“God, you are my God; for you I am searching. My soul is thirsting for you, my body longs for you as a dry and thirsty land, all waterless. I gaze on you in your holy place, to see your power and glory. My lips will proclaim your glory, for your favour is better than life itself.”
This soaring piece of text from the Psalmist expresses such an aching need for God. How can we live without God? Life without God is like a desert and we are constantly thirsty; there is no water to quench our thirst. It’s not only our soul that needs God, we are told that our bodies need God too. All nourishment, all satisfaction comes from our Father in heaven, who showers us with all good things and everything we need to live healthy and fulfilled lives. We may not have all the things we want but God gives us all the things we need.
Wanting God is what keeps us going. It is this want, this thirst, this hunger that keeps us searching for him; it’s like our minds and hearts cannot rest until we see God, feel his presence, possess him completely. Because that’s how God feels about us too. This is the beauty of being in relationship with our Lord. Often when trouble strikes, it may be physical pain, or emotional pain, we cry out to God. We call out, “Oh, God, where are you?” Our response is to seek him out because, suddenly, this need has becomes acute, and all our focus is on our pain and isolation. Pain creates a vacuum that only God can fill. When we are in need, God is there. The searching is never ever in vain.
The address of this psalm is direct and poignant: God, you are my God. It’s a sentence that expresses ownership. The writer is taking possession of God, and holding on to him out of sheer unapologetic need, laying himself open to God and professing his dependence. Of course God responds because he will never deny us. Therein lies the beautiful certainty of this psalm, that we indeed receive God’s favour, the thing which is better than life itself. Let us proclaim God’s glory!
Tell Out My Soul 
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