"My Flesh Faints for You"

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” (Psalm 63:1-4 ESV)

In the Judean wilderness, David wrote this Psalm of love, desire, and devotion to the Lord. Often, when we are lost or troubled, this Psalm reminds us where to turn, just as David did in his flight from his son Absalom.  

David’s desire for God is fervently present in this Psalm. It is a longing of a separated Son from his Father. David expresses his need for God. In the parched wilderness of Judah under the pressure of the pursuit of his son, David thirsts for God. Only God can fulfill our thirst in all things; our desires must be for God, for when they are not, we turn to human desires, which are inherently sinful.

David's need for the Lord is not just physical, but spiritual. This is a profound acknowledgment of our internal need for God and external daily reliance on Him for our needs. David is expressing that in all things, his need for God is so powerful that it overrides all other things in his life.

David has seen the power of God. Eyes wide open in the sanctuary, fully aware, David witnessed the glory and power of the Lord. In the cave with Saul, in the hidden quiet sanctuary of the wilderness, David has seen the power of God, just as he had experienced the mercy and forbearance of God in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba.

Even in fear of threats against him, David acknowledges that being fulfilled in God is better than life itself. Just like David, when we come to the understanding of this fulfillment and peace, we too should sing out His praises despite our trials and troubles.

Is this a reflection of your love for God? As we mature in life and faith, we grow in our sanctification, and this growth also informs our understanding. Each day we are closer to seeing our Lord and Savior, and each day we have a greater sense of David’s professions in this Psalm and an understanding of our own desires for God. Our sins become more troublesome to us, and we cry out, “Abba, please help me,” knowing our time grows shorter and shorter. Yet we have faith and hope in Christ, who has the power to transform us.

I pray you desire God as David did, as I hope to, despite my nature. I pray you take faith in Christ and find hope in the resurrection, a hope that brings comfort and reassurance, fully understanding the finished work of Christ on the cross. I also pray that if you do not know Christ, you will seek Him without delay and come to understand the urgency of salvation in your life.

Grace and Peace.