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Psalm 63:3-5
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 63:3-5
New Catholic Bible
3 I have gazed upon you in the sanctuary
so that I may behold your power[a] and your glory.
4 Your kindness[b] is a greater joy than life itself;
thus my lips will speak your praise.
5 I will bless you all my life;
with uplifted hands[c] I will call on your name.
Footnotes
- Psalm 63:3 The psalmist worships God, the Great King, who promised to dwell among his people—formerly in the Ark of the Covenant (see Pss 78:61; 132:8; 1 Sam 4:21) and now in the sanctuary where the psalmist envisions the Lord in all his power and glory.
- Psalm 63:4 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5. For the Old Testament, the greatest good was earthly life; but God’s kindness is better even than life.
- Psalm 63:5 Uplifted hands: the usual posture for prayer (see Ex 9:29, 33) with palms turned upward (see also Pss 44:21; 77:3; 88:10; 119:48; 143:6; 1 Ki 8:22; Ezr 9:5; Neh 8:6; 2 Mac 3:20). The lifting up of one’s hands was also a symbol of dependence on and praise of the Lord (see Pss 28:2; 63:5; 1 Tim 2:8). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
