RR Psalm 61:1-5 Part 4

Shalom,

Psalm 61:1 For the music director, on string instrument, of David. 2 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer. 3 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 4 For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength before the enemy. 5 Let me dwell in Your tent forever. Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

The third part of the first half of verse 3 is “when my heart is faint.”  It is the final portion of Psalm 61:3a From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint.  David is speaking for us when we feel distant and alone and our hearts feel faint.  The Hebrew word translated as “faint” is “Ataf” (Ayin-Tet-Fay Sofit) with a full meaning of “hidden, covered up, or overwhelmed.”  We can feel like that from time to time, BUT GOD!

Yes, God is the answer in times of trouble.  Jeremiah knew it… Jeremiah  33:3  “Call to Me, and I will answer you—I will tell you great and hidden things, which you do not know.”  David repeats himself… Psalm 62:9 Trust in Him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart in His presence. God is our refuge. Selah.  What, you’re waiting for a good time to open up your heart to God?  Now is that time.  

Psalm 91:14 “Because he has devoted his love to Me, I will deliver him. I will set him securely on high, because he knows My Name. 15 When he calls on Me, I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, rescue him, and honor him.”

Let’s wrap this up.  Though we may feel distant, we are never really away from God, Who loves us with a perfect love.  Here are Yeshua’s last words before His ascension, as recorded in Matthew 28:20b “And remember! I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  That’s His promise to us, what are we saying in return?  Psalm 61:3b Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

What “Rock” is that?  Hint: the capital “R” is no mistake.  Paul answers our question in 1Corinthians 10.  He starts with a universal statement… “I don’t want you to be ignorant… all our fathers.”  I have to pause here.  Paul is being inclusive when he says, “all” five times in four verses.  He is addressing the mixed community of Jews and non-Jews in Corinth, while speaking of the children of Israel who left Egypt in the Exodus.

1Corinthians 10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea. 2 They all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 And all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah.

“The rock was Messiah!”  Yeshua is the Rock that is “higher than I.”  Yes, Lord…. Take us, Lord….  Take us to Yeshua Who is the Rock, higher than I.   Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Mon17-Aug 20264th of Elul, 5786
De 21:22-22:7Hos 11-122 Ch 3Heb 2 (Jn 18)

Rabbi H Michael Weiner

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