Psalm 61

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.
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.

Key Verse:
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

Key Observation:
When we come to God in prayer, we need to come with fear and reverence. We are speaking to the Creator of the universe who indeed loves us.

Memory Verse:
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.

Devotion:
J. Vernon McGee laments in his commentary on this psalm about modern prayer life:

“All many of us do is turn in to the Lord a grocery list of the things we want. We ask Him to take them down off the shelf and give them to us so we won’t have to go through the checkout stand and pay for them. I think that attitude has killed prayer today. I believe in the organization, the mechanics, and the arrangement of prayer, but I also believe prayer should come from the heart. You seldom hear that deep heart cry in prayer any more, but you will find it in David’s prayer.”

I think I agree with McGee. When I pray to God, I must know who I am speaking to. I must speak clearly and with great expectation of an answer. My heart should be leading me to pray, but my heart should also be looking to God for the answer. I am not speaking here of faith for something specific. Sometimes God gives me a special faith for something or someone I am praying for. But that is not what I am talking about. Hebrews tells me that when I come to God I must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I purpose to be that one—the one who diligently seeks Him.

Though that can (and has) come with repetition, ordinarily it comes with expectation. We may repeat prayers to show God how important we think they are, but we should never repeat a prayer because we think that God did not hear the first time. I expect God to hear my prayer; he has promised by his own name that he will hear my prayers. I expect an answer. I know that I am speaking to a wonderfully generous and gracious God. Now I need to be clear here. I do not expect to get everything that I pray for—that would be too much like the grocery list above. What I do expect is an answer from God.

He has given me the most wonderful promises in prayer. Ask and you will receive. Ask that your joy may be full. Whatsoever you ask in my name I will do. And more than these promises of delight, Jesus tells us we are his friends if we do what he commands. What does he command? John 15:17—This is my command that ye love one another.

When I speak to God, I covet those promises—I cherish each of them. I believe them. I believe I am talking to God, that He is listening, and that He will consider my prayers and give me answers. That is what I mean by great expectations. Is that the way you are coming to God in prayer? I promise you—nay, He promises you that it does make a difference.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's table land;
no higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's table land;
no higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Verse
I'm pressing on the upward way,
new heights I'm gaining everyday.
Still praying as I onward bound,

Lord, plant my feet on
higher ground.

I'm Pressing On

Intro
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's table land;
no higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's table land;
no higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Verse
I'm pressing on the upward way,
new heights I'm gaining everyday.
Still praying as I onward bound,

Tenors Lord, plant my feet on
All higher ground.

Chorus 1
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's

Tenors faith on heaven's table land;

no higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground,
on higher ground, on higher ground, on higher ground.

Vamp 1
On higher ground,
on higher ground.

Chorus 2
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
by faith on heaven's

Tenors faith on heaven's table land;

no higher plane than I have found...

Vamp 2
Lord, plant my feet.

Vamp 3
Sopranos On higher ground,
Altos on higher ground,
Tenors on higher ground,

Sopranos on higher ground,
Altos on higher ground,
Tenors on higher ground.

Vamp 4
On higher ground, ound, ound,
on higher ground.

Christian Music Lyrics by: Gospel Music