“Hear my cry 0 God; listen to my prayer. 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.” (Ps. 61:1, 2).

A man, a man of God, is overwhelmed with anxiety. H e is almost overcome as by the waves of a flood. There have been more people like that, in fact, tens of thousands. We find many of them mentioned in the Bible. The Bible comforts the many who in faith struggle with such problems. Father Jacob, when Benjamin also had to go to Egypt for food, cries out in despair, “All these things are against me.” We see Elijah the great prophet under the juniper tree, praying that the Lord would take him away.

Here David is speaking, perhaps in fleeing from his own son Absalom. How many have had problems worse than this—a father fleeing from his son who wants to kill him?

David cries for help “from the ends of the earth.” God in the temple seems to be far away. In the hill country ofJudea were high rocks and boulders. On such rocks one could seek safety. What a retreat he could seek there. They offered safety, peace and rest.

Sometimes when fleeing from Saul, David had to seek such refuges. On occasions he could say, “The Lord is my light and salvation. Of whom shall I be afraid?” and “With my God I can jump over a wall and run through a troop.” On others he felt almost overwhelmed, seeking refuge and help.

Many children of God have had such experiences. Think of the many living under persecution of which we in North America know little or nothing. Even where there is no persecution, many people of God encounter fear, anxiety, frustration and depression because of spiritual or physical circumstances.

At times all may seem dark in the struggling souls of such saints. Nights may be sleepless and in the morning they wonder what the day will bring. Despite many prayers, they may see no answers. Such people know what it means to cry, “Lord lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

The Rock to which we must flee is God Himself in Christ Jesus. Again and again in the Bible the Lord, the covenant Lord, is compared with a high rock. Such rocks don’t change, erode, rust or rot. They remain the same for ages, and cannot be moved. This can really be said only of God. He is always the faithful One for His people in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). With Him, we are always safe. The enemies of Christ may continue to attack. Those enemies include the world, our own sinful flesh and the devil himself. But with Jesus, we are safe. He is the unmoveable and unassailable Rock!

But the Rock is too high and too steep. The psalmist knows this, and cries for help, “Hear my cry, O God.” Many Christians, confessing our own inability to ascend this rock, share this cry. They realize that they cannot solve their own problems, nor deliver themselves and they call to God for help.

God is pleased with such prayers and answers them.

The author cries out, remembering that the Lord had heard such prayers in past. He prays in the confidence that the Lord will also answer him now. We must pray in the confidence that He will hear us (Heb. 11:6; James 1:5–8).

The Bible says much about who can pray and for what we as Christians may and should pray (Mt. 6:5, ff.). Here one of God’s children is praying for His help, to be lifted up on the rock. God will always hear such prayer. We must pray in the confidence, that He will hear (Romans 10:13). The Scriptures tell us that “the Lord inclines His ears to our cries.” The words suggest a “cupped” ear to hear what is being said. He says: “Ask, and you will receive.” This is true for all prayers that are uttered according to His will (John 5:14).

There are with God’s people misuses and wrong uses of prayer, so that they do not receive what they ask. Remember that no earthly father will ever give to a needy child a stone instead ofbread, or a scorpion instead ofan egg, or·a snake instead of a fish. Much more sure is this of our heavenly Father (Luke 11:11–13).

This kind of confidence we find in the prayer of Ps. 61. David pleads in confidence that the Lord will lift him up to safety. Regardless of the conditions of his life, the Lord will give him spiritual fortitude and strength. Thus the Lord often, I think usually, answers prayers. If He doesn’t change things, He changes us. A new “attitude” can make much difference, as the Holy Spirit gives strength and courage to face the future “Lord, lead me too to the rock that is higher than I.”