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PSALMS 61

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STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
Confidence in God’s Protection
MT Intro

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm
of David.		 Assurance of God’s Eternal Protection Prayer For Protection A Prayer for Protection Prayer of An Exile
61:1-4 61:1-2 61:1-2 61:1-2 61:1-2
  61:3-7 61:3-5 61:3 61:3-5
      61:4-5  
61:5-8        
    61:6-7 61:6-7 61:6-7
  61:8 61:8 61:8 61:8

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

  1. First paragraph
  2. Second paragraph
  3. Third paragraph, etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

  1. This is obviously a royal Psalm (cf. Ps. 61:6). How God deals with the King represents
    how He deals with the nation (cf. Ps. 61:5).

     

  2. At first, Ps. 61:2 seems to imply exile but the rest of the Psalm does not support
    this. Therefore, Ps. 61:2a must be metaphorical of the King’s sense of spiritual alienation.

     

  3. This Psalm has several memorable images of God.
    1. the rock that is higher than I
    2. You have been a refuge for me
    3. You have been a tower of strength
    4. let me dwell in Your tent forever
    5. let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 61:1-4
 1Hear
my cry, O God;
 Give heed
to my prayer.
 2From
the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
 Lead me to the rock that is higher
than I.
 3For
You have been a refuge for me,
 A
tower of strength against the enemy.
 4Let
me dwell in Your tent forever;
 Let
me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.  Selah.

61:1 Two parallel IMPERATIVES OF REQUEST start this Psalm (cf. Ps. 86:6;
Isa. 28:23; 49:1; 51:4; Jer. 18:19; Dan. 9:19; Hos. 5:1).

  1. hear my cry – BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE
  2. give heed to my prayer – BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil IMPERATIVE

In Ps. 61:2 the psalmist says, “From the end of the earth I call to You.” This
sounds like a prayer of an exiled person but the rest of the Psalm does not support this. Therefore, it
must be imagery of a sense of alienation n his behalf.

The word “earth” can, in this context, be understood as “land”
(i.e., Promised Land), see
SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND,
COUNTRY, EARTH. Words have meaning only in context!

The AB understands the phrase to refer to Sheol (p. 84). This is based on
Ugaritic parallels. If so, the psalmist faced death, not just discouragement.

▣ “cry” “Cry” (BDB 943) can refer to shouts of joy or, as here, a
cry for help and protection (cf. Ps. 17:1; 88:2; 106:44; 119:169; 142:6).

61:2 “the rock that is higher than I” The title, “rock” reflects two Hebrew
roots (BDB 849 and 700 I). The title first (BDB 849) appears in Deut. 32:4,15,18,30,31. Notice how
it is expressed.

  1. the Rock – Deut. 32:4,15,18,30,31
  2. the Rock of his salvation – Deut. 32:15; 2 Sam. 22:47; Ps. 89:26; 95:1
  3. the Rock who begot you – Deut. 32:18
  4. their Rock sold them – Deut. 32:30
  5. their rock is not like our Rock – Deut. 32:31
  6. there is no rock like our God – 1 Sam. 2:2
  7. YHWH is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer – Ps. 18:2; 31:3; 71:3; 94:22
  8. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge – Ps. 18:2; 28:1; Isa. 17:10
  9. who is a rock, except our God – Ps. 18:31
  10. YHWH lives, and blessed be my rock – Ps. 18:46
  11. my rock and my redeemer – Ps. 19:14
  12. my rock (BDB 700 I) – Ps. 42:9
  13. my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him – Ps. 92:15
  14. blessed be YHWH, my rock – Ps. 144:1
  15. YHWH an everlasting Rock – Isa. 26:4
  16. to the mountain of YHWH, to the Rock of Israel – Isa. 30:29
  17. is there any other Rock? – Isa. 44:8

BDB 700 I occurs only in Ps. 18:2; 42:9. It literally means “rocky crag,” but
is a synonym of BDB 849 (both used in Ps. 18:2).

This imagery has several possible origins.

  1. the mountain roots or pillars connected to creation
  2. the site of YHWH’s giving of the law to Israel
  3. the temple on Mt. Moriah
  4. the strength and permanency of physical mountains
  5. mountains are the highest point, closest to heaven where God dwells

▣ “higher than I” This could mean several things.

  1. the rock that provides salvation and refuge that the psalmist cannot provide himself
  2. the rock he is unable to climb or possibly understand (i.e., God’s permanency)
  3. the contrast between God’s exalted place and the psalmist’s place of discouragement
    (i.e., when my heart is faint)

The LXX and Peshitta have, “You left me upon a rock.”

61:3 Much of the imagery used to describe God has military connotations.

  1. a refuge linked to a shield in 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30; Pro. 30:5
  2. a refuge linked to a stronghold in Ps. 59:16
  3. here a refuge linked to a “tower of strength” (cf. Pro. 18:10) in Ps. 62:7, “the
    rock of my strength”

61:4 Psalm 61:4 has two COHORTATIVE VERBS.

  1. let me dwell in Your tent – BDB 157, KB 184, Qal COHORTATIVE,
    cf. Ps. 27:5; 31:20; 32:7
  2. let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings – BDB 340, KB 337, Qal
    IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense (see
    SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW
    AS METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE    )

As Ps. 61:3 has military imagery, 61:4 has imagery related to the temple or possibly
“rock” in Ps. 61:2. The imagery of Ps. 61:4a is also found in Ps. 23:6; 27:4.

The term “forever” is PLURAL, which accentuates the concept (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER
(‘OLAM). I think in this OT Wisdom Literature context it denotes a happy, long life in
temple fellowship (i.e., tent) with YHWH (cf. Ps. 23:6).

▣ “in the shelter of Your wings”
This is female imagery of God as a protective mother bird (cf. Matt.
23:37; Luke 13:34). See notes at Ps. 17:8 and
Special Topic: Shadow as
Metaphor for Protection and Care.

▣ “Selah” See notes at Ps. 3:2 and Intro. to Psalms, VII.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 61:5-8
 5For
You have heard my vows, O God;
 You
have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.
 6You will prolong the
king’s life;
 His years
will be as many generations.
 7He
will abide before God forever;
 Appoint
lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him.
 8So I will sing praise to
Your name forever,
 That I
may pay my vows day by day.

61:5-8 This strophe relates to the King as a representative of YHWH’s covenant people.

  1. The King has made vows (i.e., faith promises) to YHWH.
  2. YHWH has given him/Israel the land (i.e., inheritance, cf. Gen. 15:12-21) of Canaan to
    those who fear Him.
  3. YHWH will prolong the King’s life (note royal hyperboles).
  4. The King will sit enthroned before God forever (obviously “forever” is not eternal
    but prolonged days). Be careful of reading NT developed theology back into Hebrew terms (royal
    hyperbole).
  5. YHWH appoints (BDB 584, KB 599, Piel IMPERATIVE, prayer request)
    lovingkindness and truth (personified agents, cf. Ps. 40:11; 57:3; 89:14, “goodness
    and mercy” in Ps. 23:6, “light” and “truth” in Ps. 43:3). This same
    concept is stated in Pro. 20:28. To uphold the King is to uphold Israel.

61:5 The NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 531, has a good comment about “those who fear Your name.” They
represent the faithful followers (cf. Ps. 15:4; 25:12,14; 103:11,13; 118:4). NIDOTTE adds a list of
slightly different forms.

  1. those who fear You – Ps. 31:19
  2. those who fear Him – Ps. 34:7
  3. those who fear Your name – Ps. 61:5
  4. those who fear God – Ps. 66:16

SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR (OT)

61:8 Because of God’s goodness to the King and Israel, the King will sing praises (BDB 274,
KB 273, Piel COHORTATIVE) to Him.

Again the use of “forever” must be seen as metaphorical of a long, successful
reign. The King’s faith promises (“vows”) are honored, performed, and fulfilled in the temple.
This close is similar to Ps. 30:12, thereby denoting a set ritual (i.e., thank offering) or liturgy
(connected to offering, cf. Ps. 7:17).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation.
You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

 

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of
the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

  1. Is this Psalm an individual lament or a royal lament?
  2. Explain the phrase “from the end of the earth.” Was the writer in exile?
  3. Does Ps. 61:4 imply eternal life? (cf. Ps. 61:7) Is this a Messianic Psalm?
  4. Define “vow” as it is used in this Psalm. (cf. Ps. 61:5,8)

 

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Lessons International

 

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