If you are feeling rather overwhelmed by all that’s happening right now, you may be able to relate to David’s cry in the first few verses of Psalm 61.
Hear my cry
Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
Psalm 61:1-2a (NKJV)
Notice that the psalm doesn’t begin softly or cautiously, but with a fully-blown scream for God to “HEAR!” and “ATTEND!” Such is the depth of feeling being expressed by David.
He says that even from the very “end of the earth” he is going to cry out to God. But what is he doing at the end of the earth? It seems like he’s feeling about as far away from anywhere of significance as he can possibly get. He’s lost. Far away. Feeling overwhelmed; distraught; exhausted.
David doesn’t go into what got him to this point. In fact, it’s almost like he puts that behind him as he decides something needs to change. Right at that point of overwhelm, he cries out to God with everything inside him.
The Rock and a Tower
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
Psalm 61:2b-3 (NKJV)
David cries out, asking God to lead and guide him. But this is no general prayer for guidance. This is a specific prayer for God to take him in a specific direction to a specific destination. David is asking God to go before him and show him the way, rather like the pillar of cloud and fire guided the Israelites through the desert. The specific destination is God Himself – the “rock” that David describes as higher than he is.
Remember that David is the King of Israel. There is no-one higher than him! And perhaps an over-reliance on his own knowledge and self-sufficiency has got him to the precarious position he finds himself in. But here he acknowledges his absolute dependence on the One who is so much higher than he is.
A high rock is a beautiful picture of strength, protection, hope and refuge (eg. Ps 18:2). And a strong tower is a place of defense. It’s a secure place to find shelter when under attack. And David knows that this is who God is.
I will abide, I will trust
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah
Psalm 61:4 (NKJV)
David makes two clear commitments or vows to God in verse 4. Firstly, he says “I will abide” or dwell in Your tent – rather than my own tent. David is making a deliberate choice to make his home where God lives, rather than in his own home. This might seem like a play on words, but it is no small thing. When you choose to live in someone’s house, you come under that person’s household rules. So David is making a renewed commitment to live according to God’s ways.
Secondly, he says “I will trust in the shelter [or secret place] of Your wings.” David is a military commander. Wings don’t offer a lot of military protection. What they do offer is warmth, comfort, nurture and shelter. And that’s what David is needing right now.
The rock, the tower, the tent, the wings
David recognised he not only urgently needed God to help him, but he also urgently needed to run into God Himself. He asked God to lead him to Himself as the Rock; so he could run into the Tower, the Tent and under the Wings. These are the different ways David chose to describe God’s strength, protection, dwelling and comfort.
If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, follow David’s example. Rather than just asking for God’s help, run into God Himself. He is your high Rock; your strong Tower; the Tent you can abide in; the Wings you can snuggle into for comfort. He is everything you need.
