"My soul will be satisfied ..."

Day #147

Scripture Reading:  Psalms 63 - 65 ...

Knowing God is one of the themes of the Psalms, indeed, of all of Scripture.  Jesus said, “This is eternal life:  that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).  This is the “full life” (John 10:10) that Jesus promised to those who are His sheep, who believe in Him and know Him as their Shepherd.  Knowing God leads to loving God, and loving God leads to worshiping and serving Him.  Only by knowing God and drawing near to Him through faith in Jesus Christ can your soul ever be satisfied.  Nothing else will ever do!

David’s heart was drawn irresistibly to the God he knew as HIS God.  Psalm 63 is one of those Psalms that you and I should read every day to remind us of the only place where the spiritual thirst that arises from the depths of our beings can be satisfied … in GOD alone!  David describes what he is feeling so beautifully and those of us who have the privilege of knowing God through faith in Jesus Christ, in whom the very Spirit of God lives, can understand these words, for in them is the expression of OUR hearts toward God.

He begins, "O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (63:1).  We can all echo David’s words, for we have experienced the spiritual “dryness” of living life in this world.  Thankfully, David did not stop with that statement.  If that were all David wrote we might be left with our thirst unquenched, but he goes on to explain how to find satisfaction for our souls in a living relationship with God Himself.

"I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and glory.  Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify YOU!" (63:2-3).  David had seen things that you and I have not witnessed, but through the eyes of faith we, too, have seen God's power and glory.  In fact, the Bible tells us that creation itself reveals the power and glory of its Creator.  “The heavens declare the glory of God!”  (Psalm 19:1-4). “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” (Romans 1:20).  Have you not beheld the power and glory of God in a thousand different ways?

And we who believe in Jesus Christ have seen something even more astounding than David saw!  We have seen the love of God displayed on the cross (Romans 5:8)!  And we have seen His power displayed in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.  How have you responded to God's revelation?  David responded in praise:  "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!" (63:3-4).  We should do the same!

THIS is the secret to finding satisfaction for your soul!  You were created to glorify and praise your Creator and your soul will never be satisfied until and unless you do what you were created to do.  So many people want God to make life easier, to take away their trials and protect them from suffering, but God gives MORE than that!  God gives strength, peace, hope and joy in the midst of life's struggles.  If the only time our souls can find rest is when everything is going well or easy, we won't have rest most of the time!

David writes of the "conspiracy of the wicked" and "that noisy crowd of evildoers" (64:2).  They "ambush the innocent" and "encourage each other in evil plans" (64:4-5).  But "God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down.  He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin" (64:7).  In the end, God will watch over those who trust in Him and destroy the wicked.  "All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done.  Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him; let all the upright in heart praise Him!" (64:9-10).

It is so important to understand that there are two groups of people in this world:  those who reject the revelation of the one true God in His Word, the Bible, and those who have been chosen by God to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him.  You fall into one of those two groups.  You either know the true God and find your satisfaction in Him, or you will forever wander, looking for satisfaction in the things of the world and coming up empty. "Zion" was a name for Jerusalem and is a symbol of the dwelling-place of God.  David writes, "Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled! …  When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions.  Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts.  We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple" (65:3-4).

The prophet Isaiah understood what David meant when he wrote, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?  Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare" (Isaiah 55:1-2).

In the presence of God YOUR soul will find satisfaction!  "The streams of God are filled with water" (65:9).  Jesus is the "Living Water" and those who draw near to God through Him find the "peace that passes understanding” and rest for our souls.  The things of this world can never satisfy you.  Day after day people get angry, frustrated, depressed, overwhelmed and discouraged because of a thousand different things, but it ultimately comes down to this:  only the knowledge of God and a relationship of love with Him can and will satisfy the need you have for meaning and purpose in your life.

Read again the words of David at the beginning of Psalm 63 and set your mind on the God who is able to meet your deepest need for fellowship, for love, for hope, for peace of heart and mind, for joy!  In HIM there is forgiveness, in Him is LIFE!!!  "Give thanks and rejoice in the Lord!" ... and your soul will be satisfied.

"O Lord, my God, in You I find my greatest joy and true rest for my soul.  I thank You for the blessings You give, for every good and perfect gift comes from You.  Help me not to set my heart on the things You give, but on You, my Savior and my God.  In Jesus' name, Amen"