Psalm 61 Feb. 2 For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.  1Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer. 2From the end of the land I will call to You when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3For You have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy. 4I will dwell in Your tent forever, I will take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah. 5For You, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. 6You will prolong the king’s life; his years shall be for generations. 7He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint Your grace and truth that they may preserve him. 8So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may fulfil my vows daily.   

Commentary

61:6,7 Although David clearly expected to die, as other Psalms indicate, he understood that he had been promised eternal life in that the promises to him were that he would see his great descendant, the Lord Jesus, reigning eternally in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 7:16). This necessitated a resurrection to eternal life. The idea of eternal life is found in the Old Testament because it is required by the promises to Abraham and David which were the basis of God’s covenant; it didn’t just arise in the New Testament. The life, death and resurrection of Christ was the basis upon which those earlier promises of eternity had been made, but the basic promise of eternal salvation had begun to be offered in Genesis.