I found myself staring out the window. I had things to do, but the pain in my heart lulled me into a downward spiral of questions. “How long, Lord, until you answer my prayers? Where are you, God, in all this? Why did You allow this to take place?” It had been a difficult season that had lasted for years, and the time had weighed heavily on me.
I softly heard “Psalm 63” from a deep place within me. This psalm was written by David in a dark time of his life. He was in the desert, far from home and far from seeing answers to his prayers. Yet, he continued to cry out to God.
Psalm 63:1a
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you…
I, too, was seeking God, wondering where He was in the midst of the pain, the loss, the questions. That is why I sat again with my Bible on my lap, longing for some word, longing for hope. David felt the same. He knew that God was not far off or removed. That is why he confidently called the Lord, “my God”. David knew they were in a relationship together. David realized that in his desert he needed to pursue God as never before.
Psalm 63:1b
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
David’s longing is not casual, but a desperate attempt to connect with the Lord. In the desert, David sought the only One who could satisfy the cries of his heart. Every other source had dried up. No person, no situation, no comfort of this world could meet the need David had. He longed for God and God alone.
Psalm 63:2
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
David was in the desert. His location was far from the Tabernacle in Jerusalem, the place where the people of Israel came to worship the Lord. Yet, David in the wilderness saw the sanctuary of God. Although the physical sanctuary was miles away, the spiritual sanctuary was close in the wilderness. It was as near as taking a moment to lift his eyes off of the difficult circumstances and placing them on heaven. Not just heaven, but on the God who reigns with power and glory.
In our difficult times, we need to be reminded that God is over all of our circumstances. In our situations, we feel helpless. We need a fresh revelation of God’s power. In our circumstances, we become consumed by our problems. We must see God’s glory to receive an eternal perspective on life, compared to our finite, limited view.
The word “glory” can also be translated as “weight”. It is the visible manifestation of the attributes of God. That is heavy. Too often, we are crushed by our difficulties, instead of focusing on the glory of God. When we see His glory, our circumstances become light as the heaviness of the character of God weighs on us. We are reminded of who He is, the One who reigns sovereignly over every aspect of our lives as well as everything in the universe. His attributes last beyond time and will usher us into eternity with Him. Focusing on the glory of God diminishes our view on the temporary problems in our lives.
Every problem, every difficulty, has an end date. The Lord alone knows the end from the beginning. But a thousand years from now, all of our problems are guaranteed to be over. The pain of earth will be forgotten as we dwell in the glory of God. Until that time comes, as we walk through the deserts of life, what should we do?
Psalm 63:3
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
David realized the love of God outweighed the pain of life. David chose to lift his eyes up from the situations and onto the glory of God. When he did, he responded with giving God glory, with giving the Lord praise.
Psalm 63:4
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
When we see the glory of God, when we focus on Him, our words change. For our words no longer paint the picture of the desert surrounding us, but instead the sanctuary that is above us. The hands once hanging limp in weary defeat, now are lifted to the One who is worthy of praise, no matter what we are going through.
Psalm 63:5
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
The psalmist who had been thirsting after God in the wilderness, now experiences full satisfaction which can only be found in God’s presence. The once parched lips of a desert wanderer, now sings songs of praise.
We all walk through deserts. This world is not our home; it is a wilderness that seeks to destroy us. But it is not the final answer. If we stare only at our painful circumstances, the desert will creep into our hearts. But if we look at God in His sanctuary, heaven will invade our lives and our situations.
Look up, weary desert wanderer. God is seated on His throne displaying His power and His glory. Let us give Him all the praise!