Remembering Glory in the Wilderness

“I have seen you in the sanctuary and 

beheld your power and your glory.”

Psalm 63:2 

When life leads us into dry and desolate places, memory becomes a lifeline. In Psalm 63:2, David recalls a moment of divine encounter—not in the desert, but in the sanctuary. There, he beheld God’s power and glory. Though he is now far from the tabernacle, he carries within him the memory of worship, which becomes fuel for faith in the wilderness.

Isaiah too once “saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne” (Isaiah 6:1). That vision of glory changed him forever. Moses, hungry for more of God, cried, “Show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). These sacred encounters did not erase hardship, but they reframed it with the weight of divine presence.

Matthew Henry reflects, “Those that have seen God in his sanctuary can never forget the impressions of his glory.” Once the soul has tasted God’s holiness and beauty, it cannot be satisfied with anything less.

Walter Brueggemann reminds us, “Memory becomes the bridge between past experience and present longing.” David’s worship is not based on current comfort, but on past intimacy. As Spurgeon writes, “Though banished from the tabernacle, David carries within him the memory of worship and God’s overwhelming presence.”

When we find ourselves in barren places, let us call to mind the goodness we’ve seen in God’s presence. That memory can become praise—and that praise can sustain us.

Prayer:

Lord, remind me of who You are. When I cannot see You clearly, help me remember the moments I have. Let memory become worship, and longing become trust. Amen.