The Shelter of God's Wings

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of Your wings! For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. . . So will I ever sing praises to Your name, as I perform my vows day after day.

Psalm 61:1-5, 8

Sometime in the past week or two, I read part of Psalm 61 and I jotted it down in my notes. Maybe it resonated because I have been crying out to God more lately and seeking the refuge that is only found in Him as well as praying for that refuge for several friends who are going through difficult trials. Overwhelming trials. I read and re-read Psalm 61 to see what God might want me to learn from it beyond the comforting imagery that caught my attention.

The first few readings I was focused on the rock, my refuge, a strong tower, a tent to dwell in and a shelter under God’s wings. I could also relate to asking God to hear my cry and having a faint heart. Then the first part of verse 2 jumped out at me, “from the end of the earth I call to You.” What is David saying? Is he literally at the end of the earth? In Psalm 60, David was away in battle, far from Jerusalem and where the Israelites worshipped, so yes, David could be talking about a physical distance, but I think even more than a physical distance, David felt distanced from God’s presence.

That is something we can all relate to at some time in our life. Like David we cry out to God to listen to us. To see us. Our heart is faint. Our circumstances seem overwhelming, and it feels like we are at the end of the earth away from God’s presence. Even though we know the truth that God is omnipresent, He is with us and this side of the resurrection, believers even have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, we can feel that God is distant. Often, we let those feelings override the truth of God’s right here, right now presence with us. To combat this feeling, David petitions God but also remembers what God has been for him and done for him in the past.

I am reminded of when we lived in Dubai. We took a desert safari through the sand dunes. There was nothing around us but more and more sand dunes. In some ways, it felt like the end of the earth, far, far away from our apartment in Dubai and civilization. With technology, we can zoom in to that spot in the desert where we were that felt so isolated, but then like David, we can zoom out. We can see a bigger picture. In our case, we would’ve seen the little oasis camp where we would have dinner and experience what life was like for the nomads. If we zoomed out a different direction, we would see Dubai and all that we had become familiar with. We were not at the end of the earth.

David calls to God to lead him to the rock that is higher than him. This rock is really God’s presence. God Himself. David longs to know that closeness with God again, so he petitions the One that can bring him close anew. Next David remembers that in the past God has been his refuge and a strong tower against the enemy. Remembering what God has done helps us to trust Him in our current circumstance. Further, in verse 4 David petitions God to let him dwell in God’s tent forever and to find refuge under the shelter of God’s wings. He follows this petition with remembering that God has heard his vows and that God has given him the heritage of those who fear His name. David asks God for what he needs, but he asks with faith. He asks expectantly based on God’s past work in his life.

What I like about each of these petitions and remembrances is how they contrast with the distance David felt in verse 2. The rock is God’s presence. It is God Himself David is led to. Then David describes what that means in the other four illustrations. A refuge, a strong tower, a tent and the shelter of God’s wings are all places of being surrounded and protected. It is a vast difference from the picture of being at the end of the earth alone, exposed, needy.

I don’t know if David meant it this way, but I see a progression in these illustrations. A refuge and a strong tower are usually bigger in comparison to a tent, and I picture them as solid, made of stone, keeping the enemy out. A tent is typically smaller and is made of fabric. A tent is not as sturdy as stone, and yet, this is where David asks to dwell forever. The word dwell has the idea of one being dependent. David is dependent on God alone.

Then David moves to taking refuge under the shelter (hiding place) of God’s wings. Soft feathers. Room for one. Picture a baby bird being tucked under its mother’s wings. The baby bird can feel the warmth of its mother. Hear her heart beating. Feel the softness of her feathers completely enveloping it like a cozy blanket. The mother will fight off any enemy that comes near them. This is where God lets us take refuge. We go from feeling like we are at the end of the earth to being the closest we could possibly be to our Father. Protected. Provided for. Loved.

Reflection

Where do you feel like you are at right now? The end of the earth, feeling overwhelmed and lost? Under the shelter of God’s wings? Or maybe somewhere in between?

1. Cry out to God. Tell Him how you are feeling.

2. Ask Him to let the truth of His nearness be real to you again.

3. Remember His past faithfulness.

4. Trust that He is still faithful.

5. Praise God for who He is, what He has done, is doing and will do (verse 8).

Re-read Psalm 61 and write down all the characteristics of God you find.