Better Than Life
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
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.
In two days, we’ll be celebrating the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Originally, it was a time set aside to celebrate the harvest and thank God for his provision. In many ways, that’s still true. Thanksgiving is still a day where people reflect on all the things they have to be thankful for. Unfortunately, the day also now marks the beginning of a headlong race into consumerism. Retailers have already begun pitching all the products that we “need” to make our Christmas complete. Expectations of perfect family gatherings and celebrations come at us from every angle. An overabundance of sweet treats and rich foods define our diets. It’s enough to leave one feeling exhausted and overwhelmed before the season ever begins.
And so, it’s good for us to turn back to the ancient words of David. He’s a man who understood a life of abundance and splendor. But he’s also a man who understood times of scarcity and wilderness. The historical title of Psalm 63 says that David wrote these words while in the desert. He was most likely either running from King Saul who was trying to kill him, or from his son Absalom who was trying to take over his throne.
In this psalm David is not thanking God for all the things that He has given him, but rather, he is honoring God for who He is. He’s recalling God’s power and glory. He’s praising God for his love. This love that we find in verse 3 refers to God’s hesed, his goodness, kindness and faithfulness. This love is better than anything this life can offer. In fact, David says this love is better than life itself.
It’s a posture we would all do well to enter this season with. Before we can begin to thank God for the things He has given us, we need to praise and glorify Him for who He is. Thanksgiving that is centered on who God is reminds us that only God can satisfy the longings of our hearts and lives. Only God will ever be enough, whether we find ourselves in a time of abundance or in the wilderness. Nothing this world has to offer can compare to the One who existed before the world began, and who created everything in it.
Rather than seeking fulfillment in things, people and food this season, let’s commit to seeking God. Let’s commit to bringing praise, glory and honor to Him. The words of Psalm 63 are a great place to begin. I encourage you to read them again and to make them your daily prayer as we prepare to celebrate the arrival of God’s greatest expression of his love, Jesus Christ.
O God, you are my God and I will ever praise you.