Psalms 63:4

4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

Psalms 63:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 63:4

Thus will I bless thee while I live
With his whole heart and soul, as he had sought after him, and as under a sense of his lovingkindness; and as he now praised him with his lips, so he determined to do as long as he had life and being; by proclaiming his blessedness, by ascribing blessing and honour to him, and by giving him the glory of all mercies temporal and spiritual;

I will lift up my hands in thy name;
not against his enemies, against those that fought against him, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it, but unto God in heaven; and that not as a gesture used in swearing, but either in blessing, as Aben Ezra observes; so the high priest lifted up his hands when he blessed the people; or in prayer, or in both, so Jarchi's note is, to pray and to praise; (See Gill on Psalms 28:2). The Targum is,

``in the name of thy Word I will spread out my hands in prayer for the world to come;''

that is, in the name of the Messiah, the essential Word, in whose name prayer is to be made, and whereby it becomes prevalent and successful; see ( John 14:13 John 14:14 ) ( John 16:23 John 16:24 John 16:26 ) . This is a prayer gesture; (See Gill on Psalms 28:2).

Psalms 63:4 In-Context

2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.

3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.