King James Version

Psalm 63

Psalm 63 is David's prayer from the wilderness of Judah, where he says his soul thirsts for God in a dry land. He declares that God's lovingkindness is better than life, remembers God through the night watches, rejoices in the shadow of his wings, and trusts that his enemies will fall and the king will rejoice in God.

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Psalm 63 (KJV)

My soul thirsteth for thee v. 1-2

¹O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

²To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

Thy lovingkindness is better than life v. 3-5

³Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

⁴Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

⁵My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

In the night watches, in the shadow of thy wings v. 6-8

⁶When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

⁷Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

⁸My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

The king shall rejoice in God v. 9-11

⁹But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

What Psalm 63 means

Psalm 63 begins with longing. "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee." David says his soul thirsts and his flesh longs for God in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. The physical desert around him becomes a picture of how much he needs God. He wants to see God's power and glory as he once saw them in the sanctuary.

Verse 3 gives the reason for his praise: "thy lovingkindness is better than life." If God's steadfast love is worth more than life itself, then praise is the right response even in hardship. So David promises to bless God as long as he lives and to lift up his hands in God's name. His soul will be satisfied as with the richest food.

Verses 6-8 move to the night. David remembers God on his bed and meditates on him through the night watches. Because God has been his help, he will rejoice in the shadow of God's wings, a picture of a bird sheltering its young. His soul follows hard after God, and God's right hand holds him up.

The last three verses turn to those who are trying to kill him. They will go down to the lower parts of the earth, fall by the sword and become food for foxes. But the king will rejoice in God, and the mouths of liars will be stopped. The psalm moves from thirst to satisfaction, from longing to confidence, without David's situation having changed.

Background and context

The heading calls Psalm 63 a psalm of David written when he was in the wilderness of Judah. David spent time in that wilderness while fleeing Saul (1 Samuel 23-24) and again when his son Absalom rebelled (2 Samuel 15:23).

Because verse 11 speaks of the king, many readers take David to be king already and place the psalm during Absalom's rebellion. Christian worship has long used Psalm 63 as a morning psalm because of the words early will I seek thee.

Key verses

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
Psalm 63:1 · KJV

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psalm 63:3 · KJV

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psalm 63:7 · KJV

My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Psalm 63:8 · KJV

Cross references

Psalm 42:1-2 As the hart panteth after the water brooks: the same thirst for the living God.As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
Psalm 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD.My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Matthew 5:6 Jesus blesses those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: they shall be filled.Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalm 17:8 David asks God to hide him under the shadow of thy wings.Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Psalm 36:7 God's lovingkindness is why people trust under the shadow of his wings.How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
2 Samuel 15:23 David crosses the brook Kidron toward the wilderness while fleeing Absalom.And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

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Common questions

What is the main message of Psalm 63?

Even in a dry and dangerous place, God himself is what the soul most needs. His lovingkindness is better than life, so David seeks him, praises him and trusts him.

When did David write Psalm 63?

The heading says he was in the wilderness of Judah. Since verse 11 speaks of the king, many place it during Absalom's rebellion, though some connect it with his flight from Saul.

What does thy lovingkindness is better than life mean?

David values God's faithful, steadfast love more than his own life, so he can praise God even while his life is in danger.

What does the shadow of thy wings mean?

It is a picture of protection, like a bird covering its young. The same image appears in Psalms 17:8, 36:7 and 57:1, and Psalm 91:4 speaks of trusting under his wings.