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. Psalm 63:1 NIV
King David wrote this psalm while stranded in the desert of Judah. Away from his family, and likely fleeing from his own son, Absalom, David turns to the Lord in worship. Rather than recounting the songs of the past, David writes a song of praise that is directly related to his situation at the time.
Writing “earnestly I seek you,” the great king demonstrates the intimacy of his relationship with God. Instead of thoughtlessly parroting words written for different circumstances, David addresses God in the context of his current crisis. When David pleads to God, “earnestly I seek you,” he demonstrates his understanding of God as the ultimate source of comfort, guidance, and salvation.
Although in the desert and facing death, David writes that his soul thirsts for God. He seeks the eternal life-giving water of the Lord more than worldly water that only temporarily sustains his natural body. David’s “thirst” for the Lord takes precedence over any natural desire and demonstrates his understanding that ultimately God is the source of life and his salvation.
Rivers of Living Water
Jesus spoke of the living water of God in John 7:37-38 saying, “Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.’ WEB”
The presence of God in our lives is more satisfying than water to a man stranded in the desert. No matter what difficulty we face, God is a reliable source of comfort. As Jesus says to the Samaritan woman in John 4:14, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. WEB”
A relationship with God is personal. Like David, when we approach God with praise and humility, he meets us where we are in our circumstances. Always present, and always able to meet our needs, God is faithful to sustain us in tough times and to bless believers with his holy presence.
Prayer: “Father God, earnestly I seek you. You satisfy my hunger and thirst with your righteousness. You are the source of my comfort and strength. Give me wisdom and courage to share your love with the world. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: The Son of God
