Psalm 61 – Appeal for restoration to God’s presence
Psalm 62 – Appeal for deliverance from arrogant foes
Psalm 63 – Appeal for God’s refreshing presence when threatened by enemies
Psalm 64 – Appel for God’s protection against conspirators
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
Psalm 61 acknowledges God is able to protect, he is “a strong tower” (61:3), one who we should call on wherever we are, even when he seems distant. The words honor the king and ask for a blessing on his family “for many generations” (61:6). This section seems a little out of place, like a verse from another song, but here it is as a sincere appeal so it must be here for a reason. Perhaps the writer is switching perspectives and is appealing to God for himself, the king, but uses the third-person perspective to distance himself…makes it easier for the congregation to sing!
Psalm 62 has a great refrain, a chorus that jumps out from the text: “Truly his my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” (62:2). Even in English, the rhythm of this verse has great energy! He is my ROCK and my SAL-VA-TION! Yes!
Psalm 63 starts with words that must be sung, especially “through the watches of the night” (63:6), the times when enemies surround us: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you” (63:1). I love those words and they truly represent where I am today, where we should be at all times!
Psalm 64 seems like the words of one who is secretly walking through the camp of his enemy, he hears their thoughts as they conspire in their treachery. We are often surprised when we hear stories of criminals, of those who commit crimes without remorse. It’s difficult for us to understand how they think because (hopefully) we don’t think like criminals. Our reliance on the Lord is our hope: “But God will shoot them with his arrows” (64:7) is what we’re counting on, and the song I want to sing! “The righteous will rejoice in the Lord” (64:10). Amen!