The title to Psalm 63 states that it is “a Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.”
David says his soul thirsts for God; his flesh faints for God, “as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1 ESV)
In my experience, most travelers who see the wilderness of Judah for the first time are surprised that it is a dry, barren, rugged wasteland. Perhaps our photos in this post will allow you to see the vividness of David’s illustration.
The first photo was made a few miles east of Jerusalem in the vicinity of Michmash. You can see some dry grass left over from the winter rains. David would have passed through territory like this when he fled from Jerusalem during the rebellion of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15).
A view of the wilderness of Judah from near Michmash. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
The next photo was made much further south between Arad and the southern end of the Dead Sea. It was territory more like this where David hid when he was fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 23, et al.).
A view in the wilderness between Arad and the Dead Sea. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
This is indeed a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Even where there might be some water, such as Wadi Qelt, the wilderness can be foreboding.
The wilderness of Judah with a view of Wadi Qelt visible. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.
Ferrell's Travel Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.