Psalm 63 echoes David’s time in the Judean desert, when he was running from King Saul, who saw him as a competitor to the throne and sought to kill him. David the psalmist pictures the desert as a symbol of the soul, parched until God shows up and intervenes. 

The Judean desert reaches from Jerusalem in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. Unlike what you might expect, it is full of cliffs, slopes and ravines. Ein Gedi apart, little grows in an area that, despite its relative closeness to the capital, has a mere quarter of its rainfall.

Little surprise that David chose such a hostile region to get away from his pursuers. Yet the Judean desert could also be a place of retreat and spiritual encounter. John the Baptist emerged from the desert as he began his ministry, and presumably, this is where Jesus went to wrestle with Satan.

Sleepless nights. Ever suffered from them? Tossing and turning, replaying moments from the day, wishing you could go back and do it over, filled with anxiety and fear? It’s not a pleasant experience. 

David knew that experience. He had every reason to be up at night – the desert itself was a frightening and challenging place, let alone having to be on the run, constantly fearing for your life, as King Saul wanted him dead. 

We all have difficult days and face our own ‘deserts’ in life, but do we respond like David? In his sleeplessness, he remembers God (verse 6). Whilst up ‘in the watches of the night’ looking out for potential threats from his enemies, his mind could have gone anywhere. He could have quickly fallen into depression, self-pity or overwhelming fear. Instead, David clings (verse 8) to God. He sees God close, so he can rest as a chick does under her mother’s wing (verse 7).  

When you face sleepless nights or troubled days, remember God is your help. You can ask him to give you his love, which is better than life.

Read on, to find out more about David’s emotions under pressure:

• Longing for God Psalm 63