Psalm 63:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

NIV: But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

NASB: But the king will rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him will boast, For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

CSB: But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by him will boast, for the mouths of liars will be shut.

NLT: But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.

KJV: But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

NKJV: But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

David was forced to evacuate Jerusalem, through the wilderness, during Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15:13–14; 17:2, 27–29). That experience brought to mind ideas such as thirst and danger, which David used in the opening lines of this song (Psalm 63:1–6). Because the situation involves traitors and rebels, David makes a point of referring to "the king," meaning himself. This demonstrates his confidence in God's promise to give him the throne of Israel and grant him a long life (2 Samuel 7:11–12).

Those loyal to David, and to the Lord, would celebrate when his rule was secured. However, those who lied and betrayed David would not rejoice. Much of Absalom's rebellion involved propaganda and crafty half-truths (2 Samuel 15:1–6, 10–12). David's assurance here is that those lies would be stopped, by God Himself. This is consistent with God's overall condemnation of lies and those who wield them. Revelation 21:8 says, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Psalm 63:9–11 concludes by contrasting two different fates. One is the doom of David's enemies, who oppose the Lord's will and tell lies (2 Samuel 15:13–14). The other destiny is that of David and his loyal followers. Enemies can expect death and disaster, while David and other godly people anticipate celebration in victory.

David longs to know God the same way a man wishes for water and rest when wandering in the desert. Praise to God is as satisfying as eating rich foods. David trusts entirely in the Lord and His protection. The enemies who seek David's throne will be defeated; in his confidence David plans to rejoice when this occurs. This psalm was inspired by David's hasty retreat from Absalom's rebellion, through the wilderness (2 Samuel 17:27–29).

This song was inspired by David's experiences during the rebellion of his son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13–14). Other writings associated with this event include Psalms 3, 4, 5, 8, 41, and 62. When David evacuated Jerusalem, his traveling group made a difficult journey through dry, uninhabited wilderness areas (2 Samuel 16:14; 17:2, 27–29). The song creates a parallel between David's physical needs and his desire to reconnect with the Lord.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.