The High Rock

Psalm 61:2 states, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

I have yet to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial. From pictures and readings and what I have heard from visitors, I am overwhelmed that a man, Gutzon Borglum, could ever dream of or tackle such a project. The work is a witness to four of our great leaders that helped form the United States of America: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt. Those that want to tear down our historic monuments today need to visit Mount Rushmore.

The rock David talked about in our text is none other than Jesus. How could David go to Jesus—the rock—when Jesus had not been born yet? In Matthew 22:42-46 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “…David in spirit called him Lord (referring to Himself, Christ).” John 8:58 says, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

When David was overwhelmed he cried out to God, “…lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Before he went into battle he consulted with God. After his sin he repented to God. The last words of David are recorded in II Samuel 23. In verse 3 he calls God, “the Rock of Israel.” 

David admits that he fell short of being all that God called him to be. In verse 5 we see his hope in the high Rock; “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”

In Jesus’ day we saw the high Rock in the flesh. He was the cornerstone. He bid men to come unto Him. His covenant offered everlasting life. He is the solid rock, the rock of ages. When we are overwhelmed, He is there. He hears our cry and heals our sorrows. The days is coming when the high rock will cause the Gentile rule to cease (I Corinthians 15:24). The stone cut out without hands (Daniel 2:34-35) will become a great mountain filling the whole earth. Now I call that a higher stone, or rock, than even Mount Rushmore.

Not only is Jesus the high rock when we are overwhelmed, and the powerful high rock that will end wicked rulers, He is the high rock of covenant. Before Joshua died he made a covenant with the people of Israel (Joshua 24:25-27). He had finished preaching to the people about the Holy God (V.19). He called them to serve the Lord. Twice they pledged, “we will serve the Lord.” After writing the covenant he placed it in the book of the law. He then took a great stone and set it up under an oak at Shechem, where they were. He said, “…this stone shall be a witness unto us ” (V.27). It was a witness because it had “heard” all the words of the Lord and the people’s vow to serve the Lord. 

Jesus hears our every word. When we make a covenant with Him it is not forgotten. He does not break His part of the covenant. The danger is that we may break our part. Joshua’s stone was there to remind the people of their choice to serve the Lord, and to do it. If we fail, let’s go to the higher rock, repent, and stay in the covenant.

I love the song, “I go to the Rock” by Dottie Rambo. ‘When the earth all around me is sinking sand, On Christ the solid rock I stand, When I need a shelter, when I need a friend I go to the rock.” The High Rock!