Psalms 63:5
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
In ancient Israel's sacrificial system, certain portions of animals were reserved for priests (Leviticus 7:31-34)—the breast and right thigh were priestly portions. The fat portions were burned as offerings to God, considered the choicest parts (Leviticus 3:16—"all the fat is the LORD's"). Israelites ate meat primarily during festivals and sacrifices, making it a celebratory food rather than daily fare. For most of Israel's history, the common diet consisted of bread, lentils, vegetables, and occasional meat—making David's metaphor of marrow and fatness particularly vivid as a symbol of luxury and abundance.
The imagery recalls the messianic banquet prophesied in Isaiah 25:6—"And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined." This eschatological feast represents God's ultimate provision for His people—abundance, celebration, satisfaction beyond all earthly comparison. David's psalm participates in this prophetic hope, tasting in present experience what will be fully realized in God's kingdom.
For Israel in exile or under foreign oppression, this psalm offered hope that spiritual satisfaction could transcend political and economic hardship. When Babylon destroyed the temple and carried Israel away, physical feasting ceased. But the exilic community learned to feast spiritually on God's Word and presence, maintaining joy in adverse circumstances. Psalm 63 modeled this resilience—finding fullness in God when earthly securities vanish.
Jesus's teaching echoes this theme: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). He identified Himself as the bread of life (John 6:35) and invited the hungry to come eat without money or price (Isaiah 55:1-2). The Lord's Supper institutionalizes this spiritual feast—bread and wine representing Christ's body and blood, the soul's true nourishment. What David experienced anticipatorily, Christians experience in Christ—souls satisfied not with earthly abundance but with divine presence.
Questions for Reflection
- How can the soul experience 'marrow and fatness' satisfaction in God even when physical circumstances are difficult or deprived?
- What does it mean for God Himself to be the feast that satisfies your soul, rather than God providing the things you want?
- How does the progression from thirst (v.1) to satisfaction (v.5) model the pattern of authentic prayer and worship?
- What obstacles prevent modern believers from experiencing soul-level satisfaction in God rather than constantly craving more earthly pleasures?
- How does satisfied worship differ from dutiful or manufactured praise, and what cultivates this joyful satisfaction in God?
Analysis & Commentary
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. This verse employs rich culinary imagery to describe spiritual satisfaction. The Hebrew deshen vachelev (דֶּשֶׁן וָחֵלֶב, "marrow and fatness") refers to the choicest, most luxurious foods—the richest portions of meat, including bone marrow and fat considered delicacies in ancient Near Eastern cuisine. These were celebration foods, feast foods, foods reserved for special occasions.
David uses this metaphor to describe the soul's satisfaction in God. The verb tisba (תִּשְׂבַּע, "shall be satisfied") means to be filled, to have appetite completely met, to want for nothing more. Despite physical deprivation in the wilderness—likely living on meager rations, surviving day-to-day—David testifies to spiritual abundance. His soul experiences feast-level satisfaction through relationship with God, even when his body experiences famine-level scarcity. This demonstrates that spiritual realities can sustain us when physical circumstances fail.
The comparison is deliberate: as with marrow and fatness, not literally but analogously. God Himself becomes the soul's feast. Earlier (v.1) David described thirst and longing; here he describes that thirst quenched, that longing fulfilled. The progression models prayer's movement from need to satisfaction, from hunger to fullness. God doesn't merely provide what we need; He satisfies completely, filling us with joy that surpasses physical pleasures.
"My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips" (siftey rananot yehalel-kha pi, שִׂפְתֵי רְנָנוֹת יְהַלֶּל־פִּי) indicates that satisfied souls produce joyful worship. Rananot means ringing cries of joy, jubilant shouts. Halal (the root of "hallelujah") means to praise, celebrate, boast in. The structure suggests causation: satisfaction produces praise. When souls feast on God, mouths overflow with worship. This isn't manufactured enthusiasm but organic response to experiencing God's goodness.