You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
   I will praise you with songs of joy.
Psalm 63:5

I’ve tasted earthly feasts, Lord, but it is You I want.

Things here that tease my desires, lure my affections, or command my will can never satisfy.

In this parched and weary land, there really is no water.

Only your living Water,
only the miraculous Manna sent from heaven
satisfies.

My heart and soul know this, and yet sometimes I wander
and seek out and sit down to the false feasts.

The bread and water you have for me, Lord—that is what my hunger and thirst truly desire.

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

And let my days lived out be a race run with joy,
a song of praise to my Creator.

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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.
Psalm 63:1-5

I will praise you as long as I live,
   lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Psalm 63:4

Raised hands, a signal of prayer.

How did that gesture begin?

Hands empty, longing to be filled?
Hands offering up, releasing whatever they had been holding tightly?
Hand opens, waiting?

My hands reach out, stretching toward His touch.

*

*

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.
Psalm 63:1-4

We’ve chased and tried many things in this life to satisfy and fulfill. But where do we find such filling or satisfying? Where is there unfailing?

Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
   how I praise you!
Psalm 63:3

This is why we come to Him—because all else in life fails.
Our hunger and thirst are satisfied only in the One who created and loves us.

He says His love surrounds us and lasts eternally —

It is more necessary to us than the air we breathe.
Without His love — only darkness and death are left.

That love gives life and light and hope.

All our praises belong to Him and Him alone, the Lord, the Almighty God.

*

*

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!
Psalm 63:1-3

As far as we know, David’s eyes never “saw” God. Not in the way we see each other. But I’m guessing each child of God can understand why he wrote:

I have seen you in your sanctuary
   and gazed upon your power and glory.
(Psalm 63:2)

 Oh, Lord! For a glimpse today of Your glory!

Christ’s death ripped the barrier apart—that barrier between Creator God and the creation He loves. The door to the sanctuary is flung open, and we’re invited to enter fearlessly, guiltlessly, in awe of the Almighty God and in awe that He names us His children.

We know His power and glory are there constantly, like the cloud and pillar of fire that guided His people through their wilderness. He guides us through our wildernesses, and we catch glimpses of the glory, we have tastes of the power.

As our eyes have been opened to know you, Father, we’ve seen your power and glory. Today let us linger in Your sanctuary and gaze upon all You are … gaze long and full and in awe.

Here we are, in Your sanctuary…

*

*

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.
             Psalm 63:1-2

Parched and weary ground. Bared to the merciless sun beating down upon it. Thirsty. Longing for relief. Exhausted of resources. Ever feel like that?

(Photo Credit: William Warby, Flickr CC)

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.
             Psalm 63:1

Psalm 63 is the prayer for pilgrims trudging through parched and weary lands.

For those times we feel we’ve wandered too far away from home,
and we want only to sit close to our Father and soak up His love;

For the days we feel depleted, empty, exhausted…
with nothing more to give
and no resources for what still lies ahead;

For the days we want to stand in awe once again
and we beg for a new glimpse of the greatness of our God.

Several years ago I worked at memorizing this prayer and praying it during my early morning walk. Verses drift back to me now whenever particular circumstances call forth some of these cries from my heart.

I’d like to refresh my memory and share that refreshment with you. We’ll take one verse a day (with one exception), ponder it—your thoughts may be different than mine—and pray it. Pray it aloud — speaking it helps me internalize the Scripture.

The Lord is our God, and we long for Him, we search for Him—because we walk through a parched, barren land, and what else will water our thirsty and weary souls?

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