Psalm 63: Devotion and Trust (Faith on Fire)

This psalm is either an individual lament or a song of trust (confidence) or both. David wrote this psalm during a dangerous time in his life, while he was in the Judean wilderness running from Absalom. He is away from Jerusalem, both his throne and the worship center. This song of faith is a window on David’s soul, a man after God’s own heart.

  I. The believer’s desire for God (vs. 1–4)                

     A. David longs for the special presence of God in corporate worship

     B. The God of the Bible is David’s God

     C. The believer earnestly seeks for God based on an established relationship

          1. When the Holy Spirit starts to draw someone to Christ, they become an awakened sinner

          2. God and committed believers are the only “seekers” in the Bible

          3. Those who are entertainment, music, food, or fellowship seekers are idolater’s

          4. The business model has the “seeker” as the “consumer” or “customer” to be pleased

          5. The Bible gives this place to God alone

     D. “Soul” here is a figure of speech, using the part for the whole. David was longing for God

          with body and soul, with his entire personhood and all it aspects: mind, will, emotion

     E. The believer longs for fellowship with the LORD just like a man in the dessert longs for 

          water (simile). This is an all-consuming desire. David is far from the tabernacle in the

           wilderness of Judea. He is away from the worshiping assembly, and it bother him

     F. God’s glory and presence is as necessary to David as water is in intense heat

     G. God’s holiness, glory, and power were revealed to David in the holy place

     H. God’s covenant love (hesed) is better than even being alive

          1. God is faithful to his covenant promises

          2. God promised to preserve David and his dynasty through the coming Messiah

          3. God’s love will sustain the believer who is providentially hinder from worship

     I. David’s devotion to God puts most of us to shame

     J. Body and soul joined together is the time when a whole person can worship God

    K. The Jewish way to hold the hands during prayer

         1. Don’t back read American religious movements into the text

         2. Don’t ignore the major world religions influence on current American practices

    L. David’s lips are full of praise to God, his hands and mind are offering prayers to God

    M. The name of the Lord, Yahweh, is David’s basis for hope and trust in God’s rescue

 

 II. The believer’s delight in God (vs. 5–8)

      A. David praise for God is a response of his faith in God, as well as his devotion and loyalty

      B. Because God is sovereign and involved, David is full of joy and thankfulness as if he was

           being served a wonderful banquet

     C. Prayer that acknowledges God’s faithfulness to His promises will drift into praise for who

          God is, His attributes and wonderful grace to sinners (Confidence and faith)

      D. David longs for the special presence of God

           1. He recalls God’s past interventions in his life

           2. He receives comfort for the present by focusing on God’s past actions

     E. The night had three four hour watches and is a fearful time when you are hunted

     F. God is close to His own children and protects them under His wings

         (metaphor for the close fellowship and protection of God)

         God also expects His children to draw close to Him

   G. The believer holds fast to God, clings, cleaves to Him (Deut 10:20)

   H. God is powerful and deliberate (right hand) and faithfully keeps His promise of protection,

        preservation, and salvation

    I. The ones who have repented of their sins and put their trust in the Messiah are the ones that

       have this intimate relationship with God

 

III. The believer’s defense by God (vs. 9–11)

      A. God will protect His people through the persecution

      B. God will judge those who mistreat His people

      C. The divine Warrior will be victorious over His enemies (Isa 10:3)

           1. It is not wise to attack someone who belongs to God

           2. For God to keep His promises He must punish those who fight against His own

               1 Cor 3:16–17

      D. Three metaphors for total destruction

            1. Going down into the earth (being buried in a mass grave after losing a battle)

            2. Given over to the sword (to die and loose the battle)

            3. Food for jackals (packs of dessert wolves will eat the corpses of the slain soldiers)

            4. These are all curses of the covenant (see Leviticus 26)

    E. The believer will rejoice in God when He judges the wicked

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.  ⁵ This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.  ⁶ For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,  ⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,  ⁸ dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  ⁹ These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

     F. Divine vengeance and justice will remove all sin from the believers presence

         1. This is reason for great rejoicing

         2. The king has been called by God to serve and obey Him

     G. The loyal subjects of Yahweh only swear by His name (Deut 6:3, 10:20)

     H. God’s justice will silence all slander against His name and His people

 

Lessons to live by:

$          We should desire God like a man at noon in the arid desert heat desires water—with all our heart, strength, mind, body, soul

$          We should love assembling for worship, Bible study, prayer, and edificational fellowship

$          Faith on fire, devotion, loyalty, obedience, and trust will sustain us in difficulties as we pray the promises of God and praise Him for His sovereignty and faithfulness

$          God will protect His own and will punish sin on His timing. We should rejoice in His justice rendered to the enemies of the cross

$          A close relationship with the God of the Bible is very, very important