to secure the “good life,” yet none of those things ever truly satisfy. The paycheck is nice, but we immediately wonder when the next raise is coming. We think, I just need one more drink to relax. We check our phones, hoping a few more people will like our post. We think, I’ve been married ten years, but I’m just not happy anymore; I want something else. We pursue things that leave us empty.
Our church was founded on the story in John 4—the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. In that conversation, Jesus helped her see that she had a deep identity crisis that she was trying to satisfy through relationships with men. Jesus came alongside her in love and truth, offering her living water:
John 4:14 (NASB)
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.’
Jesus shifted her attention from temporal wells to eternal satisfaction. David recognized that exact same truth: only God satisfies. Not family, not health, not career, not sex, not food, not entertainment, not even a beautiful sunset or a great glass of Merlot. Those are good gifts, but none of them compare to the Lord.
I’ve had that old hymn stuck in my head all week:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
David sang that song with his life. He knew God’s love was better than life, and he knew God was enough. Because he recognized that truth, his proclamation turned into wholehearted praise.
Psalms 63:5 (NASB)
My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
Have you ever had a meal so incredible that when they set it down, you almost didn’t want to touch it because it looked like art?
My wife and I facilitate marriage retreats at Scott River Lodge in Northern California a few times a year. It’s a gorgeous retreat center tucked away in the middle of nowhere. Couples come from all over the country to rest, reconnect, and learn God’s design for marriage. One of the best parts of the lodge is Chef Terry Parker. She grew up on a barge in Alaska, cooked on commercial fishing boats, earned her culinary degree in Southern California, worked as an executive chef in Portland, and then God brought her to this lodge.
Every week, Chef Terry and her staff prepare unbelievable meals. On the first night, she introduces the menu. I actually had to write down what she served us on a recent trip. For hors d’oeuvres: pork three ways—braised and roasted pork belly with fig sauce, pork pâté with pistachios, and pork brûlée with crème fraîche custard. For the entrée: fresh California trout dredged in buttermilk, flash-fried, served with mustard vinaigrette, house-pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, farmstead radishes, and microgreens. For dessert: pistachio olive oil cake with crème fraîche ice cream, vanilla citrus salsa, and pistachio dust.
When they brought that meal out, your jaw just dropped. And when you took a bite, it tasted even better than it looked. An explosion of flavor. But as amazing as Chef Terry’s cooking is—and Chef Terry, if you’re watching, I love you and you’re still the best—when I read Psalm 63:5, I realize that knowing God, experiencing His love, and feasting on His presence is infinitely richer than the finest meal on earth.
Meditating in the Night Watches
David’s devotion to the Lord wasn’t just a daytime activity; it carried over into the darkest hours of the night.
Psalms 63:6 (NASB)
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
In the ancient world, the night was divided into three military watches as guards rotated posts. David was on the run, terrified that Absalom’s army might ambush him, likely sleeping with one eye open. Yet in the middle of the night, David redeemed his insomnia. Instead of letting fear consume him, he spent the watches of the night meditating on God. He remembered God’s character and reflected on what God had done in the past.
This convicted me the other night when I couldn’t sleep. I went downstairs, turned on the TV, and started flipping through channels. After about fifty clicks, this verse popped into my head: What am I doing? I turned off the TV, sat in the quiet, and spent time praying and remembering who God is. Half an hour later, I went back to bed and slept peacefully. David models how to direct our anxious thoughts toward God.
Psalms 63:7 (NASB)
For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
The book of Psalms is divided into five collections. The first collection (Psalms 1–41) frequently portrays God as a rescuer. The second collection (Psalms 42–72), which includes this psalm, emphasizes God as our refuge. David knew that God was his shelter.
I recently read a National Geographic article where a photographer captured the birth of a giant panda cub in the wild. When the cub is born, it’s tiny—no bigger than a gerbil, fitting easily into the palm of your hand. For twenty-eight straight days after birth, the mother panda covers that fragile cub with her body. During those four weeks, she barely eats, sleeps, or moves. She provides continuous covering, warmth, and protection until the cub is strong enough to survive on its own. That is the picture David gives us: under the shadow of God’s wings, we find absolute safety and refuge.
Psalms 63:8 (NASB)
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
That word clings is the exact same Hebrew word used in Genesis 2:24, where a man leaves his father and mother and holds fast to his wife. It speaks of intimate, affectionate cleaving.
Genesis 2:24 (NASB)
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
David says, “My soul clings to You,” and immediately adds, “Your right hand upholds me.” Do you see the reciprocal nature of our relationship with God? We cling to Him in faith and devotion, and His strong right hand holds us securely. David declared his total dependence on God. An old translation says David “followed hard after the Lord.” In the middle of the worst season of his life, David pursued God with everything he had.
Following Hard After God in Our Own Wilderness
David didn’t ask for the wilderness. He didn’t wake up one morning and say, “You know what would make today great? If my son Absalom overthrew my kingdom and drove me into the desert!” But when the wilderness found him, David didn’t wallow in self-pity, and he didn’t rely on self-effort. He declared his total dependence on God. In the most barren place, he pursued God, praised God, and proclaimed God.
It is easy for us to read this story and say, “Good for David! What an amazing guy.” But three thousand years later, the question for us is: Isn’t the God David worshiped the exact same God we worship today? When we find ourselves in dry and weary seasons, can we not seek the Lord? Can we not behold His glory, declare that His love is better than life, lift our hands in praise, meditate on Him in the night, and cling to Him?
What does it look like for you and me to follow hard after God in our own wilderness?
In 2008, I was working at Fresno Christian Schools. I had graduated from there and worked there for years. It was my world—my own little kingdom. I had position, influence, and relationships that I deeply loved. But if I’m honest, I pursued that job to the detriment of my walk with the Lord and my family. God, in His mercy, began with a whisper and then sounded like a drumbeat in my heart: I want you to quit.
I didn’t want to quit. But the conviction grew so strong that I finally called my wife and said, “I’m putting in my notice.” She asked, “What are you going to do next?” I said, “I don’t know. I don’t have a job lined up, but I know God is telling me to step out.” She said, “Okay, let’s go.”
We entered a long, difficult wilderness. I couldn’t find a full-time job. We had to move in with my in-laws. Our bank account dwindled down to almost nothing. I was trying to finish a 120-page master’s thesis. We felt disconnected from our community. Eventually, Brad got me a part-time administrative job here at The Well making almost nothing—I think mostly because he felt sorry for me.
During that season, our fourth daughter was born. What should have been a day of pure celebration was one of the scariest days of my life. I was terrified. I was the protector and provider, we had twelve dollars to our name, and we were living with my wife’s parents. We were in a barren, dark place.
I wish I could tell you that I walked through that season boldly singing, “God, Your steadfast love is better than life! My soul is satisfied as with rich food!” But I would be lying. I was scared, angry, and confused. Yet, like David, I turned to my God. I clung to Him, and in His grace, God provided three gifts to sustain me through the desert.
Three Gifts in the Desert
First, He gave me His Spirit. As I prayed through many sleepless nights, the Holy Spirit—the Comforter—spoke peace into my soul. He gave me a calm that defied my circumstances and reminded me that I belonged to Christ.
Second, He gave me His Word. Our church was walking through the Gospel of John at the time, continually fixing our eyes on Jesus, the great “I AM.” Daily, as I opened the Scriptures and read the Psalms, God’s promises anchored my heart.
Third, He gave me His people. God put men around me—like Brad and others on staff—who walked alongside me, prayed for me, and challenged me to keep my eyes on Jesus and abide in Him daily.
My circumstances didn’t change overnight. But eight years later, I stand here today on the other side of that wilderness, testifying that God was with us and He was more than enough.
How Will We Respond?
As a pastor, my heart aches because I know many of you are in your own wilderness right now. A significant part of my week is spent sitting with people walking through barren wastelands. Some are there because of their own poor choices; others are there simply because we live in a broken, fallen world where painful things happen to people who didn’t ask for them.
When you find yourself in the wilderness, you have three options:
- You can be like Job’s wife and say, “Curse God and die.” You can conclude that God doesn’t exist, or that if He does, He isn’t good, and walk away in bitterness.
- You can try to play God. You can pull yourself up by your bootstraps, take total control, and try to fix everything in your own power—only to find that self-reliance eventually crumbles.
- You can choose the path of David. You can run straight into the arms of your loving Heavenly Father and declare, “God, You are enough.”
You are not alone in your desert. You have a loving, gracious Father who proved His love by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our sin, pay our debt, and conquer death. Through faith in Jesus, we are adopted into God’s family and made citizens of His kingdom.
Because of Christ, we can say with David: “O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You.” We can praise Him in the desert. We can be satisfied in Him when everything else is stripped away. We can cling to Him, knowing His right hand holds us fast.
Even in the deepest wilderness of your life, God is with you—and God is enough.
Let’s pray.
Father, what a delight it is to gather around Your Word and be reminded of who You are. Your Word provides everything we need for life and godliness. Thank You for walking with us through every season—in celebration and in trial, in war and in peace. When we find ourselves in the wilderness, teach us to trust You. Fill us with Your Spirit, anchor us in Your Word, and surround us with Your people. May we, like David, praise You with joyful lips and declare Your goodness to the world around us. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for Your steadfast love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.