Young At Heart Bible Study: The Book of Psalms Psalms 61-62

Psalm 61: Lead Me To The Rock

(1) [To the chief Musician upon Neginah, a Psalm of David.] Hear my cry, OGod; attend unto my prayer. (2) From the end of the earth will I cry unto you, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher thanI.

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This song for the Chief Musician is a

neginah

or poem. Little is known about the background of the Psalm, except that David seems to be in exile. From this wecan suggest that it comes from the time when Absalom had taken the throne.

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This is a prayer uttered aloud, not a mere inward thought of the heart. David’sheart was overwhelmed – literally, the word means “covered,” as with a garment.It means that his heart was enveloped in pain and sorrow.

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The rock that is higher is of course a picture of God. It is also symbolic of Christ,the Rock of God who saves us by lifting us out of the mire of our sinful condition.

(3) For you have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

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The image of towers and shelters was a popular one for the Israelites. God, andeven the Name of God, was viewed as a tower in which people could find safety.

(4) I will abide in your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the covering of your wings. Selah. (5) For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have givenme the inheritance of those who fear your name.

Psalms Bible Study Psalms 61-62

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There are several images here which seem to have been important to theIsraelites. First, David expresses the thought that he will be in God’s Presenceforever. This is an important idea in his thinking, most memorably in Psalm 23(“dwell in the house of the Lord forever”), but it refers to the here and now as wellas the afterlife. In this case he speaks with confidence that he will be restored tohis throne.

Do we have this confidence when we meet with reversals?

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Another common picture found in verse 4 was that of finding shelter like a baby bird. Jesus Himself used this imagery. David knows he can find refuge there because he knows God has heard his prayers and vows.

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Finally we see the image of the inheritance. Each family’s inheritance of land was viewed as a sacred, personal trust from God. In a symbolic sense the inheritancemeant God was giving you a place of favor from which no one could evict you. It’salso important to note that this blessing comes to those

who fear the Lord.

(6) You will prolong the king's life, and his years as many generations. (7)He shall abide before God for ever; O, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. (8) So will I sing praise to your name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

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David did not expect that Absalom would be victorious; he expected his life to bepreserved and to extend to several generations. This came to pass as he lived longenough to see grandchildren, being about 70 years old when he died.

Psalms Bible Study Psalms 61-62

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He asks God to prepare mercy and truth for him. All believers and all those inleadership need to walk in the mercy of God and in the truth of God – these twothings will preserve us.

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He will bless God forever so that he may continue to worship him.

Psalm 62: Pour Out Your Heart Before Him

It has been suggested that this Psalm also comes from the time when David had beentemporarily put off his throne by Absalom’s rebellion. The psalm is meant to encouragepeople to trust in the Lord. The song was given to the Chief Musician, in this caseJeduthun, but we have no additional details about it.

(1) <To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.> Truly my soul waits upon God; from him comes my salvation. (2) He only is my rock andmy salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

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David’s soul was waiting on God, although more literally it means his soul wassilent or quiet before God. He had a calm expectation of help from the Almighty and so would not allow his heart to become agitated or anxious.

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David took God as his rock and his salvation (

yeshua)

and, as we would say, he“accepted no substitutes.” Often we fall into the temptation to lean on otherthings for our security or our hope.

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He would not be

greatly moved

. He didn’t expect to have no trouble whatsoever, but he knew that because God was for him his faith could not be destroyed.