Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 61:5

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 61:5. Hast heard my vows — Often have I purposed to be wholly thine, -to serve thee alone, - to give up my whole life to thy service: and thou hast heard me, and taken me at my word; and given me that heritage, the privilege of enjoying thee in thy ordinances, which is the lot of them that fear thy name. The Psalm seems to have been composed either after the captivity, or at the time that Cyrus published his decree in their favour, as has been remarked before.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 61-64 Longing for God

Far from home, weary, depressed and in danger, David seeks refuge and refreshment with God. He trusts that God will bring him safely back to Jerusalem and give him the strength to carry out his promise to lead God’s people in God’s ways (61:1-5). The people with him add their support to his request (6-7), and David responds that he will always remain faithful to his task (8).
God alone is the strength of David’s assurance (62:1-2). David’s enemies think they can ruin him. They think he is as unstable as a leaning wall, as easy to push over as a broken-down fence (3-4). Actually, he is as strong and secure as a fortress, for he is built on God. All God’s people should therefore take courage and realize that they can trust in God through all circumstances (5-8). The unstable ones are those who live as if God does not matter. Life is uncertain, but they put their trust in wealth, even though that wealth must soon be lost (9-10). The only ones who have true security are those who take God into account and build their lives according to his values (11-12).
At times David experiences weakness and thirst in the dry Judean wilderness, but they are nothing compared with the spiritual thirst he has to worship at Israel’s sanctuary again (63:1). He praises God as he recalls the power and glory of God that he experienced at the sanctuary in former days. He looks forward to a life of continuing praise because of God’s continuing love (2-4). As he lies on his bed he thinks back with much satisfaction at all God’s goodness to him over the years (5-8). This gives him the confidence to believe that God will punish his enemies and bring him safely back to Jerusalem (9-11).
Again David cries to God to save him from enemies who by cunning and lying seek to kill him (64:1-4). They plot their evil carefully, thinking that God cannot see them (5-6). However, they are deceiving themselves. God will act against them suddenly and certainly, bringing shameful defeat upon them. God’s decisive action will be a warning to others, and at the same time bring honour to his name (7-10).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

A PLEA TO LIVE WITH GOD FOREVER

“I will dwell in thy tabernacle forever I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings. (Selah) For thou, O God, hast heard my vows; Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.”

“I will dwell in thy tabernacle forever” There is apparently a double significance in these words. David did not dwell “in” God’s tabernacle; and Rawlinson proposed that this may refer to David’s, “Dwelling spiritually in the heavenly dwelling of which the earthly tabernacle was a type.”

Another view is that of Addis, who wrote, “The king mentioned here seems to be a high priest also, for he dwells in the tabernacle (Psalms 61:4) and abides before God (Psalms 61:7).”W. E. Addis, p. 383.

Of course, there is only one great King and High Priest dwelling in the presence of God, and that is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Messianic King is most surely mentioned in Psalms 61:6-8, we find no objection to Addis’ interpretation; but, at the same time, the thought advanced by Rawlinson that David’s spiritual hope was also mentioned here cannot be denied. There is a double significance of the words.

“Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name” This is the second reason the psalmist advanced as the grounds of his hope of God’s help. This “heritage” is extremely important. “The `heritage’ is all-embracing, unlimited, inalienable and inclusive of all the blessed promises to Christians. It is the equivalent of `all things are yours.’“Derek Kidner, Vol. 1, p. 220. “`The heritage here’ refers to that distinctive promise which God gave to David through the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 7) assuring him of the eternal continuation of the `Throne of David,’ and of one of his seed to sit upon it.”H. C. Leupold, p. 456. Thus, the “heritage” is nothing less than the promise of Christ himself.

These verses from here to the end of the psalm are capable of being interpreted in three ways, namely: “(1) of David himself; (2) of the Davidic dynasty; and (3) of the Messiah.”Wilson Jones, p. 397. There are elements of all three interpretations in the passage, due to David’s being a type of Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For thou, O God, hast heard my vows - That is, my prayers accompanied with solemn pledges or promises that I will devote myself to thy service. In some way David had the assurance that those vows and prayers had been heard; that God would answer his supplications - that he would restore him to his home, and to the privilege of uniting with others in the sacred services of the sanctuary. In what way he had this assurance we are not informed, but the statement here accords with what we often find in the Psalms. His troubled mind became calm, for he looked upon the blessing as already granted. He entertained no doubt that what he had asked would be bestowed. The mind of a true believer often feels this assurance now. Somehow he feels an undoubting persuasion that the prayer which he has offered has been heard; that God will be merciful; that the blessing which has been sought will assuredly be conferred. That there may be danger of illusion here, no one can doubt - for we are not, as David was, inspired; but no one can prove that God may not impart such a gracious assurance to the soul; no one can show that it is wrong for a believer to allow peace to flow into his soul, in the confident hope that the blessing which he had sought will be his.

Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name - The heirship which pertains to such; the privileges of those who are the true children of God. One of these privileges is that of prayer; another is the peace which results from adoption into the family of God; of feeling that we are his heirs. Compare the notes at Romans 8:16-17.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

5.For thou, O God! hast heard my vows. He here shows the grounds upon which he had spoken of his abiding under the wings of God. The sudden joy which he experienced arose from the circumstance of God’s having heard his prayers, and made light to spring out of darkness. By his vows we must understand his prayers, according to a common figure of speech by which the part is taken for the whole, having made vows when he prayed. In general, he would acknowledge himself indebted for his restoration entirely to an interposition of Divine power, and not to any dexterity which he had shown in gaining time for the collection of his forces, ⁽⁴⁰⁶⁾ nor to any assistance which he had derived, either from the favor of the priests or the exertions of his soldiers. Had the letter ל, lamed, been prefixed to the Hebrew word יראי,yirey, which is rendered fearing, there would have been no reason left to doubt that the words which follow were of the nature of a general assertion, to the effect, that God has given the inheritance to those who fear him. As it is, they may be construed to mean, that God had given David the inheritance of those who fear him. Still I prefer attaching the more general sense to the words, and understand them as intimating that God never disappoints his servants, but crowns with everlasting happiness the struggles and the distresses which may have exercised their faith. They convey an implied censure of that unwarrantable confidence which is indulged in by the wicked, when favored, through the divine forbearance, with any interval of prosperity. The success which flatters them is merely imaginary, and speedily vanishes. But inheritance —the word here employed by David — suggests that the people of God enjoy a species of prosperity more solid and enduring; their momentary and short-lived troubles having only the effect of promoting their eternal welfare. He praises God that those who fear his name are not left to the poor privilege of rejoicing for a few days, but secured in a permanent heritage of happiness. The truth is one which cannot be questioned. The wicked, having no possession by faith of the divine benefits which they may happen to share, live on from day to day, as it were, upon plunder. It is only such as fear the Lord who have the true and legitimate enjoyment of their blessings.

(406) “Quamvis prudenter colligendis viribus tempus sumpsisset,” etc. — Lat. “Combien qu’il eust use de prudence a donner ordre a son affaire, et prendre temps pour amasser forces,” etc. — Fr.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn now to the sixty-first psalm for our beginning of our Bible study this evening. Psalms 61:1-8 .

Hear my cry, O Lord ( Psalms 61:1 );

Now in the Hebrew, this word for cry is very intense. It is actually, "Hear my loud wailing, O Lord." Now David was the kind of a guy when he was in trouble, he really let go. Some people are very reserved in their nature. I'm sort of a reserved kind of a person, but David wasn't. I mean, when he was in trouble he wanted everybody to know. And especially God. And so, he would wail out. "Hear my wailing, my loud cries, O God."

attend unto my prayer ( Psalms 61:1 ).

It is thought that David probably wrote this psalm at the time that he had been in exile as the result of the rebellion of Absalom. David had fled across the Jordan River when Absalom came from Hebron with an army to take Jerusalem. David did not want to encounter his son in battle. He didn't want to be fighting against his own son. And so rather than making a stand there in Jerusalem, which would have been the natural thing to do, because Jerusalem was a walled city, it was a difficult city to take. And he could have, no doubt, withstood Absalom. But yet, because of his son and all and his own broken heart, he just fled from Jerusalem with his armies and with those that followed after him and just sort of capitulated to Absalom and fled across Jordan. And now he is crying unto God, "Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer."

From the end of the eaRuth ( Psalms 61:2 )

Driven out of the Land of Promise, he now feels that he is out to the end of the earth. If we would put that in our common vernacular, we might say, "The end of the world." And sometimes we do have those experiences which we feel are the end of the world kind of an experience. In other words, "Man, this is it. This is the end of the world. This is as far as I can go. This is as deep as I can get. This is it. You know, from the end of the world." Or,

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed ( Psalms 61:2 ):

Many things can cause our hearts to be overwhelmed: the loss of loved ones, financial problems, the loss of a job, the loss of health. So many things can cause our hearts to be overwhelmed. What do I do? When I get to the end of the proverbial rope, when I have no place else to turn, where do I turn? What do I do? Every one of us are driven by circumstances, sooner or later, to this end of the road type of an experience, where I have no place else to go, no place else to turn. And where I turn at this point is so important. Some people turn to pills, some people turn to the bottle, some people turn to a gun and just try to end it all. "When my heart is overwhelmed," David said,

lead me to the rock that is higher than I ( Psalms 61:2 ).

There is a place of refuge, there is a place of strength, there is a place of security that we can have in Christ, the Rock that is higher than I. The place where I can be sheltered from the storm. Sheltered from the enemy. Protected. A rock is a symbol of strength in the Bible. The Bible says concerning Jehovah, "He is our Rock," Deuteronomy 32:1-52 . In I Corinthians, chapter 10, Paul said concerning the rock from which the water flowed in the wilderness, and that rock was Christ. That life-giving source. The rock. Smitten from whence life flows to all men.

So, "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." It is so comforting to know that at my extremity I can turn to God. There is a verse of the song, "He Giveth More Grace," that beautifully describes it. "When we have exhausted our store of endurance, when our strength is gone, ere the day is half through, when we have reached the end of our hoarded resources, our Father's full giving has only begun. His grace has no limits, His love has no measure, His power has no boundary known unto man. For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth and giveth and giveth again." And when I've come to the end, when I am overwhelmed, and I cry unto Him, that Rock that is higher than I. At that point of my extremity, God has just begun His glorious work within my life.

God brought many people of the Bible to the end of the road. I think of the angel wrestling with Jacob all night. It was a bad day for Jacob. He had just left his father-in-law, and that was a bad scene. They had had words, and their leaving wasn't on the best on terms. Even though when they departed from each other they said, "Mizpah," which means, "The Lord watch between me and thee while we're absent one from the other." Yet, that isn't as pleasant as it sounds when we put it into English. In the Hebrew it literally means, "You've ripped me off, and now you are leaving with all of my goods that you have ripped off from me. And I can't keep my eye on you anymore, because you are going to be gone. You have gone with my daughters, you've gone with my flock, my herds, and I can't watch you any more, so may God watch over you while we are absent one from the other, you crook." And it had been a bad scene; Jacob didn't know how he was going to fare out of it. In fact, he wouldn't have fared so well unless God had been with him. And the night before his father-in-law had caught up with him and the Lord said to his father-in-law, "Don't you touch Jacob. You keep your hands off of him." And so because Laban was afraid of God, he didn't touch Jacob. He said, "Listen, I have the power to really do you hurt, but last night the Lord told me not to touch you." So it was a strained experience.

Now Jacob has left his father-in-law. They have gone back toward Babylon, and Jacob receives word, "Your brother is coming with a host of men to meet you." But that isn't really a welcome home party kind of a thing that you are anticipating or looking for, because the last time you saw Esau seventeen years ago, he was saying, "As soon as I get a chance I am going to kill that rat." And his brother had been threatening to murder him. Now, if his brother was coming to welcome him home, he wouldn't need two or three hundred men with him in a welcome party, so Jacob knew that trouble was brewing, and he was trouble.

That was the night that there came an angel of the Lord and wrestled with Jacob all night. The Lord was trying to bring Jacob to the end of the road. You see, he was going to need all kinds of strength tomorrow. He is going to be meeting Esau. He doesn't know what the situation is going to be; it could be perilous. And so all night, a night when you especially need sleep, you need strength for tomorrow; he is wrestling with this angel. Now, Jacob at this point is a ninety-six-year-old man. I mean, he is no spring chicken anymore. And in the morning, as the day began to break, still wrestling. Man, this guy is tenacious. He's not going to give up. So the angel touched him in his thigh and caused his muscle to shrivel, and crippled him. And the angel said to Jacob, "Let me go before the day breaks." And Jacob at this point was hanging on with all that he had, but he broke down and he began to weep. Now, Genesis doesn't tell us that he wept, but Hosea tells us that Jacob now was in tears; he was a broken man. And he said, "I will not let you go until you bless me." But that was not a demand, that was a plea. It was a plea with tears. "Please don't go without blessing me." He is defeated now. God has him where He wants him.

Jacob, the name means heel catcher, Jacov. For when he was born, he had hold of his brother's heel, so they said, "Oh, look at that heel catcher." And the name stuck. "What is your name?" "My name is heel catcher." "You won't be called heel catcher anymore. You are going to be called Governed by God, Israel." His life was changed. No longer the supplanter. No longer the deceiver. Now a man, Israel, governed by God. What a difference. But God had to bring him to the end of the road to bring about those necessary changes. And so the last cry of desperation that came forth with weeping and tears from Jacob was really the first cry of victory.

So often that is true in our lives. When my heart is overwhelmed, when I turn to God out of desperation, that becomes the beginning of God's glorious victory in my life as He leads me to the Rock that is higher than I.

For you have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy [the shelter of the rock, strong tower]. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert [or the covering] of thy wings. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: you have given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. And you will prolong the king's life: and the years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. And so will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows ( Psalms 61:3-8 ).

And so David ends the psalm with more or less words of confidence. "God, You are going to take care of it. The Rock that is higher than I will see me through. He will bring me back. I will dwell in Your tabernacle. I will dwell before Thee." "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 61

Several of the commentators believe David wrote this individual royal lament psalm when he was fleeing from Saul. However, the text itself records no such information (cf. Psalms 61:6 a). David strengthened himself in the Lord-when he felt faint and inadequate-by remembering his Rock and by relying on His promises.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Confidence in God 61:3-7

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

David knew that God had heard his prayer. The inheritance of those who fear God’s name was prosperity under the promises of the Mosaic Covenant (Deuteronomy 29:9). These promises included long life and abiding in God’s presence. David asked God to deal with him in loyal love and truth so that he would indeed endure through his present trial.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For thou, O God, hast heard my vows,.... Or "my prayers", as the Septuagint and other versions. Vows are so called, because it was usual to make vows in trouble, when prayer was made to the Lord for help and deliverance, Psalms 66:13. This is a reason why the psalmist was encouraged to put his trust in the Lord, because his prayers were heard by him; or he was sure they would be, as he had entreated, Psalms 61:1. The past is put for the future, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; and it may be because of the certainty of his prayers being heard; and which may be concluded from the Lord's declaring himself a God hearing prayer, from the prevalent mediation of Christ, from the assistance and intercession of the Spirit, and from the exercise of faith in prayer, and the divine promises; or while he was crying to God an answer was returned, and he was delivered out of his troubles, Isaiah 65:24. Another reason follows:

thou hast given [me] the heritage of those that fear thy name: not the land of Israel, as Aben Ezra and Jarchi; which was given for an inheritance to the posterity of Abraham, Psalms 105:11; and which was never more fully in their possession than in the times of David: nor the tabernacle or sanctuary of the Lord, as Kimchi; where he desired to dwell, Psalms 61:4; and now had his request granted: but the heavenly glory, the incorruptible inheritance, the inheritance of the saints in light, prefigured by them both; which is the gift of God their Father to them his children; comes to them through the death of Christ the testator; is not of the law, and the works of it; is not acquired nor purchased; but is owing to the free grace of God; to predestinating grace, as the source of it; to justifying grace, through the righteousness of Christ, as the right unto it; and to regenerating and sanctifying grace, as the meetness for it. Wherefore it manifestly belongs to those that "fear the name of the Lord", himself, his perfections, particularly his goodness; who adore and admire, serve and worship him, internally and externally; not with a slavish fear, but with a filial godly fear. The Targum renders it,

"thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear thy name;''

that in the King's Bible is,

"an inheritance in the world to come;''

so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the Oriental versions; and which sense is given by Aben Ezra. It may be understood of them that fear the Lord, being the inheritance itself; as they are of Christ, David's son and antitype, and who is designed in Psalms 61:6: see Deuteronomy 32:9 Psalms 2:8.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.   6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.   7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.   8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

      In these verses we may observe,

      I. With what pleasure David looks back upon what God had done for him formerly (Psalms 61:5; Psalms 61:5): Thou, O God! hast heard my vows, that is, 1. "The vows themselves which I made, and with which I bound my soul: thou hast taken notice of them; thou hast accepted them, because made in sincerity, and been well pleased with them; thou hast been mindful of them, and put me in mind of them." God put Jacob in mind of his vows, Genesis 31:13; Genesis 35:1. Note, God is a witness to all our vows, all our good purposes, and all our solemn promises of new obedience. He keeps an account of them, which should be a good reason with us, as it was with David here, why we should perform our vows, Psalms 61:8; Psalms 61:8. For he that hears the vows we made will make us hear respecting them if they be not made good. 2. "The prayers that went along with those vows; those thou hast graciously heard and answered," which encouraged him now to pray, O God! hear my cry. He that never did say to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain, will not now begin to say so. "Thou hast heard my vows, and given a real answer to them; for thou hast given me a heritage of those that fear thy name." Note, (1.) There is a peculiar people in the world that fear God name, that with a holy awe and reverence accept of and accommodate themselves to all the discoveries he is pleased to make of himself to the children of men. (2.) There is a heritage peculiar to that peculiar people, present comforts, earnests of their future bliss. God himself is their inheritance, their portion for ever. The Levites that had God for their inheritance must take up with him, and not expect a lot like their brethren; so those that fear God have enough in him, and therefore must not complain if they have but little of the world. (3.) We need desire no better heritage than that of those who fear God. If God deal with us as he uses to deal with those that love his name we need not desire to be any better dealt with.

      II. With what assurance he looks forward to the continuance of his life (Psalms 61:6; Psalms 61:6): Thou shalt prolong the king's life. This may be understood either, 1. Of himself. If it was penned before he came to the crown, yet, being anointed by Samuel, and knowing what God had spoken in his holiness, he could in faith call himself the king, though now persecuted as an out-law; or perhaps it was penned when Absalom sought to dethrone him, and force him into exile. There were those that aimed to shorten his life, but he trusted to God to prolong his life, which he did to the age of man set by Moses (namely, seventy years), which, being spent in serving his generation according to the will of God (Acts 13:36), might be reckoned as many generations, because many generations would be the better for him. His resolution was to abide in God's tabernacle for ever (Psalms 61:4; Psalms 61:4), in a way of duty; and now his hope is that he shall abide before God for ever, in a way of comfort. Those abide to good purpose in this world that abide before God, that serve him and walk in his fear; and those that do so shall abide before him for ever. He speaks of himself in the third person, because the psalm was delivered to the chief musician for the use of the church, and he would have the people, in singing it, to be encouraged with an assurance that, notwithstanding the malice of his enemies, their king, as they wished, should live for ever. Or, 2. Of the Messiah, the King of whom he was a type. It was a comfort to David to think, whatever became of him, that the years of the Lord's Anointed would be as many generations, and that of the increase of his government and peace there should be no end. The Mediator shall abide before God for ever, for he always appears in the presence of God for us, and ever lives, making intercession; and, because he lives, we shall live also.

      III. With what importunity he begs of God to take him and keep him always under his protection: O prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him! God's promises and our faith in them are not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer. David is sure that God will prolong his life, and therefore prays that he would preserve it, not that he would prepare him a strong lifeguard, or a well-fortified castle, but that he would prepare mercy and truth for his preservation; that is, that God's goodness would provide for his safety according to the promise. We need not desire to be better secured than under the protection of God's mercy and truth. This may be applied to the Messiah: "Let him be sent in the fulness of time, in performance of the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham." Micah 7:20; Luke 1:72; Luke 1:73.

      IV. With what cheerfulness he vows the grateful returns of duty to God (Psalms 61:8; Psalms 61:8): So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever. Note, God's preservation of us calls upon us to praise him; and therefore we should desire to live, that we may praise him: Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee. We must make praising God the work of our time, even to the last (as long as our lives are prolonged we must continue praising God), and then it shall be made the work of our eternity, and we shall be praising him for ever. That I may daily perform my vows. His praising God was itself the performance of his vows, and it disposed his heart to the performance of his vows in other instances. Note, 1. The vows we have made we must conscientiously perform. 2. Praising God and paying our vows to him must be our constant daily work; every day we must be doing something towards it, because it is all but little in comparison with what is due, because we daily receive fresh mercies, and because, if we think much to do it daily, we cannot expect to be doing it eternally.