Psalm 61 is a short prayer from far away: “Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer. To thee have I cried from the ends of the earth: when my heart was in anguish, thou hast exalted me on a rock.” It longs to dwell in God’s house and shelter under his wings. In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 60. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 61 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, in hymns, for David.
Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer,
To thee have I cried from the ends of the earth: when my heart was in anguish, thou hast exalted me on a rock. Thou hast conducted me;
For thou hast been my hope; a tower of strength against the face of the enemy.
In thy tabernacle I shall dwell for ever: I shall be protected under the covert of thy wings.
For thou, my God, hast heard my prayer: thou hast given an inheritance to them that fear thy name.
Thou wilt add days to the days of the king: his years even to generation and generation.
He abideth for ever in the sight of God: his mercy and truth who shall search?
So will I sing a psalm to thy name for ever and ever: that I may pay my vows from day to day.
Psalm 61 or Psalm 60?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 60 is Psalm 61 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Exaudi, Deus, deprecationem meam. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- Prayer from far away: “from the ends of the earth,” far from home, far from God’s house, or far from peace.
- The rock: God lifts the anguished heart onto a rock higher than itself; Christians think of Christ, the rock.
- A strong tower: God is “a tower of strength against the face of the enemy.”
- Under his wings: the psalmist longs to dwell in God’s tabernacle for ever.
- Daily vows: the psalm ends with a promise to praise God and fulfil one’s vows day by day.
How the Church uses Psalm 61
- For those far from home: travelers, immigrants, soldiers and missionaries.
- For a heart overwhelmed, as a prayer to be set on solid ground. See psalms for strength.
A prayer with Psalm 61
Written for this page:
Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.
Set me on the rock that is higher than I, and be my strong tower.
Let me dwell in your house for ever and take refuge under your wings. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”?
Psalm 61:3 in modern Bibles. The Douay-Rheims (60:3), from the Latin, reads “thou hast exalted me on a rock.”
What is Psalm 61 about?
A prayer for protection and closeness to God from someone far away and overwhelmed.
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 60 (61), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.