Psalm 61:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.

NIV: Then I will ever sing in praise of your name and fulfill my vows day after day.

NASB: So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day.

CSB: Then I will continually sing of your name, fulfilling my vows day by day.

NLT: Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.

KJV: So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

NKJV: So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may daily perform my vows.

Anticipating God's answers to his prayers (Psalm 61:1–2, 6–7), David vows to worship the Lord and continue to obey His commands (Psalm 18:21–22).

Believers should follow David's example: praising the Lord and obeying Him every day. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul combines both singing and obedience in his instructions. He writes, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual psalms, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:16–17). As believers study the Bible, fellowship with other believers, and look at creation, they become increasingly aware of the marvelous things God has done for them. This awareness prompts them to praise and obey Him. Even when circumstances seem dire, they can do what Paul and Silas did in prison: sing praises to God, who is infinitely greater than our circumstances (Acts 16:23–25).

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 5/6/2024 9:18:39 PM