Meditating on Psalm 63

I really should be in church today...but Jojo woke up feeling sick (when he's not interested in breakfast, I know it's for real!) and Jkaile has turned into The Crank because he's got a molar that's about to break through the gum. I really do feel sorry for The Crank, even though he's quite getting on my nerves, because he's so obviously in pain! He's hungry, but can hardly stand to eat and he keeps crying and pointing to his "owie" mouth. :( I've kept him somewhat entertained with movies and hard candies (something he seems to be able to handle), ice cream and playing with the hose outside. We even gave Coco and Cora a bath! (Cuzco is over guarding a friend's house while they are gone for the summer, but he doesn't like baths anyway). Coco wasn't too sure about the whole bath thing at first, but then she calmed down...and Cora couldn't wait for her turn, she kept shoving Coco over to get under the hose!

So, in spite of caring for Jojo and The Crank, I wanted to get a spiritual feeding in there today since lately I've felt myself getting a little "off" (you know the signs...irritability, struggling with emotions, etc.) and needing a few Words of Encouragement. Immediately, Psalm 63 popped into my head. Probably because today is the Sunday that the Bible study ladies at our church were going to recite the entire psalm in front of the congregation; we've been working at memorizing it for weeks! And while I can't say that I'm too sorry about missing having to get up in front of everyone (memorization in my second language doesn't come quite as easy as in the first!), I was looking forward to the chance to be more involved with the ladies in this way. But oh well...so I present to you Psalm 63, definitely one of my favorites!

Psalm 63 (NIV)
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;

they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;

all who swear by God's name will praise him,

while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Salmos 63 (RV 1995)
Salmo de David,cuando estaba en el desierto de Judá.

1 ¡Dios, Dios mío eres tú! ¡De madrugada te buscaré!

Mi alma tiene sed de ti, mi carne te anhela

en tierra seca y árida donde no hay aguas,
2 para ver tu poder y tu gloria, así como te he mirado en el santuario.
3 Porque mejor es tu misericordia que la vida,

mis labios te alabarán.
4 Así te bendeciré en mi vida; en tu nombre alzaré mis manos.
5 Como de médula y de grosura será saciada mi alma,

y con labios de júbilo te alabará mi boca,
6 cuando me acuerde de ti en mi lecho,

cuando medite en ti en las vigilias de la noche,
7 porque has sido mi socorro y así en la sombra de tus alas me regocijaré.
8 Está mi alma apegada a ti; tu diestra me ha sostenido.
9 Pero los que para destrucción buscaron mi alma

caerán en los sitios bajos de la tierra.
10 Los destruirán a filo de espada; serán presa de los chacales.
11 Pero el rey se alegrará en Dios;

será alabado cualquiera que jura por él,

porque la boca de los que hablan mentira será cerrada.