Psalm 63:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

NIV: Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

NASB: For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

CSB: because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.

NLT: Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

KJV: Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

NKJV: Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

David's meditations (Psalm 63:6) carried him back to thoughts of God's past intervention on his behalf. The Lord rescued David from perilous situations (Psalm 18:17; 34:4). This history gave David confidence to trust in God despite new dangers (Psalm 63:1–4). David has explained how his experiences have made communion with God as vital as eating or drinking (Psalm 63:5–6).

Phrases such as "shadow of your wings" or "shelter under your wings" evoke the image of a mother bird. In blazing sun, rain, wind, or with lurking predators, birds will spread their wings over their young. In the Bible, this imagery is a common reference to protection for those who trust in the Lord (Psalm 17:8; 36:7; Matthew 23:37).

Earlier in the psalm, David also made references to God's glory and places of worship (Psalm 63:2). This reference to wings also hints at the shape of the ark of the covenant. Cherubim spread their wings over the ark's mercy seat: the ark's lid (Exodus 25:10–22). The tablets of commandments were kept in the ark to remind the Israelites about God's covenant with them, which included His law. This would also serve to remind the Israelites of their own sin. Once a year Israel's high priest would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat, symbolizing a covering which came between the gaze of a holy God and the sin of His people. Ultimately, Jesus shed His blood to provide forgiveness and reconciliation to God. Hebrews 10:12 says, "When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." David felt that God's wings sheltered him and caused him to sing joyfully. All believers are sheltered under God's wings, and they ought to sing joyfully because of this protection.

In Psalm 63:5–8, David exults in the Lord. The prior verses compared David's desire to know God with physical thirst and hunger. Now, he makes a comparison between the satisfaction of good food and the joy of worship. David looks to the past and sees the Lord's powerful work in his life. As a result, he confidently trusts in God and expresses delighted praise.

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.