Communication

Psalms 61:1 (KJV) [[To the chief Musician upon Neginah, [A Psalm] of David.]] Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

(Proverbs 10 also read)

I wonder how useful it is for us to plead with God to hear our prayers.  Somehow I get the feeling that He is listening all the time and hears what we have to say.

Of course, there are some qualifiers on getting answers to our prayers.  The New Testament gives us a number of things such as praying within the will of God and other things like that.  Those are qualifiers on answers, though not on whether God hears us.

Actually, the only qualification or limitation that I see on God hearing our prayers is whether we are believers or not.  There are several places where God tells us that He does not hear the prayers of unbelievers.  Of course, He hears the prayer of a repentant sinner but that’s not the same as, “Heal my cancer.”

So?  If it makes you feel better, ask God to listen.  More important, live in repentance.  

Rocking Out This Year

(Psa 61:2 KJV)  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

(Proverbs 1 also read)

I have a friend who has cut himself off from the glory taught in much of the Bible.  He says that Psalms was written to Israel and thus it does not apply to us.  It is a sad position to take.  While it is obvious that certain culturally unique situations might have no parallel to us today we need to understand that they did not have application then because of cultural uniqueness but because the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has made them scripture with an application for all time.

The word picture in these verses is a good way to stare at the year ahead of us.  We do not face the unknowns of the year based on our strength and wisdom.  We have strength and wisdom but believers cling to the knowledge that those come from God and are in need of continual renewal.  Read over this first section of the Psalm.  God is a rock, not for us to stand on top of and look down on the world but a place to shelter from the attacks those who hate Him.  God offers us a tent and a wing to hide under.

So?  Don’t ignore truth.  Grab it with both hands, look into the eyes of a Savior who died and rose again for you and march into the year with a holy boldness that is only possible because you know the Living God.  Happy New Year and may you know the joy of God’s rockiness.  (Posted, January 1, 2024, PP)

Applied Grace

(Psa 62:12 KJV)  Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

I keep coming across this final phrase.  God will “recompense” (7999) us for what we do.  That seems so wrong to our NT grace way of thinking.  I expect this kind of thing in the Old Testament but I find this thought, or even this verse, repeated by Jesus in Matthew 16:27 and Paul in I Cor 3:8, II Cor 5:10, Eph 6:8 and Col 3:25.  Then we have I Peter 1:17 and Jesus again in Revelation 22:12.

Is this an unbendable law or a general principle?  In this chapter of Psalms we find David talking about needing God’s refuge so I would suggest there are times when we will not be on the top of the pyramid.  At the same time we have the security found in the middle of a storm.

So?  God will be faithful.  Often all we have to cling to is that promise but I have noticed when I am going across a slippery surface I often only need one unmovable anchor to keep me steady.  If you are currently blessed, rejoice.  If you are half way across a rushing stream, trust and then rejoice.

Hiding in Plain Sight

(Psa 61:4 KJV)  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

(Proverbs 23 also read)

There is a second picture given to us.  If you are one of those literal minded individuals I might offer a spoiler alert:  God is not a big chicken.  He does not really have wings.  I hope that does not ruin your day but the Bible is full of word pictures of different types.

When I first read this in the KJV I saw the word “covert” (5643) and my lips formed a giant “WHAT?”  It was a silent “what” because it was early in the morning and other people were asleep in the house.  Think about how we use the word “covert” in our everyday language.  I will wait....  I hope you came up with the idea of covert activities such as spying.  It is still in use, just in a little different context.  There is a time to take “refuge” (NASB) under His wings.

So?  You don’t like being thought of as a baby chick hiding under mommy’s wing?  You might feel a bit different when that hawk flies by or the fox jumps the fence.  Trust me.  God will be there for you.  If you don’t trust me, trust David.  Better yet, trust God. 

Celestial Camping

(Psa 61:4 KJV)  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

(Proverbs 22 also read)

We have two pictures here.  Consider the “tent” (168).  The KJV does well by putting the word “tabernacle” here because that is what it means.  Picture what this meant for David.  The temple has not yet been built.  The tabernacle is the place where the ark of the covenant is kept.  It has the altar and the holy of holies.  The great NT concept that we get from it is how God abides with His people.

And we abide with Him.  We don’t just go to church on Sunday morning.  We have the Holy Spirit in us.  We are able to worship anywhere, yes, even under trees and at the sea shore.  David asks to be admitted because God has invited him.

So?  He invites us too.  He wants us to abide.  He wants us to tabernacle with him.  Think of it as a camping tent that never leaks. 

Enjoy the View

(Psa 61:3 KJV)  For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

The next image of our relationship with God reflects on the spiritual battles we face.  David, king of Israel, had literal warfare and there were times when he did not see victory on the horizon.  He looked at God as his ultimate “tower” (4026) to retreat.  It represented the hardest place for the enemy to attack and defeat.

God provides us with that kind of sanctuary.  

The tower is also a place where you can climb high enough to get a better view of what is going on.  It is a place to determine the plans of the enemy and to see if help is coming.

So?  Don’t be afraid to retreat into the presence of God and trust Him to keep the enemy at bay.  Eventually you will be ready to sally forth again. 

This Rock Doesn’t Roll

(Psa 61:2 KJV)  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

(Proverbs 20 also read)

Here is the first image that David brings to mind as his thoughts are on the God he serves.  He is a “rock” (6697).  Notice that the rock he speaks of is not something that you move around in the garden to get out of the way or to decorate.  This is a rock of renewal.

It might be a good reminder to focus occasionally on the fact that this Rock is “higher” (7311) than we are.  It is also higher than we could ever hope to be.  The picture is not a six foot rock next to a 5' 11" man.  It is not a boulder that is on a slight rise so we can’t see over it.  This is more the image you see on the pictures of the Rock of Gibraltar.  Even that isn’t enough.  It would be more like moving Mount Everest to your back yard.  Even that isn’t enough.

So?  God is the rock that will not be moved.  He is that immovable object that cannot be moved.  He is that friend who will not run when our mood turns sour.  Rejoice in the Rock. 

He Does

(Psa 61:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

Do you think David felt like he was wasting his breath?  There are times where we get that impression.  Think of all the times he asked, “How long, O Lord?”  But in this passage he is speaking out of assurance, not discouragement.  

We serve and worship a God who is aware of us.  It seems a bit arrogant but that is the way He set it up.  We are not beavers that are only able to build dams or salmon that return to the same river we were born in so that we can lay eggs and die.  We live in a vital relationship with a living God.

So?  In the next few verses David gives some images of how God does even more than listen.  If you have a Bible, take a moment and read the first half of the Psalm.