The title of this short implicit prayer (like 62) states that King David (11) wrote this psalm in the Desert of Judah, a vast north-south desert east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, south of Jericho, and west of the Jordan River and the Salt Sea. After leaving Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives is a desert stretching through Jericho to the Jordan River. Perhaps David wanted to appear to make his way to the Transjordan, east of the Jordan before heading south into the Desert of Judah.
The occasion therefore would have been when Absalom, his eldest son at that time tried to take the throne from David. (2 Samuel 15:23-28, 16:2,14, 17:16, 29) The trip through the desert would have been hard and slow, especially for the children, and especially since the exit out of Jerusalem was too quick to prepare water, food, and clothing. David purposely left the Ark of the Covenant where he visited with God in Jerusalem (2, 2 Samuel 15:25)
David compares his desire for God to his thirst for water in a dry and weary land where there is no water (1). David exclaims that God’s love is better than life (3). David is not stating that he wanted to die nor that he didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. Rather, he thirsts for God because of God’s loving kindness. God’s love is more durable, comfortable, and satisfying than the present life. What better reason to hope for the future because God with his unending love is in it? David was hungry physically and in his soul (5). Yet, he knew that God would satisfy his soul with the richest of food (5).
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
