Psalm 61 - Feeling Overwhelmed? Does God Feel Distant?
Message Introduction
Message Outline
Message Exposition
The Psalmist feels far away from God (Psalm 61:1-2)
God hears you when you are in danger
God hears you when you are distant
God hears you when you are discouraged
The Psalmist turns to the “Rock” (Psalm 61:2)
The “Rock” is higher than the psalmist
As the psalmist did, we must be led to the “Rock”
The Psalmist reminds himself of the God in Whom he trusts (Psalm 61:3-4)
The next thing to notice about Psalm 61 is that its second stanza adds to the image of God as David’s rock by four metaphors that elaborate what God is to his trusting people. God is so great that any number of images might be provided at this point. What is significant about these images is that they are arranged to become increasingly warm and intimate.
Metaphor # 1 - A refuge
Metaphor # 2 - A strong tower
Metaphor # 3 - A tent
Metaphor # 4 - Sheltering wings
23:37 I wanted … you were unwilling. God is utterly sovereign and therefore fully capable of bringing to pass whatever He desires (cf. Is 46:10)—including the salvation of whomever He chooses (Eph 1:4, 5). Yet, He sometimes expresses a wish for that which He does not sovereignly bring to pass (cf. Ge 6:6; Dt 5:29; Ps 81:13; Is 48:18). Such expressions in no way suggest a limitation on the sovereignty of God or imply any actual change in Him (Nu 23:19). But these statements do reveal essential aspects of the divine character: He is full of compassion, sincerely good to all, desirous of good, not evil—and therefore not delighting in the destruction of the wicked (Eze 18:32; 33:11). While affirming God’s sovereignty, one must understand His pleas for the repentance of the reprobate as well meant appeals—and His goodness toward the wicked as a genuine mercy designed to provoke them to repentance (Ro 2:4). The emotion displayed by Christ here (and in all similar passages, such as Lk 19:41) is obviously a deep, sincere passion. All Christ’s feelings must be in perfect harmony with the divine will (cf. Jn 8:29)—and therefore these lamentations should not be thought of as mere exhibitions of His humanity.
But I argued in the earlier study that strictly speaking the wings are not called the wings of the cherubim but the wings of God and that this is an even more powerful and intimate image. Some might think it indelicate, but David would not consider it wrong to want to be sheltered beneath the wings and against the very breast of God.
Nor should we. Never fear to be intimate with God. God desires to be intimate with you and is only hurt when you remain at a distance or draw back from his embrace.
The Psalmist prays that God will fulfil His promises (Psalm 61:5-7)
The Psalmist promises to praise God continually (Psalm 61:8)
The Gospel Proclaimed
Psalm 61 That one can bless many is a critically important principle in Scripture (Rom. 5:15). David leads his people to pray for the king to be faithful to God (Ps. 61:4, 5). If their king’s heart finds its courage in God’s protection, their nation will be secure (vv. 1–3). They appeal not merely for longevity but for covenant succession. If this is true in their rulers, then generations of citizens will experience the steadfastness of God’s love and observe the faithfulness of their Great Shepherd (vv. 6–7).
David’s very act of teaching his people to pray for him reminds every believer that no one is capable of performing his vows “day after day” unless the Lord “appoints” soul-guarding grace (vv. 7–8; Eph. 2:10). Believers have a priestly responsibility to pray for their leaders to be just (Isa. 1:23–26). But it must not be self-serving. Such prayers are meant to be an act of mercy toward the leader and ultimately for the whole nation (Prov. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:1–4). The effects that our lives have on others should remind us that believers must also “sanctify” themselves not merely to avoid judgment but as a loving act toward others who would be blessed by their holiness (cf. John 17:19; 1 Pet. 2:9–12). Ultimately, as David prepared his people to anticipate a saving King, this psalm exhorts us to pray for Christ’s worldwide mission to succeed so that citizens will be summoned by grace into his kingdom from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (Rev. 7:9–11).