Thirsty For More?
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A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Ever tried filling the void in your life with tacos, memes, or the latest tech gadgets, or shopping, only to realise that your soul is still sending you a 'thirsty for more' notification? Yeah, we've all been there! But let's face it, those things are about as frustrating as trying to fill up a swimming pool using a spoon or expecting Wi-Fi to work in a dead zone – impossible and, quite frankly, a bit messy.
Psalms 63 is a psalm of David when he was running away from Absalom (his son) and hid in the wilderness.
Psalm 63 reminds us that earthly things cannot satisfy our spiritual thirst. Only God himself can truly satisfy our innermost longings.
Psalm 63 reminds us that earthly things cannot satisfy our spiritual thirst. Only God himself can truly satisfy our innermost longings.
Spiritual thirst is a universal human experience, even for the most irreligious person. It drives us to seek satisfaction in various ways. Earthly relationships, success, and material possessions are not capable of satisfying our deepest longings.
We often believe that a relationship with a specific person, or if we could just be loved by them, or perhaps if we could marry them, then our heart wouldn't feel empty. Some think acquiring a certain material possession will bring satisfaction. Maybe achieving a particular level of success will fill the void. Others believe having power, control, or a bigger bank account will do the trick. Some even seek sexual satisfaction or physical ecstasy.
We do this because we're doing our own best to fulfil the thirst in our hearts. But these pursuits will never fully quench our thirst, we often falsely believe that they will, but they only leave us feeling empty and discouraged time and time again. The truth is, none of these things can truly satisfy our inner thirst and some can even destroy us.
The world can't be our saviour; it cannot provide the lasting fulfilment our souls seek, it only leads to abandonment and death.
I’m indebted to Keith Evans, assistant professor of biblical counseling at Reformed Theological Seminary in the US for pointing out the connection in John Gill’s commentary on this Psalm’s superscript, “a Psalm of David when he was in the Judean Wilderness.” (2 Sam 16 running away from Absalom) with Jesus when he was also in the Judean wilderness during his time of temptation. (Matt 4:1-11)
Psalms 63 presents a prophetic picture of the Messiah, giving us a deeper understanding of how Jesus resisted temptation. It adds clarity to the psalm's genre of trusting God in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Psalms 63 presents a prophetic picture of the Messiah, giving us a deeper understanding of how Jesus resisted temptation. It adds clarity to the psalm's genre of trusting God in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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1st point
Psalm 63:1 hints at David’s constant struggle happening day and night in a dry and weary land. It's like an intense hunger, almost reaching the point of starvation. And yet David says that Yahweh is sufficiently satisfying, saying that his soul is satisfied in God like a starving person is satisfied with rich food.
1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
Imagine Jesus looking at all the rocks around him, and knowing that His Father is good. Jesus knows when He asks His father for bread, He doesn't get a stone, but that's exactly what Satan is tempting Him with. Jesus is like, “I'm satisfied with what my Father provides, I have everything I need in Him.'"
4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Resisting temptation involves more than just quoting Scripture; it requires applying the truths of Scripture to our lives and trusting in the promises of God through Jesus Christ.
Resisting temptation involves more than just quoting Scripture; it requires applying the truths of Scripture to our lives and trusting in the promises of God through Jesus Christ.
2nd point
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
This gives us a metaphor of God comparing to a protective mother bird.
David continues in……
9 But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
It sounds like David is counselling himself “I'm not going to be made food for the wild beasts uh and no I will not die out here in the the Judean Wilderness”.
In Mark’s gospel, we can read that Jesus was surrounded by wild beasts. Imagine that as another backdrop of the devil’s 2nd temptation.
Matthew 4:5–7 “5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ””
Resisting temptation is like a fight for what we really like and want. If we give in, it can gradually make our hearts rebellious.
The world offers temporary satisfaction and draws us away from finding help and true satisfaction in Jesus.
Don't try to challenge or test God when you're not getting what you want. Instead, choose to wholeheartedly trust in Jesus Christ even when you don’t get what you want.
Don't try to challenge or test God when you're not getting what you want. Instead, choose to wholeheartedly trust in Jesus Christ even when you don’t get what you want.
3rd point
Throughout history, men have been on a relentless quest, chasing after power and glory with an unwavering determination. From ancient rulers to modern leaders, the desire for these lofty goals has led people to make significant sacrifices – often times at great personal cost. Men have waged wars, built empires, and sacrificed morals, all in the pursuit of power and glory.
Jesus the man was tempted to be given power and glory in exchange of worshipping the devil. Jesus echoed the same longing David had in the middle of a dry and weary land, thisty and starving, and running away from his enemies.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
It’s intriguing that one of the reasons why David had to run away from Absalom, is that Absalom has grown discontented with his father not taking any decisive actions against his half-brother Amnon when he raped his sister Tamar. In our eyes, Absalom seemed to have every right to be angry and be discontented, but he was looking to satisfy his anger and fill his discontentment by undermining and desiring to kill his own father in order to take the kingdom for himself.
God’s loyal love is more satisfying than power and glory. It is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
God’s loyal love is more satisfying than power and glory. It is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
Through his death and resurrection, those who would believe and trust in him are not only satisfied by God’s loyal love but also receives power and glory.
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
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Meditating on the words of Jesus allows our hearts to be refreshed. It is a daily practice that brings us closer to God and helps us remember that He alone can quench our thirst.
Living within God’s boundaries is essential for our spiritual maturity. The psalmist encourages us to seek God in his sanctuary, His Word. We need to wholeheartedly make space for God and the Church. Spending time with God and His people provides help and security.
We need to actively seek God, trust His guidance, and remain connected to Him through prayer, worship, and obedience.
Let's remember what happens when we give in to certain things. It has a real cost. But on the other hand, choosing not to give in has an incredibly valuable alternative. If I choose not to give in, I gain God and a close relationship with Him. I experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from being with Him.
While we may experience temporary satisfaction in this life, there will come a day when our thirst will be completely quenched in God's presence. We can look forward to a day where we will be fully satisfied and at rest in Jesus.
All three of the temptation motifs in Jesus’ temptation are present in Psalm 63 and at the very end of the psalm David is comforting himself that the enemy, the liar and all those along with the liar, their mouths will be made to stop and that he will be victorious. This victory has been won by Jesus Christ, and those that are in Him are made victorious.
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
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- 🙏
- 🛡️ We must continually remind ourselves that only God can satisfy our thirst. We need to reject the false promises of earthly pursuits and anchor our hearts in the truth that true satisfaction can only be found in Him.
- ⛰️ While we may experience temporary satisfaction in this life, there will come a day when our thirst will be completely quenched in God's presence. We can look forward to a future where we will be fully satisfied and at rest.
- 🌟 Staying near to God and living within His boundaries is essential for finding satisfaction. We need to actively seek Him, rely on His guidance, and remain connected to Him through prayer, worship, and obedience.
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Keith Evans discusses the connection between resisting temptation and Psalm 63, highlighting how the psalm gives us a prophetic image of the inner dialogue and wrestling of Jesus as he resisted temptation in the Judean Wilderness. The psalm helps us understand how Christ resisted temptation by applying Scripture, counseling his own heart, and recognizing the lies of the enemy. Resisting temptation is a battle for our affections and requires a greater love for Christ.
- 📖 Psalm 63 provides a prophetic image of Jesus' inner dialogue and wrestling during his time of temptation in the Judean Wilderness, giving us a deeper understanding of how Christ resisted temptation. (Matt 4:1-11)
- 🤔 Resisting temptation involves more than just quoting Scripture; it requires applying the truths of Scripture to our lives and trusting in the promises of God.
- 💔 Temptation is a battle for our affections and desires, as it offers temporary satisfaction and draws us away from finding true satisfaction in Christ.
- 🚫 Recognizing the lies of the enemy and rejecting the allure of temporary satisfaction is crucial in resisting temptation and staying faithful to God.
- ❤️ Resisting temptation requires a greater love for Christ and finding all-satisfying joy in our relationship with Him.
- 💼 The counseling room can benefit from using Psalm 63 to help individuals identify their specific temptations, recognize lies, and cultivate a greater affection for Christ.
- 🙏 Understanding and applying the truths of Psalm 63 can help individuals resist temptation and find all-satisfying joy in their relationship with God.