Psalm 61- Overwhelmed
Most of us know what it means to be overwhelmed. To overwhelm is to bury or drown beneath a huge mass; defeat completely; have strong emotional effect on; and overpower. We may be overwhelmed at work, buried under paperwork; overwhelmed by strong emotions after a loss. In Psalm 61 – overwhelmed, David is overwhelmed. Why is David overwhelmed? What can we learn from this?
Psalm 61
Psalm 61 is another psalm attributed to David. In Psalm 61 – overwhelmed, David asks God to listen to his prayer.
“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.” (1)
Overwhelmed, he calls from the ends of the earth. He hadn’t travelled that far however he was in a sense at the end of his rope. (The words, “heart grows faint,” are translated as overwhelmed in the King James version.) He has no other recourse but to call upon God.
“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.” (2-3)
We don’t know why David is overwhelmed. This is common in the Psalms. We don’t get specifics. That keeps us from trying to limit the reach of the psalm. This psalm is for all who feel overwhelmed, regardless of the reason.
When feeling overwhelmed, the psalmist says he needs three things.
- David needed the rock, a place of stability and security, something strong enough to stand against crashing waves or quaking earth.
- He needed a rock that is higher than I, a place above himself, above his wisdom, above his abilities.
- He needed God to lead him to that rock. David was unable to get to the firm-footed place above his crisis on his own. (Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 61)
In other words, he needed to get above the overwhelm to a safe place.
David’s Prayer
David goes on to speak of his longing for God, using the image of sheltering under God’s wings.
“I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.” (4-5)
He prays:
“Increase the days of the king’s life, his years for many generations.
May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.” (6-7)
And ends with words of praise:
“Then I will ever sing in praise of your name and fulfill my vows day after day.” (8)
Power of Prayer
Psalm 61 – overwhelmed begins with a prayer. The Psalms is a book of prayers, the prayers of the Israelite people. However, prayer is only mentioned six other times in the book of Psalms, Ps. 4:1, 6:9, 17:1, 55:1, 65:2, 66:20. Perhaps because it is understood that the words were prayers.
As Pope Benedict XVI stated: “Since they are the Word of God, the believer who prays the Psalms speaks to God using the very words that God himself has given to us. Thus, in praying the Psalms we learn to pray. The Psalms are a school of prayer.”
We are all students in this school.
Jesus – the Rock
There are clear messianic aspects of this psalm. Jesus is the “rock higher than I.” When the psalm mentions, “He shall abide before God forever” (KJV), who else could he be referring to but the Messiah?
“The psalm is…[so] Messianic that the everlasting kingdom of the Christ alone fulfils its prayer.” (Maclaren)
“The promises of the Lord have found their focus in the messiahship of Jesus the Christ, whose rule is established by the promise and reward of the Father (Ephesians 4:7-13).” (VanGemeren) (Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 61)
Jesus, a person, is the answer to all our questions. The way to hear the answer is through prayer.
Psalm 61 – Overwhelmed
So often when we speak of being overwhelmed, we are referring to the negative side of the word. Overwhelmed by the cares of the world, worries, sorrows. There is a flip side. We can be overwhelmed by God’s grace and mercy.
What can we do when we are overwhelmed? Psalm 61 – overwhelmed, lets us know. We are to pray. We are to look to Jesus, the rock, the tower higher than us.
The psalmist moves from tears to praise. And so, just like David, our prayers move us from moments of despair to moments of overwhelming joy and praise.
When overwhelmed, what do you do?
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 61: Through Lament to Trust – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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