Psalm 63 (62):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See Psalm 41:2.

*****

The term used is not merely "desired," but rather "coveted," indicating a unique intensity of longing.

*****

A spiritual hymn serves as the remedy that eradicates all forms of sinful impurity. This aligns with the morning Psalm, which we can briefly acknowledge; it ignites the love of God, inspires the spirit, and, having deeply stirred it and filled it with profound goodness and affection, prepares it to advance. Let us examine its beginning and the wisdom it imparts. "My God, my God, to Thee I turn from the morning; my soul longs for Thee." Do you notice how the words of an impassioned soul are conveyed? Where love for God exists, all wickedness departs; in the remembrance of God, there is a release from sin and a cessation of wrongdoing.

What does it mean to watch? It's distinct from merely sleeping. To sleep can refer to both the body and the soul. The body necessitates sleep for everyone, as failure to rest physically leads to a loss of consciousness, not only of awareness but also affecting the body itself. Our fragile physical form cannot keep the soul alert and engaged in constant activity for extended periods. If the soul focuses too long on its endeavors, the body, being weak and earthly, cannot support it indefinitely and becomes feeble, ultimately succumbing. Hence, God has granted sleep to the body, allowing its faculties to be rejuvenated, thereby enabling the soul's alertness. However, we must be vigilant that our soul does not enter into slumber, for the misdeed is the soul's forgetfulness of God.

O Lord, my Lord, to You I come this morning. In these words, he reveals his steadfast dedication to prayer. At dawn, he declares, I rise to offer hymns and supplications to You. My spirit yearns for You. It is not just the spirit that is filled with Divine love but also 'many' and 'flesh.' For our devotion should not be limited to the inner self; we ought to honor God with our bodies through practices like fasting, regular prayer, resting on bare ground, and engaging in work that supports those in need. In a barren and desolate place, he notes, the wilderness has not spared me from suffering, yet even there, as though I were standing in Your sanctuary, I sing praises to You.

My God, this morning I come to You with a deep yearning in my soul. The prophet declares, O Lord, that my love for You dispels slumber and stirs me to offer my worship. My body is entirely devoted to You. Theodotion renders it as how many times, Aquila translates it as aspired, and Symmachus as desired. I provide these translations to illustrate that in the term ποσαπλων (kol pluralitseu), we ought not to interpret it as two separate words, dividing ποσ from ἁπλως, but rather as a single expression denoting the abundance of love. The desire of my soul is echoed by my body; they are in harmony rather than opposition. The essence of this sentiment is that both my soul and my flesh ardently seek You, similar to how a parched individual craves refreshing and pure water in a barren and desolate land. See v. 3.

My God, my God, I come to You in prayer each morning. As soon as I awaken, my thoughts turn to You, and before engaging in any other tasks, I speak to You and lift my prayers, thereby dedicating the start of my day to You. My soul yearns for You. David uses the imagery of thirst to convey the intensity of his love for You, similarly expressing his longing in another passage: "my soul thirsted for the strong, living God" (Psalms 41:3). Chrysostom remarks that since David struggled to articulate his love for You in mere words, he sought out various analogies to convey his deep affection and encourage us to share in his fervor. To indicate the profound nature of his desire, he states that his soul longed, or yearned.

In these verses, David depicts his experiences in the wilderness each morning, expressing that his initial action was to seek the Lord and openly share his hardships with Him. It is as though he is saying: "O Lord my God, my strength and my might, apart from You I am nothing and can achieve nothing! To You, in the morning, to You—my spiritual and eternal light—I direct my thoughts as soon as the dawn brightens my physical sight. I do this because my soul longs for You as for light and the source of all my joy; my very flesh also desires You in various ways, as it seeks the Source of all goodness, as its sustenance, as its refreshment, much like the parched earth yearns for rain, which is essential for it to bear fruit.

A Psalm inspired by the Holy Spirit for David, in which he calls upon God while he roams in the wilderness, expressing sorrow over his journey and yearning to escape the wilderness for the house of God in Jerusalem. This prayer reflects the heartfelt cry of every believer in Christ the Lord who finds themselves in the wilderness of this world, and who patiently and hopefully desires to transition into the life of eternal rest. The earth lay desolate, untouched by the presence of Christ. Those who truly love God continuously strive to dwell and commune with Him.