To the conductor, on the melody of David. I will listen to my prayer. As it says in Proverbs 15:29, "The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous." Whenever Israel called out to the Lord, He answered them. They called out to Him in Egypt, and He answered them, as it says in Exodus 3:7, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings." He answered them at the sea, as it says in Exodus 14:15, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." He answered them in the wilderness, as it says in Numbers 21:3, "And the Lord heeded their plea." They entered the land and called out to Him, and He answered them, as it says in 1 Samuel 7:9, "And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him." Even in the days of Solomon, He answered them, as it says in 1 Kings 8:54, "And when Solomon finished praying, all the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple." And even now, in exile, He answers us, as it says in Lamentations 3:55-56, "I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’" And we, at the edge of the earth, call out to You. And the Lord said to us, "From the edge of the earth you have called me, but when you were in the land, you did not call on me. Therefore, it shall be said, ‘From the edge of the earth I called to you.’" Jeremiah also said, in Jeremiah 29:12, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you." And in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." And Moses said, in Deuteronomy 4:30, "When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice." Therefore, from the edge of the earth I call to You.

“…when my heart becomes faint…” (Psalms 61:3) Unto what point must one stand in prayer? R’ Yehudah says: until his heart becomes faint, as it says “A prayer for a poor man when he faints and pours out his speech before the Lord.” (Psalms 102:1) This is ‘when my heart becomes faint’.

“…on the rock that is higher than I…” (Psalms 61:3) Which is this? This is Jerusalem, as it says “And it became wider and it wound higher…” (Ezekiel 41:7) Therefore ‘on the rock that is higher than I.’ Knesset Yisrael said before the Holy One: Master of the World! I do not want to dwell with the enemy, but rather “I shall dwell in Your tent to eternity…” (Psalms 61:5) And so it says “O Lord, I love the dwelling of Your house and the place of the residence of Your glory.” (Psalms 26:8) So too it says “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand; I chose to sit on the threshold of the house of My God rather than dwell in tents of wickedness.” (Psalms 84:11)