God is the focus of this middle stanza. Find rest in him. Hope and expectation come from him. He is one’s rock, salvation, refuge, and fortress. In God, I am not shaken when trouble comes. Salvation and honor depend on God. David’s counsel is to trust in him at all times and to pour out my heart to him for God is our refuge.
Antonin Dvorak, a Czech classical composer, wrote “Biblical Songs”, a ten-song cycle whose text is from the Psalms. It has been suggested that he was prompted to write them with news of his father’s death. Dvorak experienced Jesus, the Rock in a most personal way when trouble entered his soul. He expresses self-counsel prayer through melody meter.
The theme of each of the ten songs is:
1st, Psalm 97, “Darkness and thunderclouds are round about Him.”
2nd, Psalm 119, “Lord my shield, my refuge and hope.”
3rd, Psalm 55, “Hear, oh hear my prayer.”
4th, Psalm 23, “Oh, my shepherd is the Lord.”
5th, Psalms 144 & 145, “Songs of gladness will I sing Thee.”
6th, Psalms 61 & 63, “Hear, oh Lord, my bitter cry.”
7th, Psalm 137, “By the shore of the river Babylon.”
8th, Psalm 25, “Oh, Lord, have mercy and turn Thou Thy face to me.”
9th, Psalm 121, “My eyes will I to the hills lift up.”
10th, Psalms 98 & 96, “Oh sing unto the Lord a joyful song.”
