The Rock of Refuge - Psalms 69-71

Psalms 71:1-3 (ESV)

In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame!

In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline your ear to me, and save me!

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.

This group of prayers (Psalms 69-71) has two major themes. One is that King David needs rescued (and not be put to shame by his enemies) and his enemies need to be dealt with (be put the shame by God).    Here are two verses that demonstrate that thought:

Psalms 69:6 (ESV)

Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,

O Lord GOD of hosts;

let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,

O God of Israel.

Psalms 70:2 (ESV)

Let them be put to shame and confusion

who seek my life!

Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor

who delight in my hurt!

And, then you have the passage, above from Psalm 71.  David is crying out that he does not want to be put to shame and his only solution for that is to turn to God. He identifies God with the metaphor of a rock.   We know that David hid among the mountains of the land when he was haunted by King Saul.    He ran to the same place when his son Absalom was hunting him and wanted to overthrow his kingdom.   He actually ran to hide behind rocks.   Now he is Turing to the greatest Rock.  The beauty of his above statement is that he says he can come to this Rock, continuously.    To know that we can come to God, even once, is a great thought. But to know that we can come on a continuous basis is simply amazing.   Note how the writer of the book of Hebrews states it:

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God wants to give us mercy and grace.  Because of Christ we can come to God with full confidence, continually.