Chronicles of a Journeyman

Psalm 61

1-4: Protection from God

5-8: Prosperity from God

This psalm, like many other psalms of David, includes both a prayer for help and an affirmation of God’s faithfulness. It has two sections with a pause (Selah) in between them.

In the first section, David pleads for rescue for the enemy and protection from overwhelming circumstances. Here, he pictures God as a Refuge and Hiding Place.

In the second section, he proclaims that God has heard him and given him longevity and stability as king. Here, he pictures God as the Giver of inheritance, watching His people thrive through many generations.

This psalm is a confident prayer and declaration based on a revelation of God’s ways in the past and trust in His unchanging character forevermore. Amen.