LHC Midday Word: PSALM Sixty Three

A psalm of David.

When he was in the Desert of Judah.

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help,

I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your right hand upholds me.

Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;

they will go down to the depths of the earth.

They will be given over to the sword

and become food for jackals.

But the king will rejoice in God;

all who swear by God will glory in him,

while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

=-=-=-=-=-=-

Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 63 : “bed” (v.6)

The words of a simple song run like this: ‘when you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.’ David prayed “on my bed I remember you … through the watches of the night” (v.6).

It’s hard to keep up two conversations at once. Ignore the voice in your head, and talk to your Head. David had death threats (see v.9).

What was his coping strategy? “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” (vv.7-8). Result? “The king will rejoice in God” (v.11). It works!

==========

READING

Psalm Sixty Three

Read by David Suchet