Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

PSALMS 31:2KJV
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Psalms 31:2 (KJV)

What does Psalms 31:2 mean?

Psalms 31:2 is a plea from the writer, asking God to listen closely, rescue him quickly, and be a strong, protective refuge. The verse uses the image of God as a rock and a secure house, emphasizing the need for safety and deliverance in a time of trouble.

King David is speaking to God, likely during a period of distress or danger. David urgently asks God to "bow down" His ear, meaning to pay close attention, and to act swiftly to save him. The language of a "strong rock" and "house of defence" paints God as a reliable protector, someone David trusts to keep him safe when he feels threatened.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 31:2

  • "Down" (נָטָה, natah) means to stretch out or bend, here describing God leaning in to listen, showing personal attention and care.
  • "Deliver" (נָצַל, natsal) means to snatch away or rescue, highlighting David's need for immediate help.
  • "Strong" (מָעוֹז, ma'oz) refers to a place of strength or fortress, underscoring the sense of God as a dependable protector.
  • "Rock" (צוּר, tsur) is a common biblical image for stability and safety, suggesting God is unmovable and trustworthy as a place of refuge.

Why Psalms 31:2 matters

  • This verse clarifies that David is not just asking for help in general, but for urgent, personal intervention from God, which shows the depth of his trust and dependence.
  • The imagery of God as both a rock and a house of defense connects to other Psalms, reinforcing a theme of God as the ultimate source of security.
  • Understanding the original Hebrew words helps readers see the intensity and vividness of David's request, making the prayer feel more immediate and heartfelt.

Where else these words appear

“speedily” Hebrew H4120 · used in 20 verses

  • Numbers 16:46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
  • 1 Samuel 20:38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
  • Psalms 147:15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

“defence” Hebrew H4686 · used in 22 verses

  • 1 Samuel 22:4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
  • 2 Samuel 23:14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
  • Psalms 66:11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

“strong” Hebrew H4581 · used in 35 verses

  • Judges 6:26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
  • Proverbs 10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
  • Ezekiel 24:25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

“rock” Hebrew H6697 · used in 74 verses

  • Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
  • Psalms 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.