Psalm 61, That Rock was Christ (3)

In our consideration of “tsur” we come to the Books of Wisdom.  Job, it might seem, does not make a link always with Christ.  But we will not skip over these because there actually are some connections.

·       Job 14:18: Job speaks of a mountain and a rock as being pictures of “hope” (cf. v19).  Christ is, of course, our hope (Titus 2:13).  Bildad seems to refer to these words of Job, using the same words (18:4).

·       Job 19:24: Job wishes his words were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever.  What words? They are his words about his living redeemer whom his heart yearns to see (v25-27).  That redeemer is, of course, Christ!

·       Job 22:24: If you read the context (v23-25), Eliphaz tells Job that if he returns to the Almighty, he would lay his gold in the stones and the Almighty would be his gold.  In other words, Eliphaz uses “tsur” to speak of Jobs trust in a false god.

·       Job 24:8: “Tsur” is a place of shelter, a picture of God.

·       Job 28:10; 29:6: These are interesting given the “water from the rock” in Exodus.  He cuts out channels in the rocks … When my steps were bathed with cream, And the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!

Now let us consider the Psalms where, as we noted, references to God as the Rock usually connect with Deut. 32 where that title of God has its roots.  (Remember, we previously noted 18:2; 31:2; 71:3; 78:15.)

·       Ps. 19:14: May my words and thoughts be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.  That is Christ!

·       Ps. 27:5: For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.  The rock is related to the LORD’s den & house (pavilion and tabernacle.)

·       Ps. 28:1: To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock.

·       Ps. 49:14: Speaking of the wealthy oppressors, their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling. This is only place the NKJV translates “tsur” as beauty.  It still speaks of something which the rich man trusts, his god.

·       Ps. 61:2: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  Draw me to Christ!

·       Ps. 62:2,6,7: V2,6 the same. He only is my rock and my salvation.  That is Christ.  V7: In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

·       Ps. 73:26: The conclusion to Asaph’s trial: My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

·       Ps. 78:15,20,35: The first two speaks of water from the rock, and the third, they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.  And that is Christ!