What does Psalm 63:5 mean?

In the last passage, David compared his yearning for spiritual things with physical thirst and hunger (Psalm 63:1–4). Here, he continues with a similar analogy. When one is hungry, there is great pleasure in eating fine food and becoming full. In English, the term "gratified" describes a feeling of satisfied pleasure. Here, David implies he is as gratified by praising the Lord as he would be from a banquet.

David's practice of praising God joyfully despite harsh experiences reflects an important truth for all believers. It is good to praise God even in dire circumstances, and to do so joyfully. God is good all the time, and He deserves to be praised joyfully. When the apostle Paul and Silas were attacked by an unruly crowd in Philippi, they were turned over to the city's magistrates, who beat them with rods many times and threw into an inner prison. Yet, despite their despicable circumstances, Paul and Silas made the same choice as David: to praise God (Acts 16:19–25). Other prisoners listened to how Paul and Silas reacted to their dilemma (Acts 16:25). When God miraculously opened the prison doors and unbound the prisoners, everyone stayed. Had they escaped, the jailer would have been killed; in fact, he was about to kill himself. But Paul pointed out that everyone was there, and the jailor and his family came to saving faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:26–34). Unbelievers can be greatly influenced by believers' joyful references to God, especially when times are hard.