“Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” Psalm 71:3 ESV
Unlike other psalms, this psalm is writing anonymously. We are not sure the author’s situation as to why he wrote it however, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from it. The author is praying to God asking that He be a place of safety. To us, a rock feels almost unbreakable, a place where we could find safety from severe weather or hide from others. It is no coincidence that God is compared to a rock because He is the ultimate place of safety, a place where we can hide and recharge ourselves.
The next part of the verse says that the author wants to be able to come to the Lord on a continuous basis which is the premise of a relationship, being able to come to and rely on the other person. Since Jesus introduced a new way of having a relationship with God and paid for our sins on the cross, we are able to come to God individually without ceremonial preparations. Throughout this psalm the author has talked about his long relationship with God and how he has relied on God and come to Him over the years.
As the author has had a long relationship with God, it makes sense that he is going to God to find comfort, safety and a place to rest. Even though we don’t know what the situation is that the author is in, we know that God has given the command to save him, God is watching over him. Again, in this verse, the author compares God to a rock, where he can find safety, but this time he adds fortress. Fortresses were known for being places where a person could hide from attack and be safe.
This verse does not give us any new information, it reaffirms for us what we already know but may have forgotten. God is the ultimate Being to go to for safety and refuge, for eternal salvation. There is no where we can go that is better than coming to God, the Author and Maintainer of our faith.
This is a wonderful reminder of where we should be at all times, in the safety of God, in the fortress of His arms, in the refuge of His rest. So many times we forget that God is always there for us, always available to us, always wanting to hear from us. When we make it part of our day to communicate with God, spend time in His presence, we are demonstrating our faith in Him, our desire to be in a relationship with Him.
Are you spending time with God each and every day or only when the world gets to be too much and you need a rock of refuge or a fortress of safety?