The same disowned King is again heard in this Psalm. But here He is making God the great source of refreshment and joy to His spirit, as in the preceding Psalm He made Him the ground of His confidence and strength in circumstances.
The whole system in Israel, as settled by the Lord, was a sanctuary. (Ex. 15:1717Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. (Exodus 15:17); Psa. 114:22Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. (Psalm 114:2).) For a sanctuary is a place where God makes Himself known, and the land of Israel was such a place. Jehovah was there. But Israel had revolted, and Jesus was disowned. And thus it was “a dry and thirsty land” to the righteous.
But in this Psalm, faith is in lively exercise. As Jesus cannot see God’s power and glory in the sanctuary, He will remember God Himself. He has the sense of His loving-kindness, though the sight of the sanctuary be denied Him. His meditation on Him shall fill Him with praise, and the conscious shadow of His wing with rejoicing, though He be now cast out, and the place be in itself dry and thirsty.
This is blessed exercise of the soul upon God. And refusing His soul any other present joy than this remembrance of God, He assures Himself of other joy by and by, even royal joy, joy in His kingdom, and confusion of all His enemies, when they shall be made a portion for the beasts of the earth. (Rev. 19; Ezek. 39.) Because spiritual joy and refreshment, however blessed, is not the end. Glory ought still to be the expectation. Christ having a kingdom in store for Him, nothing less than the joy of a King can satisfy Him. He is even now, though seated at God’s right hand, still an expectant (Heb. 10:1313From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:13)).
This Psalm was also, to all appearance, David’s utterance when separated from God’s house but still encouraged by God’s spiritual presence. And our souls should know these secrets. Did not Peter know them when he slept, and Paul and Silas when they sang praises in the prison? There was no sanctuary around them, but the Holy Ghost had spread within a kingdom of light and liberty and joy in God. They were citizens of a city that needed not the light of the sun. The godly Jew in the last days will find his sympathy with this utterance also (Psa. 63:1010They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. (Psalm 63:10)). “Foxes.” (See Lam. 5:1818Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. (Lamentations 5:18); Luke 13:31,3431The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. (Luke 13:31)
34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:34).) The fox does different work from the “hen.” She gathereth under her wing—he scatters and desolates.