Rerouted: 30 Days Through the Book of JonahSample

My Rock and My Fortress

Katrina Rolen

Psalm 31:3-4

God, help me! I can’t do this! You have to send a helicopter or an angel! It was my 18th birthday, and I was rock climbing with friends. The ascent went well, but before rappelling down, I made a terrible mistake … I looked down.

Paralyzing terror seized me. I was a tiny, fragile human perched on a massive rock. At that moment, I was utterly convinced that without divine rescue, I would never make it.

In Psalm 31, David also cried out to God for rescue. Much like Jonah faced stormy seas because of his sin (Jonah 1:4-11), David said, "I am in distress … because of my iniquity" (Psalm 31:9-10). But Jonah looked down and asked to be thrown into the sea (Jonah 1:12), whereas David looked up and called on the Lord: "Save me in your steadfast love!" (Psalm 31:16).

The tumultuous ocean in Jonah contrasts with David’s imagery of a steady rock, fortress or shelter as he begged God for sanctuary (Psalm 31:2-3). David admitted his distress, yet he stood on a foundation of confident faith, repeatedly speaking of his trust in the Lord despite danger (Psalm 31:6; Psalm 31:13-14).

Amid enemies, David proclaimed, “You have redeemed me, O Lᴏʀᴅ” (Psalm 31:5), speaking as if his redemption had already occurred. True refuge is not in the absence of threats but in the Lord. Indeed, He is our fortress (Psalm 31:3). Nothing in creation, not even sin, enemies or a "great tempest" (Jonah 1:12), can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:38-39).

David had so much confidence in this truth that he willingly committed his spirit and life into God’s hands (Psalm 31:5; Psalm 31:15). Jonah, too, ultimately chose to trust God, saying, “Salvation belongs to the Lᴏʀᴅ” (Jonah 2:9).

David ended his psalm with an invitation: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lᴏʀᴅ!” (Psalm 31:24). Let’s accept that invitation! Rather than just asking to be rescued from all rocky places, we can ask God to be our Rock. Let’s trust Him with our lives. He has stored up abundant goodness for those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 31:19).