Psalm 63:6
ESV
when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
NIV
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
NASB
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
CSB
When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches
NLT
I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
KJV
When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
NKJV
When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
What does Psalm 63:6 mean?
Instead of tossing and turning in bed, David turned to the Lord in confidence (Psalm 62:1–2). He desired to know God as much as a man traveling in the desert wishes for food and water (Psalm 63:1–4). For David, worship was as gratifying as an extravagant meal (Psalm 63:5). Moments of quiet, such as at night in bed, offered David further opportunity to consider all God had done. Those were additional moments to remember the Lord's goodness and celebrate it (Psalm 63:7).This psalm was inspired by a strained, dangerous evacuation through rough terrain (2 Samuel 15:13–14; 17:2, 27–29). And yet, David didn't "only" mourn over his circumstances. In other psalms, he expresses grief over difficult times (Psalm 3:1; 22:1). Yet David used hard times as motivation: to become ever closer to the Lord. As David remembered God, and what He had accomplished in David's life, it brought focus. To recall what God has said and done is an excellent practice for every believer. It keeps the mind on God's promises and gracious deeds instead of on negative circumstances.
To "meditate" on God, as David did, is to reflect on the Lord's nature, and actions, and words. This takes time and effort; it implies more than an occasional thought being spared for Him and His goodness.
Nighttime was often divided into "watches," which were shifts where men would rotate through being alert while others rested. The watches of the night, in David's context, were sunset to 10 a.m., 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., and 2 a.m. to sunrise. For David to consider God during those moments, in this context, suggests he saw this as a source of rest and peace.
