Psalm 63 – “Trust and Imprecation”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
The psalmist trusts in God and curses his enemies.

II. Photo
The psalmist has an intense feeling: “God, You are my God; I search for you, my soul thirsts for you, my body yearns for you, as a parched and thirsty land that has no water!” (v. 2)

III. Select Verses
1: A psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.
2: God, You are my God; I search for You, my soul thirsts for You, my body yearns for You, as a parched and thirsty land that has no water.
4-5: Truly Your faithfulness is better than life; my lips declare Your praise. I bless You all my life; I lift up my hands, invoking Your name.
6-7: I am sated as with a rich feast, I sing praises with joyful lips when I call You to mind upon my bed, when I think of You in the watches of the night;
10-11: May those who seek to destroy my life enter the depths of the earth. May they be gutted by the sword; may they be prey to jackals.

IV. Outline
1. Superscription (Historical)
2. Declaration of longing
3-9. Declaration of trust; Blessing
10-11. Imprecation
12. Statement about the king

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Craigie, Peter C. “Psalms 1-50” Word Biblical Commentary vol. 19 (Waco, Texas: Wordbooks, 1983).
Gerstenberger, Erhard S. “Psalms Part 1 with an Introduction to Cultic Poetry” Forms of Old Testament Literature (Michigan: Eerdmans, 1988).
Photo taken from http://www.treklens.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/photo122605.htm