Psalm 63 and the Lord's Supper
Psalm 63 was
composed by David when he was compelled to live in the wilderness because some
were seeking his life (v. 11). This could have been during the time when Saul
was usurping the kingdom or it could have been during the later rebellion of his
son Absalom. Or it may have been an incident that is not mentioned in the
historical accounts of his life. Whatever the time, his experience is a
reminder that troubles, even sore troubles, can come to the Lord’s people.
His time in the desert was literal, but his desert experience also mirrored the experiences of his heart. No doubt, his body thirsted for water under the hot desert sun. Anyone who has been in the Judean desert will know how trying such an experience is. Yet David had two thirsts – the thirst of his body for water and the thirst of his soul for God. He longed for the companionship of God (v. 1).
We can see the intensity of his desire in his use of the word ‘earnestly’. When we are in earnest about something, we give it priority. It becomes our focus and we take steps to deal with the situation. David felt a real longing in his heart and he considered what he should do to change his circumstances within even if he could not change the outward circumstances at that moment.
His words are a challenge to us because while we may not be in a physical desert we are in a spiritual one. Our hearts can be in circumstances in which we sense the absence of the comforts of God. This sense of absence can come for many reasons. We may be conscious of sins, we may be tired, we may dislike the time of year. We may have worries that disturb us.
David wrote this psalm to help fellow pilgrims in the deserts of life. He wants us to follow his reasoning and as we do we will see that his thoughts lead him to consider the past, to have comfort in the present and consolation for the future.
Consider the past
In verse 2, he recalls times when he attended worship services at the tabernacle or at other places where God was worshipped. He points out that in those places he saw evidences of the power and glory of God. The activities in the sanctuary would remind him of how he became a member of God’s people. He had done so because God had chosen Israel, had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, and had brought them into the land of promise. David could see in the sanctuary how the Lord had made provision for his people to be forgiven and restored to his favour. He realised that the sanctuary reminded him of the greatness of the steadfast love of the Lord and he therefore resolved to dedicate the rest of his life to serving his great God.
We do not go to the special sanctuaries that David knew in Israel. Yet when we gather with God’s people we can have similar experiences to what he had if we respond similar to how he did. What do we see when we gather with God’s people? We are reminded of how we became the people of God. The process from God’s viewpoint involved election, redemption and removal to a better place.
Election is a comforting doctrine provided we don’t regard it as a puzzle to be solved. Thinking about it as a puzzle is a pointless activity because the Lord has not revealed why he chose particular people. Instead, he has revealed that he has chosen them. The only way that we can know if we have been elected is by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus. Then we can be comforted by knowing that God had elected us in his grace.
Redemption occurred when Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. He loosed us from the claims of the divine law against us because of the sins we had committed, each of which deserved divine punishment. In fact, they did receive divine punishment, except that in the case of God’s people the punishment was paid by Jesus.
The move to another place occurs when we believe in Jesus. In a moment we leave the world and enter into the space where God blesses his people with spiritual blessings. We come into the heavenly family and receive many of the privileges connected to that membership, such as peace with God, delight in his many promises, and assurances that one day we will be in glory. We also see how God has made it possible for us to be forgiven and restored to his fellowship and the outcome must be that we want to dedicate ourselves to him throughout our lives.
Comfort in the present (vv. 5-8)
No doubt, it was very pleasant physically for a person in the desert when nightfall came. The heat of the sun would be gone and he would have a meal and rest. Life would be more comfortable. This was true in a physical sense and we can see from David’s words that he also enjoyed the spiritual equivalent.
Where are the places that we can enjoy spiritual rest, where we have rich food, and enjoy spiritual protection? The answer to this question is what are called the means of grace. Some of them are individual, others of them are corporate. Among the individual means are activities such as Bible reading and prayer; among the corporate ones are church services, Bible studies and times of fellowship.
We can think briefly about the Lord’s Supper since that is a focus this weekend. It is a place where rich food is on the table in a symbolic form – the bread and wine remind us of the body and blood of Jesus, his perfect life and atoning death which he provided for his people.
We can also see how the Lord’s Supper is a place where we can rest under the shadow of God’s wings. Here we sense the smile of God over his people, his delight that they are in his presence. All of them are sinners, but all of them are welcome. Indeed, it is only sinners who can be found at the Lord’s Supper (apart from the Lord himself). There never has been a perfect saint at the Lord’s Table, only pardoned ones.
An important activity before and at the Lord’s Table is meditation on the Saviour and what his grace has brought into our experience. We should think about his words and his actions, both when he was here on earth, but also what he is doing and will yet do for his people. There is so much about Jesus that we can think about. For example, we can run our minds over his seven ‘I am’ sayings or his seven sayings on the cross or what he said in the Beatitudes. There are many ways of doing this, and we should set aside time to think about him and his words and works.
We can see from David’s experience that one consequence in his life was joy (vv. 5, 7). The Lord had been so good to him, and his feasting and meditation had stimulated his happiness. So too with us. Spiritual activity will result in joy in our hearts and it will also produce dedication and a sense of closeness to the Lord (v. 8). David sensed the nearness of God as he passed the evening in his presence, and so should we as we spent time at this important means of grace.
His time in the desert was literal, but his desert experience also mirrored the experiences of his heart. No doubt, his body thirsted for water under the hot desert sun. Anyone who has been in the Judean desert will know how trying such an experience is. Yet David had two thirsts – the thirst of his body for water and the thirst of his soul for God. He longed for the companionship of God (v. 1).
We can see the intensity of his desire in his use of the word ‘earnestly’. When we are in earnest about something, we give it priority. It becomes our focus and we take steps to deal with the situation. David felt a real longing in his heart and he considered what he should do to change his circumstances within even if he could not change the outward circumstances at that moment.
His words are a challenge to us because while we may not be in a physical desert we are in a spiritual one. Our hearts can be in circumstances in which we sense the absence of the comforts of God. This sense of absence can come for many reasons. We may be conscious of sins, we may be tired, we may dislike the time of year. We may have worries that disturb us.
David wrote this psalm to help fellow pilgrims in the deserts of life. He wants us to follow his reasoning and as we do we will see that his thoughts lead him to consider the past, to have comfort in the present and consolation for the future.
Consider the past
In verse 2, he recalls times when he attended worship services at the tabernacle or at other places where God was worshipped. He points out that in those places he saw evidences of the power and glory of God. The activities in the sanctuary would remind him of how he became a member of God’s people. He had done so because God had chosen Israel, had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, and had brought them into the land of promise. David could see in the sanctuary how the Lord had made provision for his people to be forgiven and restored to his favour. He realised that the sanctuary reminded him of the greatness of the steadfast love of the Lord and he therefore resolved to dedicate the rest of his life to serving his great God.
We do not go to the special sanctuaries that David knew in Israel. Yet when we gather with God’s people we can have similar experiences to what he had if we respond similar to how he did. What do we see when we gather with God’s people? We are reminded of how we became the people of God. The process from God’s viewpoint involved election, redemption and removal to a better place.
Election is a comforting doctrine provided we don’t regard it as a puzzle to be solved. Thinking about it as a puzzle is a pointless activity because the Lord has not revealed why he chose particular people. Instead, he has revealed that he has chosen them. The only way that we can know if we have been elected is by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus. Then we can be comforted by knowing that God had elected us in his grace.
Redemption occurred when Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. He loosed us from the claims of the divine law against us because of the sins we had committed, each of which deserved divine punishment. In fact, they did receive divine punishment, except that in the case of God’s people the punishment was paid by Jesus.
The move to another place occurs when we believe in Jesus. In a moment we leave the world and enter into the space where God blesses his people with spiritual blessings. We come into the heavenly family and receive many of the privileges connected to that membership, such as peace with God, delight in his many promises, and assurances that one day we will be in glory. We also see how God has made it possible for us to be forgiven and restored to his fellowship and the outcome must be that we want to dedicate ourselves to him throughout our lives.
Comfort in the present (vv. 5-8)
No doubt, it was very pleasant physically for a person in the desert when nightfall came. The heat of the sun would be gone and he would have a meal and rest. Life would be more comfortable. This was true in a physical sense and we can see from David’s words that he also enjoyed the spiritual equivalent.
Where are the places that we can enjoy spiritual rest, where we have rich food, and enjoy spiritual protection? The answer to this question is what are called the means of grace. Some of them are individual, others of them are corporate. Among the individual means are activities such as Bible reading and prayer; among the corporate ones are church services, Bible studies and times of fellowship.
We can think briefly about the Lord’s Supper since that is a focus this weekend. It is a place where rich food is on the table in a symbolic form – the bread and wine remind us of the body and blood of Jesus, his perfect life and atoning death which he provided for his people.
We can also see how the Lord’s Supper is a place where we can rest under the shadow of God’s wings. Here we sense the smile of God over his people, his delight that they are in his presence. All of them are sinners, but all of them are welcome. Indeed, it is only sinners who can be found at the Lord’s Supper (apart from the Lord himself). There never has been a perfect saint at the Lord’s Table, only pardoned ones.
An important activity before and at the Lord’s Table is meditation on the Saviour and what his grace has brought into our experience. We should think about his words and his actions, both when he was here on earth, but also what he is doing and will yet do for his people. There is so much about Jesus that we can think about. For example, we can run our minds over his seven ‘I am’ sayings or his seven sayings on the cross or what he said in the Beatitudes. There are many ways of doing this, and we should set aside time to think about him and his words and works.
We can see from David’s experience that one consequence in his life was joy (vv. 5, 7). The Lord had been so good to him, and his feasting and meditation had stimulated his happiness. So too with us. Spiritual activity will result in joy in our hearts and it will also produce dedication and a sense of closeness to the Lord (v. 8). David sensed the nearness of God as he passed the evening in his presence, and so should we as we spent time at this important means of grace.
Consolation
for the future (vv. 9-11)
Somehow,
spending time with the Lord gave to David great assurance about his personal
future. Probably, he had had doubts in his heart about his presence on the throne
and whether God’s promises to him would be fulfilled. But he now realised that all
his powerful enemies would be defeated.
It is the case that God’s people have concerns about the future. Those concerns are not solved by mere human reason or by engaging in some kind of mind over matter. Rather, they are resolved in the presence of God. The Lord’s Supper brings to our minds the fact that we only do it until Jesus returns, and after his return we will enter into the place where physically and spiritually we will never see our powerful enemies again. The Bible describes those enemies as the world, the flesh and the devil. When that great day comes, they will be gone.
The Supper reminds us that there is a better world ahead, one in which the Shepherd and the sheep will share the heavenly pasturelands forever. There are many pictures in the Bible of the world of glory and sadly we often forget to take a look at them. It would be helpful for us to take five minutes every day to think about one of the biblical descriptions of heaven. Here we are reminded that ahead of us is the place where our enemies will be no more.
It is the case that God’s people have concerns about the future. Those concerns are not solved by mere human reason or by engaging in some kind of mind over matter. Rather, they are resolved in the presence of God. The Lord’s Supper brings to our minds the fact that we only do it until Jesus returns, and after his return we will enter into the place where physically and spiritually we will never see our powerful enemies again. The Bible describes those enemies as the world, the flesh and the devil. When that great day comes, they will be gone.
The Supper reminds us that there is a better world ahead, one in which the Shepherd and the sheep will share the heavenly pasturelands forever. There are many pictures in the Bible of the world of glory and sadly we often forget to take a look at them. It would be helpful for us to take five minutes every day to think about one of the biblical descriptions of heaven. Here we are reminded that ahead of us is the place where our enemies will be no more.