Psalms 63

Psalms 631. A Psalm by David, in his being (when he was) in the wilderness of Judah. This is the wilderness along the eastern frontier of the tribe of Judah. It is frequently mentioned in the history of Absalom’s rebellion and of David’s flight before him. See 2 Samuel 15:23; 2 Samuel 15:28; 2 Samuel 16:2; 2 Samuel 16:14; 2 Samuel 17:16. In that history we also meet with several of the very same expressions that are here used, which, together with the strong internal similarity of this psalm to some others having reference to Absalom’s rebellion, such as Psalms 3, 4, 42, 61, suffice to shew that it belongs to the same period, and not to that of Saul’s persecution, which is indeed forbidden by the mention of the king in Psalms 63:11.

The psalm consists of two parts, each exhibiting essentially the same succession of ideas, but with the variation usual in all such cases. Both begin with the expression of intense desire for God’s presence and communion with him, and end with a confident anticipation of his mercy; but in the first, Psalms 63:1-8, this is supposed to be displayed in the deliverance of the Psalmist from his sufferings; in the second, Psalms 63:6-11, it is viewed as securing the destruction of his enemies.

2. (Psalms 63:1). O God, my God (art) thou; I will seek thee early; for thee thirsts my soul; for thee longs my flesh, in a dry land, weary without water. The second divine name is the one denoting power, and might be translated here, my Mighty (One). The very use of it involves a direct appeal to God’s omnipotence. The verb in the first clause is connected in its etymology with a noun meaning the dawn of day, which occurs above, Psalms 57:8. The modern lexicographers exclude the sense of early, and suppose the verb to mean nothing more than seek in English, or at most to seek with eagerness.

But that the notion of time is really included seems to follow from the antithesis in Isaiah 26:9. The act of seeking a thing early implies impatience or importunate desire. The soul and the flesh together mean the whole man. See above, on Psalms 16:9. There is evident allusion to the actual privations experienced by David in the wilderness of Judah. See the places cited in the note upon ver. 1, to which add 2 Samuel 17:2.

The Hebrew word for weary is there applied to David himself, which requires or allows the same application in the case before us, especially as the form of the adjective is masculine, and land is feminine. The strict grammatical concord is perhaps with flesh, which is a masculine in Hebrew.

3. (Psalms 63:2). To see thy power and thy glory, so (as) I have beheld thee in the sanctuary. The first clause states the object of the strong desire expressed in the preceding verse. To make this connection clear, the clauses are transposed in the common version, which is here retained, as being, on the whole, the best among the many which have been proposed. One of the latest makes the verse an acknowledgment that he had actually found a sanctuary in the desert, because it is always to be found where God is pleased to manifest his presence. But however sound and scriptural this sentiment may be, it can hardly be extracted from the verse before us without violence.

4. (Psalms 63:3). Because thy favour is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. A simpler construction, and perhaps more agreeable to Hebrew usage, is that which makes the first clause give a reason for the strong desire expressed in the foregoing verses, for thy favour is better than life, and the last clause merely add a pledge of thankful acknowledgment, my lips shall praise thee. Better than life, not merely than the life I now live, which was scarcely entitled to be so considered, but better than any life I could live, destitute of God’s favour, which is therefore more than a sufficient substitute or compensation.

5. (Psalms 63:4). So will I bless thee in my life, in thy name will I raise my hands. So, that is, according to the gift bestowed. Bless, i.e. praise and thank thee. See above, on Psalms 16:7; Psalms 34:1. In my life may either mean as long as I live, which is the obvious and usual interpretation, or when restored to life, from this state of living death, which is the sense preferred by sonic of the best interpreters, on account of the supposed allusion to better than life in the preceding verse; but it is far from being the most natural construction. In thy name, invoking thee as the object being my worship, and particularly of my thankful praise. Lift up my hands in prayer, and more specifically here, in thanksgiving. See above, on Psalms 28:2.

6. (Psalms 63:5). As (with) marrow and fatness shall my soul be satisfied, and (with) lips of rejoicing shall my mouth praise (thee). He continues the expression of his joyful confidence and hope. Marrow and fatness are used to represent two Hebrew words, both meaning animal fat, here put for rich food, and that for abundant supplies of every kind. Lips of rejoicings may denote either joyful lips, or lips by which rejoicings are uttered. The unconditional engagement to praise God implies, as usual, a firm belief that he will have occasion so to do. See above, on Psalms 5:7.

7. (Psalms 63:6). When I remember thee upon my bed, in the watches I will meditate upon thee. The first word in Hebrew is the one commonly translated if; but the condition indicated by it is sometimes specifically that of time. There seems to be reference in this Verse to the old division of the night, for municipal and military purposes, into three watches, the first (Lamentations 2:19), the middle (Judges 7:19), and the morning watch (Exodus 14:24, 1 Samuel 11:11). I will meditate of thee, or more literally in thee, implying an entire absorption of his powers and affections in the object. See above, on Psalms 1:2.

8. (Psalms 63:7). For thou hast been a help to me, and in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. The protection which he has experienced already he is sure of still enjoying in the time to come. The translation of the first verb as a present (thou art my help) not only weakens the antithesis but violates a constant usage. See above, on Psalms 59:16; Psalms 61:3. The image presented in the last clause is the same as that in Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 61:4.

9. (Psalms 63:8). My soul cleaves after thee, thy right hand holds me. This is a strong metaphorical description of the mutual relation between God and the believer; a relation of trustful dependence on the one hand, and of constant favour and protection on the other. Cleaves after is a frequent phrase for follows cleaving to thee. The right hand is the constant symbol of strength. See above, on Psalms 18:35; Psalms 44:3; Psalms 60:5.

10. (Psalms 63:9). And they to (their) ruin are seeking my soul; they shall go into the depths of the earth. The phrase to ruin has precisely the same sense as in Psalms 35:8, namely, to their own destruction. Are seeking, will seek; the idea suggested by the future is, that if they still persist in seeking it, they will do so to their own destruction. Some obtain the same sense by a different construction, they (shall come) to ruin (who) are seeking my soul; but this supposes two ellipses, which are not to be assumed without necessity. Still less satisfactory is the construction which regards the whole verse as a single proposition: they (who) seek my soul to ruin (or destroy it) shall go, etc.

To seek the soul implies a purpose of destruction, without any qualifying adjunct, even in prose. See 2 Samuel 16:11. The depths of the earth, literally its lower or lowest parts, which may simply mean the grave (as we say under ground), or contain an allusion to the fate of Korah and his company (Numbers 16:31-34). See above, on Psalms 55:15.

11. (Psalms 63:10). They shall be abandoned to the power of the sword, the prey of jackals shall they be. The literal translation of the first clause is, they shall pour him out upon the hands of the sword, where the use of the plural verb in an indefinite or passive sense, and the sudden alternation of the singular and plural form in speaking of the enemy, together with the bold and idiomatic figures of a sword with hands and men poured on them, present, such a concurrence of apparent solecisms as can be made intelligible only by a paraphrase. The word translated prey means properly a share or portion; it occurs above, Psalms 11:6; Psalms 16:5. The other noun in this clause is the common Hebrew word for foxes, but is used with so much latitude as to include the jackal, which sense must be here preferred, as the fox does not prey upon dead men, unless the clause be understood to mean nothing more than that they shall be left lying in the desert, where these creatures have their home, which is a good sense, but much weaker than the one just put upon the words.

12. (Psalms 63:11). And the king shall rejoice in God; (in him) shall every one boast (or glory) that swears by him, because the mouth of those speaking falsehood shall be shut (or stopped). Instead of the personal pronoun he inserts his official title, the king, i e. I as king. Rejoice in God, i.e. in union with him and in the experience of his favour. Boast or praise himself, i.e. felicitate himself on the possession of these glorious distinctions and advantages.

Swearing by him, i.e. as some suppose, by the king here mentioned, according to the old Egyptian custom (Genesis 42:15-16), of which we find some traces even in Israel (1 Samuel 17:55; 1 Samuel 25:26, 2 Samuel 11:11). If this were the true grammatical construction we might perhaps explain the phrase to mean swearing to him, i. e. swearing fealty or allegiance, doing homage to him as a rightful sovereign. But there is, in fact, no sufficient reason for departing from the obvious construction which refers the pronoun to the nearest antecedent, God. The last clause assigns the immediate occasion of the joy and triumph here predicted, namely, the defeat of false and treacherous insurgents. See above, on Psalms 62:4), and compare 2 Samuel 18:7-8.