Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Psalm 61:1-8


... in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.  Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.  Amen.  Glory to You, our God, Glory to You.

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, You are everywhere and fill all things, Treasury of blessings, and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it is now, was in the beginning, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Psalm 61:1-8[1]

To the chief Musician on Neginah, [A Psalm] of David.

Hear my cry, O God.  Attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed.  Lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I: for You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in Your tabernacle forever.  I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.  Consider.

Because, You, O God, have heard my vows.  You have given [me] the heritage of those who fear Your name.  You will prolong the king’s life: his years as many generations.

He shall abide before God forever.  Prepare mercy and truth, [which] may preserve him.  So I will sing praise to Your name forever; so that I may daily perform my vows.[2]



[1] David begins his prayer request with a proclamation of determination.  Even if tribulations carry him to the most remote regions of earth, far away from the heavenly city, he will continue to pray, because God is his rock (Zion), his shelter, and his fortress.  Someday he will live in God’s house and be sheltered by the angel’s wings that shelter the mercy seat.
David has confidence in this because of the character of God who hears prayer (vows).  Our vows are primarily concerned with our duties and love of prayer to God: for what can we give to God that He does not already own?  The only thing we have that is truly our own, is our sin, so we offer up confession, and gratitude, for absolution, blessings, defeat of Satan and sin, expiation, Fatherly love, eternal life, forgiveness, healing, justification, provision, reconciliation, redemption, shepherding, for sanctification and glorification (Theosis).
David understands eternal life.  As the King, Jesus shall abide before God forever, even so David will abide before God forever in Jesus.  At last David will be freed to sing and pray forever.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.
[2] If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations in Psalms, please repost or share any of them as you wish.

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