Psalm 61:1-7

1 Ein Psalm Davids, vorzusingen, auf Saitenspiel. Höre, Gott, mein Schreien und merke auf mein Gebet!

2 Hienieden auf Erden rufe ich zu dir, wenn mein Herz in Angst ist, du wollest mich führen auf einen hohen Felsen.

3 Denn du bist meine Zuversicht, ein starker Turm vor meinen Feinden.

4 Laß mich wohnen in deiner Hütte ewiglich und Zuflucht haben unter deinen Fittichen. (Sela.)

5 Denn du, Gott, hörst mein Gelübde; du belohnst die wohl, die deinen Namen fürchten.

6 Du wollest dem König langes Leben geben, daß seine Jahre währen immer für und für,

7 daß er immer bleibe vor Gott. Erzeige ihm Güte und Treue, die ihn behüten.

Psalm 61:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician upon Neginah, [A Psalm] of David. "Neginah" is either the beginning of a song, as Aben Ezra; or the musical note or tune of one: or rather the name of a musical instrument, which was touched by the hand, or with a quill or bow. It is the singular of "neginoth," See Gill on "Ps 4:1." This psalm was written by David, when at the end of the earth, or land of Judea, as appears from Psalm 61:2; either when he was fighting with the Syrians, as R. Obadiah, and so was composed about the same time with the former; or when he was in the land of the Philistines, being obliged to fly there from Saul, as Kimchi and others: or rather after he himself was king, since mention is made of the king in it; and when he fled from his son Absalom, and passed over to the other side of Jordan, and came to Mahanaim, 2 Samuel 17:22; where very probably he wrote this psalm. In it respect is had to the Messiah, as in Psalm 61:2; though Arama thinks it was composed after the prophecy came to Nathan that David should not build the temple; see Psalm 61:4.