Psalm 61:1-3

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

1 ^[a]Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

Psalm 61:1-3 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.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 64:1
• 2. Psalms 4:1; Psalms 86:6
• 3. S Psalms 6:2; Psalms 77:3
• 4. Psalms 18:2; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 94:22
• 5. Psalms 9:9; S Psalms 46:1; Psalms 62:7
• 6. Psalms 59:9; Proverbs 18:10

Footnotes

• [a] In Hebrew texts 61:1-8 is numbered 61:2-9.