Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Parallel translations
- WEB Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
- BSB Be my rock of refuge, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.
- NKJV Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.
- NASB Be to me a rock of dwelling to which I may continually come; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.
- NLT Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalmist asks God to be his rock of refuge and fortress, a constant place of safety. It expresses confidence in God as an unshakable, ever-available shelter.
Overview
The psalmist calls on God to be the steadfast rock and fortress to which he can always run for safety. The imagery conveys stability, security, and constant access. God as the rock of his people points to Christ, the spiritual Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4) and sure foundation, in whom believers find unfailing refuge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 18:2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
- Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
- Deut 33:27The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
- Ps 91:9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
- Ps 31:2–3Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
- Ps 91:11–12For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
- Ps 42:8Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
- Ps 44:4Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
- Isa 33:16He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
- Rev 7:2–3And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
- Ps 68:28Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
- Ps 91:1–2He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
- Ps 90:1Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
- Ezek 9:6Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
- Ps 144:2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 71:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.