Psalm 61 … Lead Me To The Rock

Hear my cry, O God

Attend unto my prayer

From the ends of the earth

My cry comes unto Thee

And when my heart is overwhelmed

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I

That is higher than I

For Thou has been

A shelter unto me

A strong tower

From the enemy

And when my heart is overwhelmed

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I

That is higher than I 

These are the words to a beloved camp song, and they are also the words to Psalm 61. Hundreds, probably thousands, of campers have come to Camp Wyoming in the summer and sat around the campfire, singing these words and reflecting on their meaning.

Psalm 61 was written by David at a time when he was far from home and safety. It begins with his desperate cry to God. He is despairing, lost, and struggling. “My heart is overwhelmed!” he tells the Lord.

If we are honest, many of us can relate to the feelings of David. We know what it is like to sit in darkness and wonder if light will ever come. In his sorrow, David calls out to God in prayer. He knows that the only way he can rest and find safety in the Rock of Salvation is if God reaches down and places him atop the rock.

In God, David has always found shelter. He has found rest, comfort, and retreat. So why would he not, in his darkest moments, cry out to the God who is his “rock,” his hiding place, and his fortress? And as he cries out, David finds comfort in God’s grace and care.

Sometimes, when our hearts are overwhelmed, all we need do is cry out to God and ask that in our desperation and fear, God would place us on stable ground. God would comfort us and lead us to safety. God would shelter us and deliver us. What is overwhelming you in this season of cold and winter and taxes and activity? What weighs heavy on your heart? Hopefully, the words of this song and Psalm will bring you comfort and a small amount of peace as you remember that when your heart is overwhelmed, you can always find rest in God, your rock.