A thoughtful guide for your walk of faith Read with context, practice with grace.
Bless.You
Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 61

Psalm 61 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

Trust & RefugePraiseLament
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 61

1For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David. Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.

2From the end of the earth, I will call to you when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3For you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy.

4I will dwell in your tent forever. I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.

5For you, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6You will prolong the king’s life. His years will be for generations.

7He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

8So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfill my vows daily.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 61

Psalm 61 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book II (Psalms 42–72). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Trust & Refuge, Praise, Lament. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 61

Psalm 61 contains 8 verses and about 133 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David. Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 8 closes: “So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfill my vows daily.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, forever, refuge, vows, name, chief. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 61

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 61:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes trust & refuge, with related themes of Trust & Refuge, Praise, Lament. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer →