Seeking the Lord During the Wilderness
Psalm 63:1-4

It is believed that this Psalm was written during the time that David was running, either from King Saul or his son Absalom, who had led a rebellion against him. David begins by crying to the Lord. It is interesting that when we look at the original text, the words rendered “God” are not the same. The first word used is “Elohim.” This is the word used in Gen. 1:1. The second word, ‘El,’ is the word often applied to God with the idea of strength. It means Strong or Mighty One. The idea is that God was the Source of David’s strength.  And so when he calls on God in our text, he is calling on One who has the power to deliver and save him.

To seek the Lord, we must first recognize and acknowledge who He is! The Psalmist reminds us in Psalms 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” Often in our lives, situations arise which challenge our faith. These are “heart experiences.” A heart experience is an experience that reaches to the very core of our existence. Many of us can go through just about anything until we face that one experience that breaks our heart. Sometimes it is a rebellious child for whom we have worked hard to feed, clothe and provide for their education. Our hearts are broken when we find that now that they have grown up and gone out on their own, they have turned their backs on God and us. They will no longer come by to see us or even call to say hello. This is a heart experience.

Maybe you’ve tried to be the very best mate you could possibly be, only to find that your spouse has left you for someone else. Heart experiences are tough experiences. If we are not grounded in the Lord, they can cause even the best of Christians to throw up their hands and become discouraged. These experiences can cause us to go home and sit down on God.

We do not know exactly what David’s experience was. However, we know that his problem was so intense that he did not want to wait until midday, evening, or even until the next day of worship. Instead, he had decided in his heart to seek the Lord early that morning. In other words, it was the first thing in the day. This phrase can be interpreted literally, but it can also mean that before he considered other plans to escape his predicament, seeking the Lord came first. He would seek the Lord before other things came in to distract him.

We must look for God before we look for other means of deliverance! The Scriptures are true. In Proverbs 3:6, we are told that if we acknowledge Him, He will direct our path! David made up his mind that he would seek God before other influences came in to control or direct him in a different direction. It’s alright to share your concerns with a close friend. But sometimes our circumstances are such that only the Lord can deliver us!

From this passage, reference can also be made to our young people. They should never wait until they get older to serve the Lord. We must teach our children to seek God as the first Object in life. When they seek the Lord early, they will avoid the dangers of waiting until their life is almost gone. He who waits till the last minute misses out on the wonderful opportunity of being a witness for Christ in his youth. This is why the Scriptures tell us to seek the Lord while He is near and to call upon Him will He may be found! 

Despite all that was going on in David’s life, he had faith in God. To seek the Lord, we must learn to put our trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” David had a strong thirst for the Lord. In fact, he told God, “My flesh longs for thee.” When you build an intimate relationship with the Lord, there is a wonderful realization that no one but the Lord can satisfy your thirst. When God becomes your Thirst Quencher, nothing else will do!

To seek the Lord is to desire Him as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word (1 Pet. 2:2). Believe it or not, when there is a desire deep in our souls, it will affect our flesh because of the strong emotion involved.  In Ps 84:2, we hear this kind of plea, “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” The 63rd division of Psalms records another conversation with the Lord, “My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee” (63:1b). Have you ever thirsted and longed for the Lord?

On a hot summer day when the temperatures are high and you’ve been working outside, there is nothing better than a cool drink of water. The Psalmist said, "My thirst is as the deer for the water brooks” (Psalm 42:1). Nothing else would provide satisfaction! He longed to enjoy God.

What was his passion? What was his petition and his request? Psalm 63:2 reveals that David desired to see the power and glory of God as he had seen Him in the sanctuary. In other words, David wanted to see the power and glory of the Lord in this literal, and yet, spiritual wilderness that he found himself in. No matter how bad things may seem to be in our lives, we must realize what David acknowledged in verse 3: The lovingkindness of the Lord is better than life.

At this point, David started getting excited and said, “My lips shall praise thee.”  Finally, to seek the Lord is to get excited about the things of God. When your focus is on Him and you have a desire for Him, He always seems to show up right on time! You may not be in the sanctuary. It may not be a Sunday. But make it a sanctuary wherever you are by just praising the Lord! As the praises increased, David felt better and said in verse 4, “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”

David couldn’t get to the sanctuary where the presence of the Lord dwelt, but he wanted to have a sanctuary experience amidst his wilderness situation. Those of you who are experiencing some wilderness problems in your life can have direct access to the peace and joy of the Lord if you are willing for a few moments to seek Him. No matter what you are going through, in the sanctuary of God’s presence you can see His power and glory.

So whether you have problems on the job or problems at home, with kids gone astray or an unfaithful spouse, you can behold God’s glory. Though you experience a time of rain, the Lord can still be to you like bright sunshine so that you can experience Him as the “Clear Shining After the Rain!”