Psalms 61:1
in Psalms 61Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer.
KJV
Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
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This verse in Psalms 61
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Hear my cry, O God
on Psalms 61:1-2
Barnes reads the ends of the earth as the far edge of the land, where David is cut off from the place of worship. From there he calls whenever his heart is faint, and asks to be led up to the rock that is higher. Spurgeon reads that rock as above the man's own reach.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): " Hear my cry, O God! attend unto my prayer; that is, let me have the present comfort of knowing that I am heard ( Ps. xx. 6 ), and in due time let me have that which I pray for." IV.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Hear my cry, O God,.... Being in distress; and which was vocally expressed with great fervency and importunity; attend unto my prayer; which psalm was made by him, and not for him; inwrought in his heart by the Spirit of God, and put up by him with a true heart and full assurance of faith, and related to his own case in particular.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Hear my cry, O God. He was in terrible earnest; he shouted, he lifted up his voice on high. He is not however content with the expression of his need: to give his sorrows vent is not enough for him, he wants actual audience of heaven, and manifold succour as the result.
Hear my cry, O God. He was in terrible earnest; he shouted, he lifted up his voice on high. He is not however content with the expression of his need: to give his sorrows vent is not enough for him, he wants actual audience of heaven, and manifold succour as the result. Pharisees may rest in their prayers; true believers are eager for an answer to them: ritualists may be satisfied when they have, "said or sung" their litanies and collects, but living children of God will never rest till their supplications have entered the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth. Attend unto my prayer. Give it thy consideration, and such an answer as thy wisdom sees fit. When it comes to crying with us, we need not doubt but that it will come to attending with God. Our heavenly Father is not hardened against the cries of his own children. What a consoling thought it is that the Lord at all times hears his people's cries, and is never forgetful of their prayers; whatever else fails to move him, praying breath is never spent in vain!
Hear my cry, O God - In the midst of a long and painful captivity, oppressed with suffering, encompassed with cruel enemies and isolent masters, I address my humble prayer to Thee, O my God.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hear my cry, O God - See the notes at Psa 5:2. The word rendered cry in this place sometimes denotes a joyful shout - a shout of triumph; but the connection makes it certain that it here refers to the voice of prayer. It is implied that it was audible prayer, or that the psalmist gave utterance to his desires in words. It is language such as would be produced by deep distress; when a sad and burdened heart gives vent to its feelings in a loud cry for mercy. Attend unto my prayer - Give ear; incline the ear to me, Psa 5:1; Psa 17:1, Psa 17:6; Psa 39:12; Psa 71:2.
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׁמְעָ֣ה | shimah | hear ! | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֱ֭לֹהִים | ʾelohim | O God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| רִנָּתִ֑י | rinati | cry of entreaty my | H7440 → | 33 times |
| הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה | hakshivah | pay attention to ! | H7181 → | 46 times |
| תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ | tefilati | prayer my | H8605 → | 72 times |
שִׁמְעָ֣הhear !
shimahH8085 →1159 times
אֱ֭לֹהִיםO God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
רִנָּתִ֑יcry of entreaty my
rinatiH7440 →33 times
הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָהpay attention to !
hakshivahH7181 →46 times
תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃prayer my
tefilatiH8605 →72 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 4:6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
- Matthew 6:25–33
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…
- Psalms 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18
Pray without ceasing.
- Proverbs 3:5–6
Through
Psalms 4:1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 1:10
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,
- Exodus 34:6–7
Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
- Psalms 40:1–3
I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.
- 2 Corinthians 1:10
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.