1Salmo de Davi, para o regente, com instrumento de cordas: Ouve, ó Deus, o meu clamor; presta atenção à minha oração.
2Desde o limite da terra eu clamo a ti, pelo sofrimento do meu coração; leva-me para uma rocha alta para mim.
3Pois tu tens sido o meu refúgio [e] torre forte perante o inimigo.
4Eu habitarei em tua tenda para sempre; tomarei refúgio [me] escondendo sob tuas asas. (Selá)
5Pois tu, ó Deus, ouviste meus votos; tu tens [me] dado a herança dos que temem o teu nome.
6Acrescentarás dias e mais dias ao Rei; seus anos serão como de geração em geração.
7Ele habitará para sempre diante de Deus; prepara que [tua] bondade e fidelidade o guardem.
8Assim cantarei ao teu nome para sempre, para eu pagar meus votos dia após dia.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
David cries out from 'the end of the earth,' asking to be led to a rock higher than himself, expresses a desire to dwell forever in God's tabernacle, and prays for long life for the king.
Explanation
This short psalm expresses a sense of being far away or in crisis ('from the end of the earth'), specifically asking for a rock 'that is higher than I' — an image of stability and perspective attainable only with God's help, acknowledging one's own human limitations. The prayer for the king's long life (likely David himself, spoken in the third person, a common poetic device) reflects concern for the continuity of leadership and national stability. Today's application: recognizing that there are perspectives ('higher rocks') that only God can reveal when we are too emotionally overwhelmed to see clearly.
Fun facts
- The expression 'the rock that is higher than I' (v.2) is often used in Christian counseling as a metaphor for seeking a greater perspective (God's) when one's own emotional or mental resources are insufficient to handle a crisis.
- The title mentions 'Neginah,' a term indicating accompaniment with a stringed instrument, suggesting that this psalm, though short, had a specific musical arrangement within temple worship.