Psalm 61:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

NIV: For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

NASB: For You have heard my vows, God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.

CSB: God, you have heard my vows; you have given a heritage to those who fear your name.

NLT: For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.

KJV: For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

NKJV: For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.

This prayer from David included a request for protection and assurance (Psalm 61:1–4). No event is formally connected to this writing. However, it may have been inspired by Absalom's rebellion and David's resulting evacuation (2 Samuel 15:13–14). That uprising threatened David's life, but if it succeeded, it would undo God's promises (2 Samuel 7:9–16). What David says here reaffirms his confidence in the Lord, based on prior experience.

The following verses are a direct prayer for David's rule to endure (Psalm 61:6–7). David's "heritage" can refer to his own descendants or to the people who remained loyal to his rule. David connects the faithfulness of those who honor God to those who remain subject to the Lord's anointed king.

While David was far from perfect, the pattern of his life was to obey God faithfully. While evading a powerful enemy, before he was king, David reaffirmed his submission to the Lord (Psalm 18:21). That included a willingness to follow all the instructions which God provided (Psalm 18:22).

Psalm 61:5–8 affirms David's confidence in God's purposes. He prays accordingly for a long life as Israel's king, suggesting this psalm may have been inspired by a threat to his rule. David also prays for God's loyal love and faithful protectiveness.

David prays as someone displaced from home and wracked with fear. He asks to be led to safety, recalling God's former protection. David appeals to his personal faithfulness towards the Lord. He asks for his kingship to be protected, echoing the promises God made about David's reign (2 Samuel 7:9–13). Anticipating that rescue, David promises to praise the Lord.

The historical setting for this psalm is uncertain, unlike psalms connected to definite events (Psalm 54; 59; 60). This psalm asks for protection for the king, so it might have been inspired by David's evacuation during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13–14). That escape led David over the Mount of Olives (2 Samuel 15:30) and to the fortified city of Mahanaim (2 Samuel 17:24), events which resemble the themes of this song.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/5/2024 6:00:53 AM