Psalms 63:3
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Because Your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
How soon are David's complaints and prayers turned into praises and thanksgivings! After two verses that express his desire in seeking God, here are some that express his joy and satisfaction in having found him. Faithful prayers may quickly be turned into joyful praises, if it be not our own fault. Let the hearts of those rejoice that seek the Lord (Psa 105:3), and let them praise him for working those desires in them, and giving them assurance that he will satisfy them. David was now in a wilderness, and yet had his heart much enlarged in blessing God. Even in affliction we need not want matter for praise, if we have but a heart to it. Observe, I. What David will praise God for (Psa 63:3): Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, than lives, life and all the comforts of life, life in its best estate, long life and prosperity. God's lovingkindness is in itself, and in the account of all the saints, better than life. It is our spiritual life, and that is better than temporal life, Psa 30:5. It is better, a thousand times, to die in God's favour than to live under his wrath. David in the wilderness finds, by comfortable experience, that God's lovingkindness is better than life; and therefore (says he) my lips shall praise thee. Note, Those that have their hearts refreshed with the tokens of God's favour ought to have them enlarged in his praises. A great deal of reason we have to bless God that we have better provisions and better possessions than the wealth of this world can afford us, and that in the service of God, and in communion with him, we have better employments and better enjoyments than we can have in the business and converse of this world. II. How he will praise God, and how long, Psa 63:4. He resolves to live a life of thankfulness to God and depende…
Open source ↗63:3 better than life itself: The highest quality of life is found in relationship with God (see 4:7; 63:5; Prov 16:8).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.