I am under the rock?

The other day, I found myself singing that familiar chorus:

“I am under the Rock, the Rock is higher than I, Jehovah hides me, I am under the Rock. Go tell my enemy, I am under the Rock…”

It’s a song I’ve known for years — one that often surfaces when my heart feels heavy or overwhelmed. This time, though, something about it struck me differently. As I sang the words, I suddenly thought, “Under the rock? That doesn’t sound very comfortable.”

Physically speaking, being under a rock feels like being trapped — crushed even. It didn’t seem to fit with the idea of safety or hope that the song usually brings. I paused for a moment, wondering why a place that sounded so heavy could be sung of as a refuge.

Then I remembered where the lyric comes from

Psalm 61:2:“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

The psalmist isn’t describing a place of pressure, but of protection. The “rock” here symbolizes stability, strength, and safety — something unmovable when everything else feels uncertain. And when the song says “I am under the rock,” it isn’t about being buried beneath it; it’s about being covered by it — hidden and shielded in the presence of God.

It’s a lot like being in a cave with an opening — not sealed off, but sheltered. There’s still air, still light, still a view of what’s beyond — yet you’re enclosed in safety. In Exodus 33:22, God tells Moses,

“I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by.” 

That same imagery shows up throughout the Psalms: being hidden “in the secret place of the Most High,” “in the shadow of His wings.”

So as I reflected, I realised I wasn’t singing of my burden — I was singing of my blessing. “Under the rock” isn’t a cry of being trapped; it’s a declaration of being protected, surrounded, and unseen by the enemy. It’s not about being pressed down, but being covered — like finding peace in the hollow of something unshakable.

What a shift in perspective that is. Sometimes what feels like a heavy place is really a holy place — a refuge we don’t recognise until we stop and see where we’re standing (or hiding).

The next time I sing “I am under the Rock,” I’ll sing it not as someone weighed down, but as someone sheltered in grace — covered, safe, and held within the strength of God Himself.

Let us pray :

In Jesus’ name, in Jesus mighty name, I thank You, Lord, that when my heart is overwhelmed, You lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. You are my refuge and my fortress — my unshakable foundation when everything else feels uncertain.

I declare that I am hidden in the cleft of the Rock, covered by Your hand and shielded by Your presence. No weapon formed against me shall prosper, and no storm shall move me from the place of safety You have provided.

I decree that I am not buried by my burdens, but blessed by Your covering. Though the enemy may come against me, I am secure beneath Your shadow — protected, preserved, and at peace.

Lord, let Your strength be my shelter and Your presence be my hiding place. From this day forward, I will rest knowing I am under the Rock — safe, seen, and surrounded by Your everlasting love.

Amen.