Contemplative Bible Reading

Psalm 61:1-3 (New Living Translation)

¹ O God, listen to my cry!
    Hear my prayer!
² From the ends of the earth,
    I cry to you for help
    when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
³     for you are my safe refuge,
    a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.

At the end of verse 2, we have the key to David’s safety in a time of distress:

• High ground
• Rock

When you shoot an arrow from a bow, throw a rock from a hand or a sling, throw a spear…all those things are more effective with the aid of gravity. I can throw harder downhill than uphill. Perhaps that isn’t exactly correct in theory, but it seems to work in practice.

A big rock is more stable than a big pile of sand. Again, this may not be correct in theory, but it seems to work in practice.

Combine the two—high ground and rock—and you have the destination David wants to reach. Please God, he prays, lead me to high ground and rock. Lead me to a place where enemies cannot harm me as easily.

Me? I have it. I have the grace of God. I have bad days; I have downright awful days. When in the right frame of mind, I do not despair in these awful days. The high rock of God’s grace protects me from despair.

“All I have to do” (easier written than practiced on some days) is remember where I am: on a towering rock of safety.