Psalm 63: Love More Precious Than Life

Your unfailing love is better than life itself (Psalm 63:3a)

This prayer was made by David when he was in the wilderness. The confession that the Lord's love is more precious than his own life - this was David's confession. He desired Jehovah's love to be present in his life cast into the wilderness. Escaping the wilderness-like situation was one aspect of his prayer. Finally, he encounters God in the wilderness. The wilderness became a place where God was present for him. A more intimate aspect of his prayer emerges. David wanted to live with God in the wilderness. His expression is the confession that "God's unfailing love is more precious than my life." Those who have seen the glory of God and encountered God do not want to leave that place. Just as Jesus' disciples wanted to build three tents and live on the Mount of Transfiguration. "Let us build three tents here" and "Your unfailing love is more precious than life itself" are different expressions of the same confession.

Jesus and his disciples did not live on the Mount of Transfiguration. David did not live in the wilderness after Psalm 63 either. The disciples did not fully realize that Jesus was living a wandering life with them. Did David realize that Jehovah was not only present in the wilderness?