Psalms – Chapter 63

Old Testament11 Verses

1Unto the end, a psalm for David.

2Hear O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to thee: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.

3Thou hast protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.

4For they have whetted their tongues like a sword; they have bent their bow a bitter thing,

5To shoot in secret the undefiled.

6They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness. They have talked of hiding snares; they have said: Who shall see them?

7They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search. Man shall come to a deep heart:

8And God shall be exalted. The arrows of children are their wounds:

9And their tongues against them are made weak. All that saw them were troubled;

10And every man was afraid. And they declared the works of God, and understood his doings.

11The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.

Reflection for Today

The message of Psalms Chapter 63 unfolds within the broader narrative of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God. Catholic theology, drawing on the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589), sees in this chapter a call to deeper faith. The principle that God invites us to bring all our emotions to Him guides our interpretation.

The Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. John Chrysostom, devoted themselves to explaining Scripture for the faithful. Their insights, preserved in the Church's Tradition, continue to illuminate our reading. The Catechism reminds us that "the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (CIC 103).

As you engage with this chapter, bring your questions, struggles, and hopes to the text. God's Word addresses the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live what we read. May this chapter strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Christ and His Church.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Deepen your understanding with these related articles