Praising God in the wilderness

Scripture is amazing. If we allow it, it will explain itself all by itself. And that’s awesome for people like me who don’t know Greek or Hebrew. The Bible isn’t complicated. I mean, we make it complicated, but when you really get down to it, Scripture is simple.

I think too much sometimes. And I know I talk too much. So when I run into a verse like today’s verse (Psalm 63:1), I really get to the point where there’s nothing I feel led to say that will communicate it any clearer than the language that’s already used.

I decided to read the whole of Psalm 63, and it just touched me so much I decided to just post the whole chapter. The thing that’s important to realize, though, is when this was written. This chapter was written by David when he was wandering the Judean wilderness. And it makes me think about whether or not I think like this when I’m wandering in the wilderness. I don’t think I do. When I feel lost or abandoned or alone, I feel sorry for myself.

But Psalm 63 isn’t about feeling sorry for yourself. This is a song of praise and worship to the God who always knows what He’s doing.

Just take a moment to read this Psalm and for those of us who feel stressed and overwhelmed by the wilderness of life, put yourself in David’s shoes. I know I’m not in a literal desert (although with the drought in Kansas this year, we might be able to call it that). And I know nobody is chasing me with the intent of killing me.

Even in the worst times of his life, David never thought his life looked bleak (the issue with Bathsheba notwithstanding). Maybe the Psalms might have started out that way, but by recounting what was wrong in his life, David often opened his eyes to the things that were right and he ended on a high note.

There’s nothing wrong in our lives that God can’t fix.

Psalm 63

¹ O God, you are my God;
      I earnestly search for you.
   My soul thirsts for you;
      my whole body longs for you
   in this parched and weary land
      where there is no water.
 ² I have seen you in your sanctuary
      and gazed upon your power and glory.
 ³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
      how I praise you!
 ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
      lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
 ⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
      I will praise you with songs of joy.

 ⁶ I lie awake thinking of you,
      meditating on you through the night.
 ⁷ Because you are my helper,
      I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
 ⁸ I cling to you;
      your strong right hand holds me securely.

 ⁹ But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
      They will go down into the depths of the earth.
 ¹⁰ They will die by the sword
      and become the food of jackals.
 ¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God.
      All who trust in him will praise him,
      while liars will be silenced.