"When Darkness Comes"

Sing When You Feel Like Crying!

I want to go to the book of Psalm and look at a topic that covers allot of the things we face today, literally it does! That is the topic "refuge" and we will begin by looking at a song that David has written to share with the Superintendent of all of the stringed instruments at the Temple. This was not just a song to share in the community but rather a song to be played at the Temple!

As we start by reading the verses written, it will seem as though we are reading a prayer. As I read this passage several times, I began to realize that it is David's passion that all of the people will sing this along with him. He may have been the first to stand before the people and sing his song. I can see the orchestra warming up and getting on key as the Superintendent or Conductor, as we call them today, watches for David's cue to begin! What an exciting moment not only for David to share this message of compassion and praise to God, but also to be teaching the thousands who would be there at the Temple. This would be a song that they could carry with them in their hearts back home and sing along as they cranked up their guitars, keyboards and CD players every day!

Well, I guess this was a little before we all of the electronic equipment we have now! Anyways they got out their drums and harps, ok? Let's see what David taught them to sing,

Psalm 61:1 To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
Psa 61:2 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.
Psa 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
Psa 61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

There is more to the song he wrote but that's enough for us to cover the topic of "refuge".
When I first heard this passage used in a message, it came from a man whose child had died and he said that he read this passage until he memorized it and now he says it when ever he feels the depression and anxiety moving into his heart and mind. I thought that it certainly would be an encouragement to all of us to remember.

I am going to do some comparing of what is written here with what the written word in the Hebrew actually means. When I studied this passage in the Hebrew I found that David's message to God was one of most reverence and gratitude.

First let's look at the word "Neginah" just to clear up any questions. It sounds like and looks like this is a name of a city but this word actually means "stringed instrument" and "the chief Musician upon" is described as "the superintendent over" in the Hebrew dictionary. So this psalm of David is written to the superintendent over the orchestra of the Temple. I'll be the first to admit that I was not aware that there was an orchestra that played at the Temple. Hear is the Hebrew definition for "chief Musician" for you to see for yourself and I'll leave it up to you to get the pronunciation correct on this one.

The Hebrew word is nâtsach

It is pronounced naw-tsakh'

A primitive root; properly to glitter from afar, that is, to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); also (as denominative from H5331), to be permanent: - excel, chief musician (singer), oversee (-r), set forward.

When we read the beginning of this Psalm of David we see that it looks as though he is pleading with God. The Hebrew meanings show us that word cry is "rinnah" and it means to shout (of joy or grief) gladness, joy, proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, singing, triumph.

When I read this passage I pictured David sad and desperately crying out to God but he was actually praising and rejoicing God. The next words that I would like to look at are the words "attend to" and this term is usually used when we refer to someone that is caring for another but in this text we find in the Hebrew that David meant for God to attend, (cause to) hear (-ken), give heed to his supplication.

This is how I found myself starting out my prayer the last couple of days when I knelt down to specifically pray for my daughter who is at camp this week about four hours away. As I prayed for her protection and thanked God for allowing her to be able to go to this wonderful camp and providing for this even in a time when I have been among the ranks of the unemployed. When I prayed for her safety and spiritual needs, my tone of voice changed and I requested that God would hear and answer my prayer for my daughter before even my own needs because I love my children and I want them to experience the love and indwelling of God in their lives.

So David starts his Psalm with an urgency for God to hear his voice and to heed to his rejoicing! In the next two verses we see that David is praising the Lord, so this music fits well in a praise service. let's look again at what David says in verse two.

Psalm 61:2 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.

This time David is using the term "cry" again but it is a different word in the Hebrew which means "to bid someone to come to you". Where is David bidding God to come to? He says from the end of the earth. The word end in the Hebrew means "outermost edge" and the meaning that we find for "the earth" is actually "country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world." So when they sang this song, the message would be that he could call for God from anywhere on the earth.

Isn't that an awesome thought? You have a God that hears you, no matter how far into the wilderness you travel or how far out into the ocean you go! What an encouragement for those who are struggling today with lack of material things in the far corners of the earth and who need a Savior!

That's what David meant when he goes on to say here "when my heart is overwhelmed". He is referring to a time when he had so much stress that his heart had turned dark and depressed.

Look at what he says when this happens! He says to God, "Lead me, guide me to the rocks, the cliffs where there is a safe refuge for me to stay inside of while the storm is passing over me" and I believe he asks God to guide him when he is overwhelmed because he is as a blind man when they are in a area that they aren't familiar with. They cannot find their way unless someone leads them safely through this unfamiliar territory! Have we ever found ourselves in places like this in our lives?

What is it that could cause you to feel lost and overwhelmed? Would you buckle and withdraw in depression or would you call out to invite God to guide you to His safe refuge in the rocks?

Next we see that David says in verse three,

Psalm 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

This verse literally translates to mean, "You are a refuge of mine and a powerful tower or rostrum that keeps me from those who hate me, my adversaries.

We all have experienced this feeling at some time in our lives. We all have been mistreated or misjudged or maybe just outright attacked by someone else. Remember that God is your refuge and your strong tower if you will call out to him.

The last verse is so meaningful when we look into the Hebrew meaning again. I will just tell you what this verse translates as in the literal Hebrew.

"I will turn from my path of travel to your home where I am always concealed and protected: I will run to and confide in your trust and the protection found in the corners of your house."

David truly had written it well! The English translation just doesn't seem quite as meaningful to me as the literal Hebrew and I feel that it is good for us to realize just what David meant here so that we too can sing this Psalm with David and claim the refuge and protection of our Almighty God in the safe places of His majestic dwelling! Praise the Lord that we can truly put our trust in Him no matter what it is that we are going through! Let's teach our children and our grandchildren this in our actions or maybe in a phone call today! They need our assurance and reminding of this in this time when there is war over seas and terrorist in our own towns. Share with them the peace that David wrote about here! Teach them to Sing when you feel like crying!

My father taught me THIS a long time ago but I really didn't understand how someone could sing when they were sad and troubled. David the Psalm writer knew and my father who had studied the Bible for many years knew the secret of singing! My dad told me that it is impossible to remain sad when you are singing. He also taught me that God loves to hear us sing when we are sad. It says allot about our trust to God and to our children! Selah.