“Lead Me to the Rock that is Higher than I” (Ps 61)

“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.” (vs1-2)

First, we have a petition: “Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I”, lead me to safety; make sure that I live (vs1-4). We request power from above to enable us to do, overcome, and enjoy what the Lord has promised us. We don't ask for what He won't give, like power to sin and our own glory and will, but we ask for the salvation promised to us, because we are in need.

What a blessing to have God to turn to in prayer, because if He hears and works for us, then all is well. We have God on our side, so it doesn't matter what is against us, when Almighty power, wisdom, and love have agreed to be our aid. 2 Kings 6:15-17 says, “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha”. Be still my soul. Cry out to God in prayer. You have Help sufficient to do whatever He commands, become whatever He calls, and enjoy all that He gives.

Secondly, resurrection is the reward promised us in prayer (vs5-7). He says, “For 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”. The gospel is the sufferings of Christ (trials of being in this sin-cursed earth) and the glory (resurrection and life) that should follow (Luke 24:25-26). After we have borne the sting of sin, for Christ's sake, God gives us life – fellowship, promises, and peace. Christ bore the heat of the day, but He rose victorious, receiving His reward, having been heard, even from the ends of the earth, when He cried out in abandonment for our sins.

Likewise, just as we have a MORNING every day, we also have continual victory in Christ, whereby the Spirit overcomes the plague of sin: Christ's victory, grabbed by faith, secures the power of the Spirit to all who believe! Bless God. He resurrects (Rom 4:17-21)! He is One who gives life to the dead, promises and performs peace to the miserable, and teaches us to come to Him for miraculous happenings. Just as Christ is raised and reigning eternally, you and I shall be conquerors over sin, death, and Satan. We shall rejoice, be holy, and win.

Finally, I will perform my vows and fulfill my promises made in prayer, when I have been saved, so save me, so that I may obey (vs7-8). He says, “Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him! So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows”. God's faithfulness to us produces faithfulness in us, so that we love Him because He first loved us, and we see it (1 John 4:19). We cannot praise Him for mercies that aren't ours, so by faith, we take the salvation, by faith we experience victory, and by faith, we say thank you to God.

Ours isn't pretended miserable praise. Ours is the praise of those who have a reason, who have been saved, so we ask for salvation, so that we may fulfill our promises. And, promises to praise God, to rejoice, and to love are good things to put on the table, because they are part of the salvation that He gives. Don't say, “Forgive me, so I can live in sin”, but say, “Forgive me, so that I can forgive others and live in peace to God's glory”. This will be heard. He will hear us from far away from Christ and peace, and He will give us the victory that we need.