Psalms 61:2-8

2 From the end of the land unto Thee I call, In the feebleness of my heart, Into a rock higher than I Thou dost lead me.

3 For Thou hast been a refuge for me, A tower of strength because of the enemy.

4 I sojourn in Thy tent to the ages, I trust in the secret place of Thy wings. Selah.

5 For Thou, O God, hast hearkened to my vows, Thou hast appointed the inheritance Of those fearing Thy name.

6 Days to the days of the king Thou addest, His years as generation and generation.

7 He dwelleth to the age before God, Kindness and truth appoint -- they keep him.

8 So do I praise Thy name for ever, When I pay my vows day by day!

Psalms 61:2-8 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.