Q1. Psalm 61

[maynd]

That section in verse 3 'lead me to the rock that is higher than I' has been my moniker since I first heard it in song form back in the mid 80's. It was written by one of them in the Gaither singing group I think and transformed me from that moment on. It has been a pray on my lips and a song in my heart. It is so difficult to express in words the joy it gives, the heights my spirit soars when I hear it. Praise God.

[servant for Christ]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

The images David uses is God, the Rock, his refuge, his strong tower, the shelter of his wings, and his dwelling place. It makes me feelgreat to know that I am hiding in the Rock, where I can't be destroyed, to know that God is my shelter, my refuse, my strong tower, and that I am under His wings always. There is nothing I go through or have to face tha I have to do alone. Praise Gid, He is always with me. He is my Love, Faithfulness, my Protection, everything I need. It makes me feel safe and secure from all storms.

[charchar]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel? The Psalmist felt that God was his Rock of safety. That God is strong enough that nothing or no-one can hurt him. The first four verses give me reasurance that God is the Strenght of all my hurt, pain and situations. He is more than enough to take care of us in every situation. God is God and it is no one are nothing in the spirit or out that is like him and our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ. I find safety in His Love for me. Think you God for Jesus and the Love that is was given.

[Marloes]

vs. 3 Rock

vs. 4 shelter; tower

vs. 5 wings - like a fatherswan who protects his nest

In my country we have some big towers with a light in top of them ('vuurtoren').

Sailors can see them even even when they are still at see when the weather is bad.

This is my personal image to this psalm.

[Paul G]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

ANS: He leads me to the rock that is higher than I. He is a refuge, a strong tower, a dwelling place. We take refuge in the shelter of His wings. We have confidence, and can take strength in the Lord. I can trust Him totally when I feel threatened.

[chillsey1]

Knowing that God's protection is always with me is such a relief. Although the enemy will tempt me with fear say if I was on a plane or bus, but quoting versing to myself that promote Gods power and protection just rest the tension in my shoulders and relaxes me. Its kind of feeling like David when he was fighting Goliath. He kept on saying to not fear cause they are the children of Isreal and that they are God's children, and when he faced Goliath, even through what he saw, he still knew what will happen cause he is on God's side. The battle can be won.

God's protection is like a mother hen covering her young ones with her wings just as much as it can be a rock pointing us in the direction of a higher one. No matter what kind of protection we need, he is still there to be our strong tower and refuge.

Thanks God that I can place my own child in your hands to protect. Everything is possible with God.

[royk]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

It seems like a situation of desperation, where David is in hiding but fearful of the outcome, and this fear keeps him from being close to God at that moment. But this attitude doesn't last long. David recalls how God helps him "you have been my refuge" .... " I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings." here David expresses his need and desire to submit to the Lord and have the shelter God has always given him. He does this with a humble heavy laden heart and seeks rest. We ourselves must learn humility and how to submit to God with a meek and lowly heart, and find and the rest and other things we really need.

[Nancy Palmer]

The psalmist describes God as ever present, ever willing to counsel. God is omnipresent and omnipotent. God is a place; a firm place to stand, a place to take sanctuary. God is an indestructible, formidable fortress of protection.

The conveyed thought is that everything I am not - God is for me. He is my strength, my protection, my place of safety, security and, most importantly, my home. Thanks be to God.

[AKSquires]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

-Rock

-Shelter

-Strong Tower

-Shelter of [His] wings

The first four verses I have underlined prior to this study. They make me feel Safe. Protected from all sides and like a small chick with no defense mechanisms of its own. My soul soaks up these four verses, rejoycing in the trust I have in my God.

[tammie7]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

The images that envokes commuicate are rock,tower,tent,shelter of your wings

The first four verses make me feel that I can cry out ot God and he heard me, also that I can go higher in his spiirt.That he is a tower of strenght when my enemy are around,and I can dwell with him for ever.

[jon burke]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=673

Psa 61:1 To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

Psa 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psa 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

Psa 61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

This portrays an image of God as our rock and fortress, our stronghold in times of danger, trouble and strife.

This makes me feel that we are small and weak and that God is huge and our fortress at all times. We can run to Him and only him for protection.

[Seeking His Face]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

He said in the psalms that God had been a shield, a rock and that he had taken shelter in His wings.

I always need to stay close to my Father.

[Glo]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

The psalmist evokes an image of God as his spiritual strong foundation. The first four verses affirm that we must keep God at the center of our focus at all times, no matter the circumstance even if it seems that all is lost. These verses remind me that trusting God represents our divine protection, a place of safety. He is our strong tower.

[cheeky82bloke]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

Q2. (Psalm 61:1-4)

Lesson 6

The images of Gods protection in this psalm is of God hearing his prayer, him being led to a high rock, of God being a refuge and strong tower, and being able to dwell in Gods tent and to be under Gods wings.

[hanks]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4)

What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection?

We see several word images of God

[Moody Grad]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

He refers to God as His rock, refuge, strong tower, tent, and the shelter of His wings. When I think of all these images, it makes me feel like God will protect me and care for me at all times. When I place myself in Him, I am safe and secure. Nothing can harm me when I run to my Savior.

[JanMary]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection?

David speaks of the Lord as his Rock....higher than himself. He uses the images of a Shelter, Refuge and a strong Tower against the adversary and a Tabernacle and God's Wings sheltering and protecting him.

How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

When I read those words or remember them, I feel safe, cherished, guarded, comforted, sheltered, unafraid, protected, peaceful, relieved, and loved....grateful that I am His and He is all of those things to me! He's the perfect Father! I love that He snuggles me close to His breast!

[jesus]

David shows us an image of God as a rock,a high tower and the only refuge who can deliver us from the enemies. As David is going through a very difficult time in his life,he is tired and weary and his heart is fainting due to the overwhelming trouble around his life. At this point he makes a cry to the Lord. David knows he cannot do anything absolutely nothing in his own strength. But he surely knows through his trust in God that He can go to God and find comfort in Him. Therefore a tired ,weak and weary David stretches his hands towards his God and says You are my refuge,you are like a strong tower,I will hide inside your wings. Just like those small little baby birds who hide under the mighty wings of their mother,in times of wind and storm,so does David want to hide under the shadow of the Almighty God.

Ohh this psalm is ministering to my troubled soul right now.

I am weary and feel like fainting in my heart. Like David I am crying to the Lord .. Lord I have none to turn to right now. I know now you alone are my refuge ,a High tower a rock on whom I can stand! I am taking refuge in my own comfort zone ,but lead me much higher than these places that I take refuge and save me and res cue me. You Lord are the One who is able .. till the storm of life passes away i will hide in your presence. Lord i will dwell only in your presence and your word. If i step out Lord out of your presence,I feel alone and weak. But Lord i will put my hope in you and praise you for you alone are my Rock and Redeemer.

[antonate]

The first four verses of Psalm 61 bring images of a person seeking protection from his enemies. David is calling on the Name of the Lord and asking God to be help him in times of distress and danger. He finds protection in God's presence and he trusts and says that God is a strong tower that defends him against the foe , A mighty Rock where no enemy can come and trouble him. He is desperate and asks God to hear his cry, to answer is prayer to save him from his enemies and just makes God's presence as his dwelling place where he finds comfort and strength and rescued from all evil and danger.

when i read these verses i can feel the anxiety, the fear, the sadness and sorrow David is facing through his trials. But through all this when David cries out to God his Protector -- the feelings are changed from anxiety to strength. A strong feeling of trust and courage is built when we declare that God is our refuge, God is our strength. when faced by circumstances that are impossible to handle and when I surrender them to God and cry out to God for help - i feel there is a mighty God with me who hears me and protects me and fights all my battles and i begin to sing praises to His Holy Name trusting that my good God is with me and takes care of me.

[Old Jerry]

The psalmist communicates is trust in God’s protection when he asks him to take him to a higher place on the rock. He also talks about a strong tower in which he wants to take refuge in. And then he wants to take shelter under his wings.

The first four verses make me feel that if I would ask God for his protection that I would also be secure in him.

[Clarence]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

 

Even though the psalmist feels distant from God, he cries out in desperation, trusting that God would hear him from afar- from the ends of the earth

Refuge and strong tower,

Dwell with God in the tent/temple of presence

As of a mother hen sheltering her chicks under her wings

 

Given the turmoil that this world is in I am glad I can hold on to and trust in God, the rock.

[Barbiemac]

God is our shelter and refuse. He is our Rock to run to and we hide in the shelter of his wings. As long as we believe and trust Him this is great comfort in times of trial.

[abbygail15]

The images that the psalmist uses to communicate his trust in God's protection are 1) the image of the rocks of a mountain. To be hidden high above the reach of the enemy; 2) a strong tower. A high unreachable building in a walled city or high on the city walls, and 3) the shelter of God's wings. The idea of being tucked in safely away from any harm. 

The first four verses of this psalm remind me that I always have a place of safety with God no matter waht is going on around me.

[WinstonY]

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

 

Firstly the poet who has written the psalm   calls upon God who in his omnipotent way who can be reached from any part of the world or in our case the universe. This concept of God is one that is quite amazing in a time and a place where most of the gods were considered to be regional. Secondly the Lord is considered to be a great Rock a boulder from which the earth is made. This emphasizes the strength and the stability of the Lord our God. As a Christian we would see The Rock  as being Christ , the Rock of our salvation . Thirdly, the Lord God is seen as being our refuge, the place where we can hide and be protected. In the days elf warrior with swords, Shields and bows and arrows refuge was often in a tower, a place that was reasonably safe and almost impregnable by the enemy. In the Middle Ages the monasteries were seen as being places of Refuge where a refugee could hide and be safe from the enemy.

 

These first four verses give this one a feeling of security and safety where we can share with the Lord Our God our troubles and our sorrows.

[Ms. Joanne]

On August 18, 2007 at 2:44 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Psalm 61:1-4) What images does the psalmist evoke to communicate his trust in God's protection? How do the first four verses of this psalm make you feel?

The Rock (God) solid.   Losing strength ( my heart grows faint)...... Both images remind me that hanging on to something solid, massive and immovable gives me an anchor so that eventually I will regain my strength.  Or more so gives me something steady to hang on to when I am at my most anxious moments.  Refuge, a shelter to hide out until I can regroup and thinks things through.  My protector, (wings)....like as a mom like me who held on to my children during a storm.