A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Edom. (Psalm 62:1 DR)
Of all the appetites we possess as humans, perhaps none is more pronounced when not fulfilled than thirst. We can go for some time without food, but dehydration is more acute and more pressing—and thus more horrific to be denied.
Deserts are for this reason often associated with thirst, for not only is there generally relatively little water, but the heat of the sun depletes what strength and hydration one already possesses. To be in the desert thus often speaks metaphorically to be without hope and to be near to despair or death.
The Psalmist invokes this language in the superscription of this Psalm, referring to the events in 1 Samuel (1 Kings) 22:5 when David was fleeing from Saul. He had left his parents (and presumably other members of his family) in Moab under the protection of its king and was told by the prophet Gad to flee to the “land of Juda.” This “Juda” becomes associated with “Edom” in the Septuagint and Vulgate through both an historical and linguistic shift which occurred later in the Hellenistic period in which the land of Judah (following the Babylonian conquest) became inhabited by the Edomites and other people groups and eventually was known in Greek as Ἰουδαία, which in Latin was rendered according to its Hellenistic name of Idumaea.
And although the Idumaeans had presumably converted under the conquest of Hyrcanus I (cf. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XII. 9. 1.), there was still a notion of ethnic and religious separation present in the minds of those living following that time as is evidenced by the antipathy of many towards Herod I, who was himself an Idumaean. Josephus admits that Herod was a Jew by birth (and was circumcised), but the Edomite heritage was seen by many as creating more of a half-breed, which the term Idumaean sometimes denoted (cf. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XIV. 15. 2.)
Thus this term Idumaea takes up into itself the history of antagonism between Israel and Edom, and thus for the Psalmist calls to mind being separated from his homeland and his people and from the sanctuary of God, whether physically or metaphorically. St. Augustine notes:
By the name of Idumæa is understood this world. For Idumæa was a certain nation of men going astray, where idols were worshipped. In no good sense is put this Idumæa. If not in a good sense it is put, it must be understood that this life, wherein we suffer so great toils, and wherein to so great necessities we are made subject, by the name of Idumæa is signified. (St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, 62, 1.)
The desert is of the Psalmist is thus not simply a geographical location (which would be of merely historical interest) but rather a indication of the state of his soul in his longing for God. To be in this world is to be in exile as the Psalmist was, to not possess fully that which we truly desire.
The flip side of this is that we too often mistake the pleasures of this world for something more than what they are. Instead of being mindful that this world is a spiritual desert we are passing through, we an imagine it an oasis in which we build our houses and make into our home. It becomes a mirage to the thirsty, the promise of satisfaction that becomes more intense the the more thirst increases by means of indulging those appetites, but in the end vanishes and proves to be nothing but fevered desire.
The thirst itself is not the issue at hand, but rather the question arises: what are we thirsting for? We cannot help but thirst, but which waters we choose to quench that thirst with make all the difference.
In truth we will continue to thirst no matter what we choose, but the promise of fulfillment exists for only one kind of thirst. If we long after the pleasures and goods of this world, we will seek to slake our thirst and find momentary satisfaction, but sin only creates a deeper void that requires more and more to fill that the world and its goods is not capable of fulfilling.
However, in our thirst for God the more we drink of the waters of His goodness and grace the more we thirst, but with the hope and promise of being satisfied once we attain the object of our thirst in the Beatific Vision. This life and its goods are mirages in the desert compared to the true joy which awaits and which we thirst for:
Therefore in this world we ought not to love fullness. Here we must thirst, in another place we shall be filled. But now in order that we may not faint in this desert, He sprinkles upon us the dew of His word, and leaves us not utterly to dry up, so that there should not be in our case any seeking of us again, but that we may so thirst as that we may drink. But in order that we may drink, with somewhat of His Grace we are sprinkled: nevertheless we thirst. (St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, 62, 1.)
For this animation I wanted to get at the notion of the desert, and so I used Trapcode Mir in After Effects to create a desert and then animated the Offset to have it constantly moving like a never-ending desert. I added in some particles to give it more presence using Trapcode Particular. I was tempted to add in some textures and such to give it more visual impact, but in the end I kind of liked the barren nature of it.
Some color correction and text and it was complete.
Enjoy.
A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Edom.
(Psalm 62:1 DR)
View a higher quality version of this gif here: