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英文原文
David, in this psalm, as in many others, begins with a sad heart, but concludes with an air of pleasantness—begins with prayers and tears, but ends with songs of praise. Thus the soul, by being lifted up to God, returns to the enjoyment of itself. It should seem David was driven out and banished when he penned this psalm, whether by Saul or Absalom is uncertain: some think by Absalom, because he calls himself "the king" (Ps 61:6), but that refers to the King Messiah. David, in this psalm, resolves to persevere in his duty, encouraged thereto both by his experience an by his expectations. I. He will call upon God because God had protected him, Ps 61:1-3. II. He will call upon God because God had provided well for him, Ps 61:4,5. III. He will praise God because he had an assurance of the continuance of God's favour to him, Ps 61:6-8. So that, in singing this psalm, we may find that which is very expressive both of our faith and of our hope, of our prayers and of our praises; and some passages in this psalm are very peculiar.
1-4
Crying to God in Distress
在患难中呼求神
交与伶长，用丝弦乐器。大卫的诗篇。
¹ 神啊，求你听我的呼求，侧耳听我的祷告。
² 我心里发昏的时候，我要从地极求告你；求你领我到那比我更高的磐石。
³ 因为你作过我的避难所，作过我逃避仇敌的坚固台。
⁴ 我要永远住在你的帐幕里；我要投靠在你翅膀下的隐密处。〔细拉〕
在这些经文中，我们可以看到：
一、大卫在患难困苦之日，借着祷告紧紧依附、亲近神：「无论如何，我要向你呼求」（诗61:2）——「不向别的神呼求，唯独向你；不因你使我受苦就与你相争，仍要仰望你、等候你；不冷漠懈怠地向你说话，而是以最大的迫切与火热向你呼求，如同那『你不给我祝福，我就不容你去』的人。」他如此行，1. 不因自己远离圣所——他素常在其中如在与求恩之院中侍奉的祷告之殿——而有所改变：「从地极」，或作「从地的尽头」，「从这地最偏远、最隐僻的角落，我要向你呼求。」请注意，无论我们在何处，都可以坦然进入神面前，都可见一条通往施恩宝座的通路。「无论从何处到天上的路都一样长。」「不，正因我在这地极之处，在愁苦孤寂之中，所以我更要向你呼求。」请注意，那使我们与其他安慰隔绝的，当越发驱使我们亲近神——一切安慰的泉源。2. 不因他心灵的消沉沮丧而有所改变：「虽然『我心里发昏』，却并未沉沦、并未受压过重到不能借祷告升到神面前；若它不能如此被提升，那它确是过于颓丧了。不，正因为我的心快要发昏，所以我更要向你呼求，因为借着这途径它必得扶持与苏醒。」请注意，哭泣当激发祷告，而不是使祷告死沉。「有人受苦吗？让他祷告」（雅5:13；诗102:1）。
二、当他心里发昏、快要沉沦之时，他向神所献上的特别恳求：「求你领我到那比我更高的磐石。」即，1. 「到那高得我无法攀达、除非你帮助我的磐石。主啊，赐我对自己安全的 assurance 与满足——这唯有借你的特别恩典在我里面生发这样的信心才能达到。」2. 「到那在其顶上我可被安置、更远离我的患难、更接近那宁静安谧之境的磐石——这远非我自己的力量或智慧所能及。」神的大能与应许就是那比我们更高的磐石。这磐石就是基督；在他里面的人才安全。除非神以他的大能引导我们，否则我们不能登上这磐石。「我要将你放在磐石穴中」（出33:22）。因此我们当借信心与祷告将自己置于神的安排之下，好叫我们被纳入他的保护之中。
三、他对平安之答复的渴望与期待。他凭信恳求（诗61:1）：「神啊，求你听我的呼求；侧耳听我的祷告」；即，「让我现在就得着蒙垂听的安慰知觉」（诗20:6），「并在适当的时候让我得着我所求的。」
四、这期待的根据，以及他为加强恳求所用的理由（诗61:3）：「你作过我的避难所；我在你里面已寻得比我更高的磐石：所以我信你仍要领我到那磐石。」请注意，过去信靠神而得益的经历，既当促使我们仍紧贴他，也当鼓励我们盼望这信靠不至徒然。「你作过我的『逃避仇敌的坚固台』，你又一如既往地坚固；你的名对义人而言仍如往昔一样是避难所。」（箴18:10）。
五、他在尽对神本分、倚靠神的道路上继续前行的决心（诗61:4）。1. 事奉神当成为他恒久的工作与职事。凡期望神作他们的避难所和坚固台的，都必须如此行：唯有他的家仆才能得着他的保护。「我要永远住在你的帐幕里。」大卫此刻被逐离帐幕——这是他最大的苦楚——但他确信神借护理必领他归回帐幕，因为他借恩典已在他里面造成对帐幕的爱慕，以致他决意以帐幕为永居之所（诗27:4）。他说「永远住在其中」，是因为那帐幕是预表天堂的影像（来9:8、9、24）。那些在地上短暂的「永远」里住在神帐幕中——视之为尽本分之所——的人，必在那作为荣耀之家的帐幕里住在无尽的「永远」之中。2. 神的恩典与恩典之约当成为他恒久的安慰：「我要投靠在他翅膀下的隐密处」，如同小鸡在母鸡翅膀下既寻得温暖又寻得安全。那些已经历神作为避难所的人，在一切困境中仍当投奔他。住在神帐幕里的人有这益处：在患难之时，他要在那里将他们隐藏。
英文原文
Crying to God in Distress
To the chief musician upon Neginah. A psalm of David.
¹ Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
² From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
³ For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
⁴ I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
In these verses we may observe,
I. David's close adherence and application to God by prayer in the day of his distress and trouble: "Whatever comes, I will cry unto thee (Ps 61:2),—not cry unto other gods, but to thee only,—not fall out with thee because thou afflictest me, but still look unto thee, and wait upon thee,—not speak to thee in a cold and careless manner, but cry to thee with the greatest importunity and fervency of spirit, as one that will not let thee go except thou bless me." This he will do, 1. Notwithstanding his distance from the sanctuary, the house of prayer, where he used to attend as in the court of requests: "From the end of the earth, or of the land, from the most remote and obscure corner of the country, will I cry unto thee." Note, Wherever we are we may have liberty of access to God, and may find a way open to the throne of grace. Undique ad cœlos tantundem est viæ—Heaven is equally accessible from all places. "Nay, because I am here in the end of the earth, in sorrow and solitude, therefore I will cry unto thee." Note, That which separates us from our other comforts should drive us so much the nearer to God, the fountain of all comfort. 2. Notwithstanding the dejection and despondency of his spirit: "Though my heart is overwhelmed, it is not so sunk, so burdened, but that it may be lifted up to God in prayer; if it is not capable of being thus raised, it is certainly too much cast down. Nay, because my heart is ready to be overwhelmed, therefore I will cry unto thee, for by that means it will be supported and relived." Note, Weeping must quicken praying, and not deaden it. Is any afflicted? Let him pray, Jam 5:13, Ps 102:1.
II. The particular petition he put up to God when his heart was overwhelmed and he was ready to sink: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; that is, 1. "To the rock which is too high for me to get up to unless thou help me to it. Lord, give me such an assurance and satisfaction of my own safety as I can never attain to but by thy special grace working such a faith in me." 2. "To the rock on the top of which I shall be set further out of the reach of my troubles, and nearer the serene and quiet region, than I can be by any power or wisdom of my own." God's power and promise are a rock that is higher than we. This rock is Christ; those are safe that are in him. We cannot get upon this rock unless God by his power lead us. I will put thee in the cleft of the rock, Ex 33:22. We should therefore by faith and prayer put ourselves under the divine management, that we may be taken under the divine protection.
III. His desire and expectation of an answer of peace. He begs in faith (Ps 61:1): "Hear my cry, O God! attend unto my prayer; that is, let me have the present comfort of knowing that I am heard (Ps 20:6), and in due time let me have that which I pray for."
IV. The ground of this expectation, and the plea he uses to enforce his petition (Ps 61:3): "Thou hast been a shelter for me; I have found in thee a rock higher than I: therefore I trust thou wilt still lead me to that rock." Note, Past experiences of the benefit of trusting in God, as they should engage us still to keep close to him, so they should encourage us to hope that it will not be in vain. "Thou hast been my strong tower from the enemy, and thou art as strong a ever, and thy name is as much a refuge to the righteous as ever it was." Pr 18:10.
V. His resolution to continue in the way of duty to God and dependence on him, Ps 61:4. 1. The service of God shall be his constant work and business. All those must make it so who expect to find God their shelter and strong tower: none but his menial servants have the benefit of his protection. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever. David was now banished from the tabernacle, which was his greatest grievance, but he is assured that God by his providence would bring him back to his tabernacle, because he had by his grace wrought in him such a kindness for the tabernacle as that he was resolved to make it his perpetual residence, Ps 27:4. He speaks of abiding in it for ever because that tabernacle was a type and figure of heaven, Heb 9:8,9,24. Those that dwell in God's tabernacle, as it is a house of duty, during their short ever on earth, shall dwell in that tabernacle which is the house of glory during an endless ever. 2. The grace of God and the covenant of grace shall be his constant comfort: I will make my refuge in the covert of his wings, as the chickens seek both warmth and safety under the wings of the hen. Those that have found God a shelter to them ought still to have recourse to him in all their straits. This advantage those have that abide in God's tabernacle, that in the time of trouble he shall there hide them.
5-8
Mercies Recollected
追想怜悯
⁵ 神啊，你原是听了我所许的愿；你将产业赐给敬畏你名的人。
⁶ 你要加添王的日子；他的年岁必存到世世代代。
⁷ 他必永远坐在神面前；愿你预备慈爱和诚实保佑他。
⁸ 这样，我要歌颂你的名，直到永远，好叫我天天还我所许的愿。
在这些经文中，我们可以看到：
一、大卫何等喜乐地回顾神先前为他所成就的事（诗 61:5）：神啊，你听了——就是：1. 「我所许的愿本身——我用它约束我的灵魂，你都垂听了；你都看见了，你都悦纳了，因为是诚心所许的，你甚喜爱；你又记念它们，并提醒我。」神使雅各想起他所许的愿（创 31:13，35:1）。请注意：神是我们一切所许的愿、一切善意旨、一切重新顺服之严肃应许的见证人。他记着账，这当成为我们（正如这里大卫所看为的）还愿的好理由（诗 61:8）。因为那听见我们所许之愿的神，若我们不守所许，也必使我们「听见」关于这愿的话。2. 「与那些愿同献的祈祷，你也恩惠地垂听并应允了」，这勉励他如今祷告：*神啊，求你听我的呼求。*那从未对雅各的后裔说「你们寻求我是徒然的」，如今也不会开始这样说。「你听了我的愿，并给了实在的应允；因为你将产业赐给那些敬畏你名的人。」请注意：（1）世上有一群特别的子民敬畏神的名，他们以圣洁的敬畏与敬虔接受神所乐意赐下关于他自己的各样启示，并照之调适自己。（2）有特别的产业属乎这特别的子民，就是今生的安慰，是将来福分初熟的果子。神自己就是他们的产业，是他们永远的分。以神为业的利未人，必须以神为满足，不可指望像弟兄们那样有地业；照样，敬畏神的人在神里面也得了足够，所以即便在世上所得不多，也不可发怨言。（3）我们无需羡慕比敬畏神之人更好的产业。神若按他待那爱他名之人的一样本待我们，我们就无需羡慕更好的待遇了。
二、他何等笃定地展望自己寿命的延续（诗 61:6）：你要加添王的日子。这话可理解为：1. 指他自己。若是这诗在登基之前所写，他既已蒙撒母耳膏立，又知道神在他的圣中所说过的话（诗 60:6〔和合：诗 108:7〕），就可凭信称自己为王——虽然此刻正像被放逐之人被追逼；或者这诗是在押沙龙试图篡位、强迫他流亡时所写。有人图谋缩短他的寿数，但他信赖神加添他的寿数；神果真加添他的寿数，达到了摩西所定的人寿年岁（即七十岁）；这寿数既是在事奉他那一代的人上度过的（徒 13:36），就可算为存到世世代代，因为世世代代的人都因他而得福。他的立志是永远住在神的帐幕里（诗 61:4）——这是尽本分的路；如今他的盼望是：他必永远坐在神面前——这是享安慰的路。凡是坐在神面前——事奉他、行在他的敬畏之中——这样的人在世界上的居住才有真正意义；这样的人必永远坐在他面前。他此处以第三人称说自己，因为本诗交与伶长为教会之用；他愿百姓在唱这诗时得着勉励，深信他们的王，任凭仇敌何等凶恶，必如他们所愿永远活着。或：2. 指弥赛亚——他所预表的那位王。大卫想到，无论自己结局如何，主的受膏者的年岁必存到世世代代，并且他的政权与平安必加增无穷，这是大卫的安慰。中保必永远坐在神面前，因为他常为我们显在神面前，并长远活着代求；因他活着，我们也要活着。
三、他何等恳切地求神常把他置于自己的保护之下：*愿你预备慈爱和诚实保佑他！*神的应许与我们对那些应许的信心，并不取消祷告，反而激发并勉励祷告。大卫既确知神必加添他的寿数，便求神保佑这寿数；不是求神为他预备强壮的卫士，或坚固的堡垒，而是求神预备慈爱和诚实来保佑他——就是说，愿神的良善按着应许保障他的安全。我们无需羡慕比在神的慈爱与诚实保护之下更好的保障。这话也可应用于弥赛亚：「愿他在时候满足之时被差来，向雅各施诚实，向亚伯拉罕施慈爱」（弥 7:20；路 1:72-73）。
四、他何等喜乐地许愿，要以感恩的本分回报神（诗 61:8）：这样，我要歌颂你的名，直到永远。请注意：神保佑我们，正是要我们赞美他；所以我们当愿望活着，好赞美他：*愿我的心魂活着，就必赞美你。*我们必须把赞美神当作我们一生之工，直到末了——只要我们寿命延长，就当不断赞美神——然后它必成为我们永恒之工，我们要永远赞美他。*好叫我天天还我所许的愿。*他赞美神本身就是还他所许的愿，又使他的心预备好在其他方面还他所许的愿。请注意：1. 我们所许的愿，必须诚心诚意地还。2. 赞美神并向他还愿，必须是我们日日不断的工；每一天我们都当在这上面有所做，因为与所当尽的相比这实在微小，因为我们每日都领受新的怜悯，也因为我们若以为天天去作太费事，就不能指望永恒之中去作了。
英文原文
Mercies Recollected
⁵ For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
⁶ Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.
⁷ He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
⁸ So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
In these verses we may observe,
I. With what pleasure David looks back upon what God had done for him formerly (Ps 61:5): Thou, O God! hast heard my vows, that is, 1. "The vows themselves which I made, and with which I bound my soul: thou hast taken notice of them; thou hast accepted them, because made in sincerity, and been well pleased with them; thou hast been mindful of them, and put me in mind of them." God put Jacob in mind of his vows, Ge 31:13,35:1. Note, God is a witness to all our vows, all our good purposes, and all our solemn promises of new obedience. He keeps an account of them, which should be a good reason with us, as it was with David here, why we should perform our vows, Ps 61:8. For he that hears the vows we made will make us hear respecting them if they be not made good. 2. "The prayers that went along with those vows; those thou hast graciously heard and answered," which encouraged him now to pray, O God! hear my cry. He that never did say to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain, will not now begin to say so. "Thou hast heard my vows, and given a real answer to them; for thou hast given me a heritage of those that fear thy name." Note, (1.) There is a peculiar people in the world that fear God's name, that with a holy awe and reverence accept of and accommodate themselves to all the discoveries he is pleased to make of himself to the children of men. (2.) There is a heritage peculiar to that peculiar people, present comforts, earnests of their future bliss. God himself is their inheritance, their portion for ever. The Levites that had God for their inheritance must take up with him, and not expect a lot like their brethren; so those that fear God have enough in him, and therefore must not complain if they have but little of the world. (3.) We need desire no better heritage than that of those who fear God. If God deal with us as he uses to deal with those that love his name we need not desire to be any better dealt with.
II. With what assurance he looks forward to the continuance of his life (Ps 61:6): Thou shalt prolong the king's life. This may be understood either, 1. Of himself. If it was penned before he came to the crown, yet, being anointed by Samuel, and knowing what God had spoken in his holiness, he could in faith call himself the king, though now persecuted as an out-law; or perhaps it was penned when Absalom sought to dethrone him, and force him into exile. There were those that aimed to shorten his life, but he trusted to God to prolong his life, which he did to the age of man set by Moses (namely, seventy years), which, being spent in serving his generation according to the will of God (Ac 13:36), might be reckoned as many generations, because many generations would be the better for him. His resolution was to abide in God's tabernacle for ever (Ps 61:4), in a way of duty; and now his hope is that he shall abide before God for ever, in a way of comfort. Those abide to good purpose in this world that abide before God, that serve him and walk in his fear; and those that do so shall abide before him for ever. He speaks of himself in the third person, because the psalm was delivered to the chief musician for the use of the church, and he would have the people, in singing it, to be encouraged with an assurance that, notwithstanding the malice of his enemies, their king, as they wished, should live for ever. Or, 2. Of the Messiah, the King of whom he was a type. It was a comfort to David to think, whatever became of him, that the years of the Lord's Anointed would be as many generations, and that of the increase of his government and peace there should be no end. The Mediator shall abide before God for ever, for he always appears in the presence of God for us, and ever lives, making intercession; and, because he lives, we shall live also.
III. With what importunity he begs of God to take him and keep him always under his protection: O prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him! God's promises and our faith in them are not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer. David is sure that God will prolong his life, and therefore prays that he would preserve it, not that he would prepare him a strong lifeguard, or a well-fortified castle, but that he would prepare mercy and truth for his preservation; that is, that God's goodness would provide for his safety according to the promise. We need not desire to be better secured than under the protection of God's mercy and truth. This may be applied to the Messiah: "Let him be sent in the fulness of time, in performance of the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham." Mic 7:20, Lu 1:72,73.
IV. With what cheerfulness he vows the grateful returns of duty to God (Ps 61:8): So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever. Note, God's preservation of us calls upon us to praise him; and therefore we should desire to live, that we may praise him: Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee. We must make praising God the work of our time, even to the last (as long as our lives are prolonged we must continue praising God), and then it shall be made the work of our eternity, and we shall be praising him for ever. That I may daily perform my vows. His praising God was itself the performance of his vows, and it disposed his heart to the performance of his vows in other instances. Note, 1. The vows we have made we must conscientiously perform. 2. Praising God and paying our vows to him must be our constant daily work; every day we must be doing something towards it, because it is all but little in comparison with what is due, because we daily receive fresh mercies, and because, if we think much to do it daily, we cannot expect to be doing it eternally.
大卫在本篇如许多其他诗篇一样,以忧心开始,却以愉快之气作结——以祷告眼泪开始,却以赞美之歌结束。如此,心灵被举到神那里,便归回对自己的享受。大卫作本篇时似乎被驱逐、被放逐,是被扫罗还是被押沙龙,则不能定;有人以为是被押沙龙,因他自称为「王」(诗61:6),但那是指着君王弥赛亚。大卫在本篇决意坚守本分,既因他的经历、又因他的指望而受勉。本篇结构如下:一、他要呼求神,因神保护了他(诗61:1-3);二、他要呼求神,因神为他预备得好(诗61:4,5);三、他要赞美神,因他确知神的恩眷必继续与他同在(诗61:6-8)。故我们唱这首诗时,可寻得既表达我们信心、又表达我们盼望,既表达我们祷告、又表达我们赞美的话;本篇若干经文颇为独特。