"O God, thou are my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, and my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."
Psalm 63:1-2
Part 1
Today: God is My “Mighty One!”
“O God, thou art my God.”
“O God, thou art my God,” or “O God, thou art my Mighty One.”[1] David knew where to turn for help, and his need was great, for his enemy was seeking to kill him.[2] He knew that God is his source of strength, and He is his Almighty One. He is trusting in his God to deliver him and to ruin his enemies. He did not need to fear his enemy with Jehovah as his God, for he is safe, and he will depend on Him.
“But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God” (Psalm 31:14).
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2).
“Early will I seek thee.”
David’s habit was to seek the Lord early in the day. Here, the Hebrew wording refers to “the early dawn,” or even “the early morning.”[3] As a new day is dawning, David was seeking God in the early hours of the day.
“The meaning here is that he would seek God as the first thing in the day; first in his plans and purposes; first in all things. He would seek God before other things came in to distract and divert his attention; he would seek God when he formed his plans for the day and before other influences came in to control and direct him… His first thoughts – his best thoughts – therefore, he resolved should be given to God”[4] (Barnes).
What is God’s attitude toward those who seek Him before anything else in life?
“I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17).
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Our lost world does not help us to live a godly life. Have you sensed that we are living in a spiritual wasteland? How can we live for the Lord here? Come back tomorrow, and let’s talk more of this.
Quote: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
[1] Spurgeon’s translation of the Hebrew text. C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 63:1. “Elohim, thou art my El,” is given in the Cambridge Bible. Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Evidently, he was in the wilderness fleeing from his son Absalom’s rebellion when he wrote this psalm. Compare these words with 2 Samuel 15:23, 28; and 2 Samuel 16:2.
[3] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 63:1.
[4] Albert Barnes, ibid.