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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
在患難中向神呼求
交與伶長，用絲弦的樂器。大衛的詩。
¹ 神啊，求你聽我的呼求，垂聽我的禱告！ ² 我心裏發昏的時候，我要從地極求告你；求你領我到那比我更高的磐石。 ³ 因為你作過我的避難所，作過我逃避仇敵的堅固臺。 ⁴ 我要永遠住在你的帳幕裏；我要投靠在你翅膀下的隱密處。（細拉）
在這些經文中，我們可以留意，
一、大衛在患難困苦之日，緊緊貼近神、並藉禱告親近神：「無論如何，我要向你呼求（詩六十一2）——不向別神呼求，惟獨向你；不因你苦待我而與你生疏，仍要仰望你、等候你；不以冷淡草率的態度對你說話，卻要以最大的迫切與心靈的火熱向你呼求，作為那不放你走、除非你賜福給我的人。」他決意如此行：1. 不顧他遠離聖所——那禱告的殿，他素常在其中、如同在請求的法庭中那樣侍候：「從地極」（或說從地的盡頭）——從國中最偏遠隱密的角落——「我要向你呼求。」當注意：無論我們在何處，都可以自由地親近神，都可以尋見一條通往施恩座的路。Undique ad cœlos tantundem est viæ——從各處到天庭的路都是一樣遠近。「不但如此，正因為我在這地的盡頭，在憂傷與孤獨之中，所以我要向你呼求。」當注意：那使我們與其他安慰隔絕的事，當更加驅使我們親近神——一切安慰的源頭。2. 不顧他心靈的沮喪與灰心：「雖然我心裏發昏，卻不至如此沉淪、如此重壓，以至不能以禱告舉起心向神；若它不能如此被舉起，便實在太過下沉了。不但如此，正因為我的心快要發昏，所以我要向你呼求，因為藉此它便得著扶持與舒解。」當注意：哭泣當激發禱告，而不是使禱告麻木。你們中間有受苦的呢，他就該禱告（雅五13；詩一〇二1）。
二、當他心裏發昏、快要沉淪之時，他向神所獻上的特別祈求：求你領我到那比我更高的磐石；就是說：1.「到那我憑自己無法攀登、除非你幫助我才能到達的磐石。主啊，賜我對自己安全如此確據與滿足——這是我惟獨藉你特殊恩典在我裏面生發如此信心才能得著的。」2.「到那我在其頂上必被安置——比我自己的任何力量或智慧更能脫離我患難的範圍、更接近寧靜安詳之境——的磐石。」神的權能與應許就是那比我們更高的磐石。這磐石就是基督；在他裏面的便為安全。除非神以他的權能引領我們，我們不能登上這磐石。我必將你放在磐石穴中（出三十三22）。所以我們當以信心與禱告將自己置於神的管理之下，好使我們被置於神的保護之下。
三、他對平安之答覆的渴望與期望。他以信心懇求（詩六十一1）：「神啊，求你聽我的呼求，垂聽我的禱告」——就是說，讓我如今便得著知道自己蒙垂聽的安慰（詩二十6），並到了時候讓我得著我所求的。
四、這期望的根據、並他用以加強其祈求的訴求（詩六十一3）：「你作過我的避難所」——我在你裏面找到了比我更高的磐石：所以我信你仍要領我到那磐石。當注意：過去信靠神之益處的經歷，既當激勵我們仍要緊緊貼近他，也當鼓勵我們盼望這不至徒然。「你曾作我逃避仇敵的堅固臺，你如今仍與從前一樣剛強，你的名對義人仍與從前一樣是避難所」（箴十八10）。
五、他決意繼續在對神盡本分的路上、並倚靠他（詩六十一4）。1. 事奉神要成為他持續的工作與事業。凡期望以神為避難所與堅固臺的人，都必須如此：惟有他的家僕才享有他保護的益處。我要永遠住在你的帳幕裏。大衛如今被放逐於帳幕之外——這是他最大的苦情——但他確信神必以護理帶他回到帳幕，因為神已以恩典在他裏面動了對帳幕的這樣的愛心，以致他決意以之為永久的居所（詩二十七4）。他說要永遠住在其中，因為那帳幕是天上之事的預表與影像（來九8、9、24）。那些在地上短暫的永遠中住在神帳幕裏——作為盡本分之所——的人，必要在那作榮耀之所的帳幕裏，住在無盡的永遠之中。2. 神的恩典與恩典之約要成為他持續的安慰：我要投靠在你翅膀下的隱密處——如同小雞在母雞翅膀下尋求溫暖與安全。那些已經發現神是避難所的人，當在一切困境中仍舊投奔他。住在神帳幕裏的人有這益處：在患難之時，他必在那裏將他們隱藏。
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
回顧所蒙的恩惠
⁵ 神啊，你原是聽了我所許的願；你將敬畏你名的人的產業賜給了我。 ⁶ 你要加添王的壽數，使他的年歲如許多世代。 ⁷ 他必永遠坐在神面前；願你預備慈愛和誠實來保全他。 ⁸ 這樣，我要歌頌你的名直到永遠，好叫我天天還我所許的願。
在這幾節經文裏，我們可以觀察到，
一、大衛是懷著何等的喜樂，回顧神從前為他所作成的（詩 61:5）：「神啊，你已經聽了我的願。」這意思就是，1.「我所許的願，並用以約束自己靈魂的那些願，你都留意了；你悅納了它們，因為是出於真誠而獻的，你也甚喜悅；你記念它們，又提醒我記念它們。」神曾使雅各記起他所許的願（創 31:13，35:1）。請注意，神是我們一切願、一切善志、一切新順服嚴肅應許的見證人。祂記著這些帳目，這對我們而言當是一個好理由，正如大衛在此所行的，叫我們還所許的願（詩 61:8）。因為那聽見我們所許之願的主，若這些願不得償還，必使我們因此受責。2.「與這些願同獻的禱告，你也恩慈地聽允了」，這就鼓勵他如今禱告：「神啊，求你聽我的呼求。」那從未對雅各的後裔說「你們尋求我是徒然的」主，如今也不會開始這樣說。「你聽了我的願，並給了我實在的答覆；因為你將敬畏你名之人的產業賜給了我。」請注意，（1）世上有一群敬畏神之名的特殊子民，他們以聖潔的敬畏與崇敬，領受並順應神樂意對世人所作的一切關乎祂自己的啟示。（2）有專屬於這特殊子民的產業，就是今生的安慰，是將來福樂的憑據。神自己就是他們的基業，是他們永遠的份。以神為產業的利未人，必須以神為滿足，不可指望像眾弟兄那樣得著地業；照樣，敬畏神的人在神裏面已得了夠用的，因此若在世界所得甚少，也不可發怨言。（3）我們無需羨慕比敬畏神之人更好的產業。倘若神照祂待那愛祂名之人素常的恩典待我們，我們就不必希冀得著更好的待遇了。
二、他懷著何等的確據，展望自己壽命的延續（詩 61:6）：「你要加添王的壽數。」這可領會為，1. 指他自己。這詩若是在他登基之前寫的，他既已蒙撒母耳膏抹，又曉得神在祂的聖潔中所說的話，就能憑信自稱為王，儘管那時正像亡命之徒般受迫害；又或許是寫於押沙龍企圖廢黜他、迫使他流亡之時。有人圖謀縮短他的壽命，但他信靠神來延長他的壽數；神果然使他活到摩西所定的人的年日（就是七十歲），這年日既照神的旨意服事了他那一代（徒 13:36），就可算為如許多世代，因為許多世代都要因他而得福。他的心志是永遠住在神的帳幕裏（詩 61:4），這是盡本分的途徑；而如今他的盼望是，他必永遠坐在神面前，這是得安慰的途徑。那些在世上為善目的而存活的人，就是住在神面前，事奉祂、行在祂的敬畏中的人；這樣行的人必永遠坐在祂面前。他以第三人稱論到自己，因為這詩交與伶長為教會所用，他願百姓在唱這詩時，得著鼓勵和保證：儘管仇敵懷惡意，他們的王正如他們所願的，必永遠長存。或者，2. 指彌賽亞，就是他作為預表的那位王。大衛思想到，無論自己的結局如何，主的受膏者的年歲必如許多世代，並且祂政權與平安的加增無窮無盡，這是他的安慰。中保必永遠坐在神面前，因為祂常常為我們顯在神面前，並永遠活著代求；又因祂活著，我們也要活著。
三、他懇切地求神總是把他置於祂的保護之下並保守他：*「願你預備慈愛和誠實來保全他！」*神的應許和我們對應許的信心，並非要取代禱告，而是要激發並鼓勵禱告。大衛深信神必加添他的壽數，因此求神保守這壽數；不是求神為他預備一隊強壯的衛兵，或一座堅固的城堡，而是求神預備慈愛和誠實來保全他；這就是說，求神的良善照著應許為他的安全作了安排。我們無需羨慕比蒙神慈愛與誠實保護更妥當的保障。這也可應用於彌賽亞：「願祂在時候滿足時差來，為要成就向雅各所說的誠實、向亞伯拉罕所施的慈愛。」（彌 7:20，路 1:72-73）。
四、他懷著何等的喜樂，許願以感恩的本分回報神（詩 61:8）：*「這樣，我要歌頌你的名直到永遠。」請注意，神保全我們，正呼召我們來讚美祂；所以我們應當渴望存活，好叫我們讚美祂：「求你使我的靈魂存活，它就讚美你。」我們必須以讚美神為我們一生時間的工作，直到末了（只要壽數延長，就當繼續讚美神），而後這必成為我們永世的工作，我們要永遠讚美祂。「好叫我天天還我所許的願。」*他讚美神，這本身就是還他所許的願，又預備他的心在其他事上履行所許的願。請注意，1. 我們所許的願，必須良心上忠心地償還。2. 讚美神和向祂還願，必須成為我們每日不斷的工作；每一天我們都要在這事上有所作為，因為比起當盡的本分這一切都算不得甚麼，因為我們每日都領受新的恩惠，又因為若我們覺得每日這樣行太麻煩，就不能指望永遠這樣行。
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.
大衛在本篇中，正如在許多其他詩篇中一樣，以憂傷的心開始，卻以愉悅的氣氛結束——以禱告與眼淚開始，卻以讚美的歌聲結束。如此，靈魂因被高舉歸向神，便回到對自己的享受。看來大衛寫本篇時是被趕出、放逐在外，究竟是掃羅還是押沙龍所為則不確定：有人以為是押沙龍，因為他稱自己為「王」（詩六一6），但那是指着君王彌賽亞說的。大衛在本篇中決意堅守自己的本分，他既因自己的經歷、也因自己的盼望而得鼓勵。一、他要求告神，因為神曾保護他（詩六一1-3）。二、他要求告神，因為神曾妥善為他預備（詩六一4、5）。三、他要讚美神，因為他確信神對他的恩寵必持續不斷（詩六一6-8）。所以，我們唱這詩時，可以尋見既極能表達我們的信心與盼望、也能表達我們的禱告與讚美的內容；並且本篇中有些經文十分獨特。