Psalm 61

1. O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer!
2. From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
3. for you are my safe refuge,a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
4. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!Interlude
5. For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name.
6. Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations!
7. May he reign under God’s protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him.
8. Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.

"From the ends of the earth I cry out to you..."

Have you ever been that far from home? Our Iraqi-Afghanistan veterans have. You know what they found out when they got there? They found we can never travel far enough to get away from hostility and danger. In fact, often its waiting for us when we get there. Most often its exactly why we're there. David found himself there...apparently when he was being pursued by his son Absalom.

So he cries out for help. His prayer reminds us of an important principle. It's also impossible to travel so far that God will not be there when we arrive. David prayed "Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge,a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me."

We need to remember...wherever we are...there is a place we can go where the enemy cannot touch us: Beneath the "shelter of His wings."

I'd like to make a point here. Just as "the shelter of His wings" is a metaphor for God's protective presence, I think "the ends of the earth" can just as easily be a metaphor for a sense of alienation or estrangement. Have you ever felt all alone in your own home...with your family all around you? That's the "ends of the earth" as far as you're concerned at that moment.

When David says "Let me live forever in your sanctuary" I believe he is extending this metaphor to remind us that we will never feel truly at home unless we are dwelling in the overwhelming presence of our Lord. That is where we were created to live.

This psalm should encourage us today. No matter where we are, no matter what our predicament, we are never more that a prayer away from God's sheltering presence. We may be facing employment battles, or financial struggles. Our family may be falling apart. Those are the ends of the earth.

But...you know what? Just one step in the right direction and we can find ourselves in a place where the enemy cannot touch us.

Live boldly out there today...