The 61st Psalm is dominated by the Rock. This rock stands as a mighty colossus overshadowing the entire Psalm.

We have little difficulty identifying the Rock as Jesus Christ. He is the the one who graciously and benevolently overshadows us in our journey through life. The Rock represents the timelessness and eternity of Christ. It represents the firm foundation that He provides in an uncertain world. Times have changed immeasurably but the Christ remains – the immutable one who is a Rock for us as He was to David several millennia ago.

This Rock is high because Christ has a name above every other name (Philippians 2:9), He is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of God’s person (Hebrews 1:3) and He is the High Priest made higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:25). The rock is also deep because Christ humbled himself for us, to the point of death – even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Best of all – because the Rock is deep, it is accessible because Christ is the mediator between God and man, the only Mediator who brings us to God (1st Timothy 2:5).

The image of the Rock has inspired several of our well known hymns, which have been a blessing and comfort to God’s people of many generations:

"O Safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine would I be;
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in thee."
William Orcutt Cushing, Our Own Hymnbook, 569

"The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm"
Vernon J. Charlesworth, Our Own Hymnbook 571

This study is designed to comfort hearts from the Rock that is Higher than I.

SEEKING AFTER THE ROCK

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:

PSALM 61:1-2

This Psalm is principally a prayer, although it becomes a song. It is such a blessing when our prayers are translated into praises – when the promise is appropriated and grasped by faith.

This prayer was a cry from the end of the earth. David’s situation was dire. He was stretched to his limits. He felt driven to uttermost edge of the world. Inwardly his heart was overwhelmed with the anxiety that his problem generated. He had run out of road, there were no human solutions. Therefore he sought the one who alone could help. In the wilderness of life he went seeking the Rock. He wasn’t so much seeking a solution for his problems as the person who had the answers. He needed the Lord to step into his life.

Very often we, in our overwhelmed condition, focus more upon the solutions, pray for those solutions more than we seek after the Lord Himself. When the Lord appears night turns to day and our perspective is transformed. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord; the sorrow of the tragedy at Golgotha was transformed into tears of joy because Christ was in the midst. We must go seeking the Rock by crying unto the Lord.

FOLLOWING TO THE ROCK

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

PSALM 61:2

David, however, could not reach the rock Himself. He acknowledged this. He needed to the Lord to lead Him into this new and intimate place of protection and comfort.

Today – we need the Lord to come, leading and guiding us to the Rock, which is Himself.

Throughout the Scriptures we are taught that must must utterly depend upon the Lord for hIs presence, His grace and His power.

Draw me, we will run after thee:

Song of Solomon 1:4

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power

Psalm 110:3

The one who draws us to the Rock is the Holy Spirit. Therefore our prayer must be that He would come and reveal Christ to us, show us His glory, that we might be melted in His presence. At times we may feel the Lord is distant, that He is not with us. There are occasions when the Master deliberately withdraws in order that our desire for Him would be quickened, that we would seek Him with intensity. This was the Bride’s experience in the Song of Songs and it is ours also at times.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth:
I sought him, but I found him not.
I will rise now, and go about the city
in the streets, and in the broad ways
I will seek him whom my soul loveth:
I sought him, but I found him not.
The watchmen that go about the city found me:
to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
It was but a little that I passed from them,
but I found him whom my soul loveth:
I held him, and would not let him go,
until I had brought him into my mother’s house,
and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

Song of Solomon 3:1-4

This Rock is high, above the storms of life. As such it affords peace and protection. Moses may have had the strength to clamber up Pisgah even though he was 120 years of age. We have no such strength. We need the helping hand, the touch of grace, the drawing of the Spirit. Then and only then as we ascend into the rarified presence of Christ will we be taken into a vision transforming vista. As the landscape looks different looking down from the clouds from an aeroplane window, so all of our struggles will be transformed looking vertically from the Rock rather than than horizontally from the human perspective. We need to to ascend into a new place of fellowship with Christ.

SHELTERING UNDER THE ROCK

For thou hast been a shelter for me,
and a strong tower from the enemy.

PSALM 61:3

David reflects upon the past, the Lord’s protection and shelter, where He had been as a strong tower from the enemy. Therefore He was looking for this protection from God again.

The Rock would therefore become a refuge, where He would be hidden.

There is no better location than to be hidden in Christ.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind,
and a covert from the tempest;
as rivers of water in a dry place,
as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

Isaiah 32:2

FELLOWSHIPPING ON THE ROCK

I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever:
I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows:
thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

PSALM 61:4-5

It is apparent though, that David didn’t see the Rock as merely a place of comfort and security. It was ultimately a place of fellowship. He refers to the tabernacles, where the sacrifices were offered and where the priests served. He talked about the paying and honouring of vows. He was acutely aware of the heritage He enjoyed as one who belonged to the covenant nation, established for the glory of God.

We are constantly in need to more intimate fellowship with the Lord. If our problems were solved, our heartaches appeased and we didn’t enjoy the Lord any more – to what end? The emphasis of David’s Rock was the enjoyment that He needed in the Lord’s presence. That’s what we need today. And when the Lord comes and we enjoy his presence we will be as the chicks covered by the wings of mother – not a refuge, not just place of strength but a relationship of love. Oh to know that love, gushing forth in our hearts!

PROMISING AT THE ROCK

Thou wilt prolong the king’s life:
and his years as many generations.
He shall abide before God for ever:
O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

PSALM 61:6-7

On the Rock David received a new appreciation of the Lord’s promises. His throne would be maintained and mercy and truth would preserve Him.

In the Lord’s presence we see the promises more acutely. We know the promises but we don’t always see them. We need to see the promises with a clearer and sharper vision.

We are a people purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. We are the adopted children of the God and joint heirs with Christ. We are part of the most dynamic and powerful body ever created – the Church of Christ. We are the salt of the earth, we are a city set on a hill, we are the light of the world, we are God’s ambassadors. Rather than being swallowed up with negativity we must press forward knowing who we are in this wicked world because greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world.

PRAISING FROM THE ROCK

So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever,
that I may daily perform my vows.

PSALM 61:8

David concludes with a song of praise and thanksgiving. He was bringing glory to God alone being equipped to serve him with the performing of His vows. His prayers became praise and his praises became a service, and he pressed forward for the Lord.

God employs our challenges to renew our spirits and to draw us into more effective service more Him.

They that are godly are oppressed and vexed in the church of congregation for this purpose: that when they are pressed, they should cry: and when they cry, that they should be heard; and when they are heard, that they laud and praise God.

Augustine of Hippo

Let us learn the lessons and seek His presence, the Rock that is Higher than I.