Psalms 63 · Verse 3

Psalms 63:3

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psalms 63:3, King James Version

Psalms 63:3 in other translations

BSBBecause Your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
WEBBecause your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.
ASVBecause thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise thee.
YLTBecause better is Thy kindness than life, My lips do praise Thee.
DARBYFor thy loving-kindness is better than life: my lips shall praise thee.
BBEBecause your mercy is better than life, my lips will give you praise.
WebsterBecause thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

What does Psalms 63:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Experiencing God's mercy, which exceeds all the blessings of life, his lips will be opened for his praise (Psa 51:15).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Thy loving-kindness is better than life - This is the language of every regenerate soul. But O how few prefer the approbation of God to the blessings of life, or even to life itself in any circumstances! But the psalmist says, Thy loving-kindness, חסדך chasdecha, thy effusive mercy, is better מחיים mechaiyim, than Lives: it is better than, or good beyond, countless ages of human existence. My lips shall praise thee - Men praise, or speak well, of power, glory, honor, riches, worldly prospects and pleasures; but the truly religious speak well of God, in whom they find infinitely more satisfaction and happiness than worldly men can find in the possession of all earthly good.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 63:3-6
Even in affliction we need not want matter for praise. When this is the regular frame of a believer's mind, he values the loving-kindness of God more than life. God's loving-kindness is our spiritual life, and that is better than temporal life. We must praise God with joyful lips; we must address ourselves to the duties of religion with cheerfulness, and speak forth the praises of God from a principle of holy joy. Praising lips must be joyful lips. David was in continual danger; care and fear held his eyes waking, and gave him wearisome nights; but he comforted himself with thoughts of God. The mercies of God, when called to mind in the night watches, support the soul, making darkness cheerful. How happy will be that last morning, when the believer, awaking up after the Divine likeness, shall be satisfied with all the fulness of God, and praise him with joyful lips, where there is no night, and where sorrow and sighing flee away!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 63:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּי\־ki-forH3588
ט֣וֹבTov[is] goodH2896
חַ֭סְדְּךָChas.de.khacovenant loyalty yourH2617
מֵֽחַיִּ֗יםme.chai.Yimmore than lifeH2416
שְׂפָתַ֥יse.fa.Tailips myH8193
יְשַׁבְּחֽוּנְךָ\׃ye.sha.be.Chu.ne.khathey will extol youH7623

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 63:3

  • Philippians 1:23

    For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

  • Psalms 51:15

    O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

  • Psalms 69:16

    Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

  • Hebrews 13:15

    By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

  • Psalms 30:5

    For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:20

    For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

  • Romans 12:1

    I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

  • Psalms 30:12

    To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

  • 1 John 3:2

    Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

  • James 3:5-10

    Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. …

  • Romans 6:19

    I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

  • Hosea 14:2

    Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Because.
4:6; 21:6; 30:5; Php 1:23; 1Jo 3:2
lips.
30:12; 51:15; 66:17; Ho 14:2; Ro 6:19; 12:1; 1Co 6:20; Heb 13:15
Jas 3:5-10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 63:2

    To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

  • Psalms 63:3

    Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

  • Psalms 63:4

    Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Read all of Psalms 63

Psalms 63:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque mejor es tu misericordia que la vida: mis labios te alabarán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pour voir ta force et ta gloire, comme je t’ai contemplé dans le lieu saint.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn deine Güte ist besser als Leben; meine Lippen werden dich rühmen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Protexisti me a conventu malignantium, a multitudine operantium iniquitatem.