Psalm 63
I went to bed a few hours ago, and now I am awake. My wife is asleep in the other room and yet here I sit unable to fall back asleep. So I rose from my bed, went to watch the fire and read again my favorite Psalm.
Psalm 63 was written by King David when he fled Jerusalem in the midst of Absalom’s usurpation. His own son rallied the nation and used politics to drive King David from his home and into the enemy’s protection in Philistia. The Philistines were the only ones to take Him in. From King to refugee in enemy territory, David penned the desperate words of Psalm 63 while running from his son.
1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
David longed to worship God in the tabernacle; he felt great joy in singing praises to God and proclaiming God’s sovereign power. When he ran from Jerusalem and the tabernacle in Shiloh he did not know if he would ever get a chance to worship there again. He sought the presence of God and was met by the very real thirst of a rapid escape and an unforgiving land.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
The king couldn’t get a good night’s sleep; if it wasn’t the anxiety and stress of his flight keeping him awake, it was the duty of guarding the camp. On nights when sleep alludes me I long for comfort and rest. When my emotions run away from me, it is to God that I turn. I bring to mind the movement of God in my life, how He has been near and worked on my behalf. I turn to Him to as the King of kings and Lord of lords, recognizing His sovereignty over every situation.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him will glory,
For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.
No matter my situation nor the reason why I am restless I know that I can rejoice in God. His is worthy of praise and in His actions, we can celebrate His glory. His work is more wonderful than we can fathom and His plans and purposes surpass our understanding. I may not know what God will do in the midst of this restless night, but I know that He is God. He is more than able to silence the mouths of evildoers; He is fully capable of transforming the hearts and lives of those that will join the chorus of praise. Let us turn to Him in worship in every situation, no matter how dark our night is.
Take time to read Psalm 63 and worship God for His great works.