Does God Consume Your Thoughts? (Psalm 63-65)
How much space does God have in your thought life? David reveals how our life isn't complete until He becomes our satisfaction.
Psalm 63-65
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
Do you think about God often?
Unfortunately, many do their best to avoid this thought altogether. Even professing Christians often relegate God to an afterthought. They live their lives hoping that God will bless them and that they will accumulate enough good actions to get into Heaven. However, in Psalm 63, David outlines a very different norm. Written when he was in the wilderness of Judah, David says:
1 God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.
I thirst for you;
my body faints for you
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.
2 So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
3 My lips will glorify you
because your faithful love is better than life.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
at your name, I will lift up my hands.
5 You satisfy me as with rich food;
my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.
6 When I think of you as I lie on my bed,
I meditate on you during the night watches
7 because you are my helper;
I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.
8 I follow close to you;
your right hand holds on to me.
As Marvin Tate notes, “The psalm begins with language which could point to a lament, but the affirmative, testimony-like statements in vv 4–5, 6–8, 9 indicate clearly that this is a psalm of confidence. The form is that of prayer to God, which expresses assurance and commitment.”[1] With each statement, David’s confidence grows. Despite whatever hardships he faces, his soul thirsts for God. As Gerald Wilson writes, “The verb ‘seek’ has the edge of an ‘earnest, intent, focused’ search. The one who has crossed the desert on foot knows the life–and–death importance of water sources and keeps an intent lookout for any evidences of moisture. In the same way, the psalmist is keeping an intent lookout for any evidence of God’s saving presence.[2]
This should be our approach to God. He should consume our thoughts in good times and in bad, at night and while we’re working throughout the day. The reason our thirst for God should be so great is that his love is better than life itself. “The confession, your love is better than life, is striking,” says Craig C. Broyles, “Life and its preservation from threats (e.g., enemies, sickness) is a supreme value in the Psalms (see, e.g., 21:4; 34:11–12; 64:1; 103:4), but here God’s love transcends it.”[3]
While language like this might seem normal if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, this is not the normal way many Christians pursue God. So, to be more like David, you must be abnormal. This means that you must make active decisions against yourself to pursue him. And gradually, the more you do, the more you will be captivated by his love.
A Meditation to PRAY
Praise | Lord, I praise you for your steadfast love and faithfulness. You are my God, and I seek you earnestly. My soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen your power and glory in the sanctuary, and your loving-kindness is better than life. My lips will glorify you.
Release | Lord, I release my worries and fears to you. When I feel lost or overwhelmed, I will remember your faithfulness. I let go of any distractions that pull me away from you. Help me to cling to you and find my strength in your presence.
Ask | Lord, I ask for your guidance and protection. Help me to seek you earnestly each day, to meditate on your word, and to find satisfaction in your love. May your right hand uphold me and lead me on the path of righteousness. Fill my heart with joy and peace as I sing praises to you.
Yield | Lord, I yield my life to you. My soul follows close behind you; your right hand upholds me. I will bless you as long as I live, lifting my hands in your name. I trust in your unfailing love and surrender all my desires and plans to your will. Let my life be a testament to your glory and grace.
