“The Rock That is Higher Than I”
Read Psalm 61
Did David pray this as a fugitive from Kim Saul’s madness while at the same time praying for the king’s wholeness? Prayer that asks for personal help (“lead thou me to the rock”) very naturally leads into prayer that intercedes for others (“prolong the life of the king”). Prayer is not an exclusive concentration on either self or neighbor but a correlation of mutual needs. We get what we need and, at the same time, become a ministry to others’ needs.
PRAYER: I don’t want to become so preoccupied with my own needs that I forget that others need your help too, dear God. And I don’t’ want to get so concerned about others that I fail to keep my own hear in order before you. Keep me in balance, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
By Eugene Peterson, “A Year with the Psalms” p. 71