Thirsty

In Psalm 63, David was thirsty. Literally. According to the psalm title, he was in the wilderness. Verse one reveals that he was "in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

David had a greater thirst, however, than his physical thirst. His dry mouth and parched tongue reminded him of how thirsty his soul was for God. Man cannot live long without actual water, and David realized that the same was true in the spiritual realm. He could not survive without God.

As David experienced these two types of thirst, he set priorities in seeking to meet his needs. We don't read that he scanned the horizon, searching for an oasis. He didn't dig in the sand, hoping to discover a spring. He didn't use landmarks to travel in a particular direction, anticipating a source of water.

No, instead of searching for physical water, David sought God. He sought God "earnestly" (v. 1). Some translations say that he sought "early," indicating a priority. He yearned for God, and he put forth dedicated effort to meet that need.

Could David have dehydrated and died in the wilderness? Yes, it could have happened. David himself realized that. Surviving, however, was not at the top of David's list of priorities. Life was not the most important thing. David states in verse three that God's "lovingkindness is better than life."

David had two needs - physical and spiritual. God chose to meet both. But if David had to choose between one and the other, he chose God. Experiencing God's love was better than life itself. If he lived, he would continue in God's love. If he died, he would still have God's love.

Not only was God the more important choice, but He was also the more satisfying choice. When David had his next drink of water, he was relieved of his thirst - but only temporarily. Sooner rather than later he would thirst again. Spiritually, the answer is much different. In respect to his relationship with God, David states that his "soul is satisfied" (v. 5). His thirst for God was satisfied with a relationship so abundant that it was the cause for great rejoicing.

We may have needs on multiple levels, but we must never forget that our greatest need is for God. We must earnestly seek Him to meet our deepest needs, and that pursuit must be more important than less critical pursuits. It is right for us to be grateful when our various needs are met, but in the midst of our relief, we must remember that God satisfies our needs better than anyone or anything else.

"O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 (NASB)