Psalms 63:7

7 for thou hast been my help, and in the shadow of thy wings I sing for joy.

Psalms 63:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 63:7

Because thou hast been my help
Or, "that thou hast been my help" ^F19; and so the words may be considered as the subject of his meditation in the night watches, at least as a part of it; and as what gave him a great deal of pleasure to reflect upon, how the Lord had been in times past a present help to him in time of trouble;

therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice;
meaning under the protecting power of God, where he knew he was safe, and therefore had reason to rejoice. The allusion is to the chirping of chickens under the wing of the hen; see ( Psalms 57:1 ) ( 61:4 ) . The Targum is,

``in the shadow of thy Shechinah will I rejoice;''

referring it may be to the Shechinah, or presence of God, between the cherubim, whose wings overshadowed the mercy seat.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (yk) "quod", Musculus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.

Psalms 63:7 In-Context

5 My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises thee with joyful lips,

6 when I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night;

7 for thou hast been my help, and in the shadow of thy wings I sing for joy.

8 My soul clings to thee; thy right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;