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Answer
The phrase “God is the Rock of my salvation” is found multiple times in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:15; 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 89:26; Psalm 95:1). Each instance conveys vivid imagery and a feeling of security. God is a reliable, steadfast Savior.
The biblical lands are rich in high cliffs and crags, where the Israelites often sought refuge in caves and mountain crevices from their enemies “When the men of Israel saw that they were in distress (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid in caves, thickets, rocks, high places, and pits.”, (see 1 Samuel 13:6). Given the numerous battles fought in Israel, rocky terrains served as ideal sites for secure, fortified cities. Therefore, the expression “Rock of my salvation” deeply resonated with God’s people.
The Psalms are filled with similar declarations like “God is the Rock of my salvation,” and for good reason. David often sought refuge in caves and rocky crevices while fleeing from Saul, who was intent on killing him “He came to the sheepfolds along the way; there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.”, (see 1 Samuel 24:3). David’s words reveal where his true hope lay—not in mountains or grand city fortresses, but in God, the Creator of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-3). David affirms, “Truly, he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my stronghold.”
“Thy rock, my refuge” (Psalm 62:6-7). David knew that ultimately, it was up to the God of the cosmos to hide him from danger, with material objects being the means by which He chose to offer such protection.
During the Old Testament era, specific knowledge about the Messiah had not yet been fully understood. Therefore, stating, “God is the Rock of my salvation,” did not explicitly refer to salvation through Christ’s blood. So, what might the concept that God is the Rock of salvation have signified in an Old Testament context? The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains, “In the OT, salvation refers to both everyday, ordinary types of deliverance—such as from enemies, disease, and danger . . . and to those significant deliverances that are specifically seen as a definite part of God’s unique and special involvement in human history, as well as special revelations of His character and will” (entry for “Salvation,” definition 1, p. 1272). Salvation’s focus in the New Testament is mainly spiritual, but in the Old Testament, salvation primarily denotes liberation within the physical realm. For example, when Hannah exults in prayer, “I rejoice in your salvation. . . . There is no rock like our God” (1 Sam: 2:1-2;ESV), she celebrates God’s deliverance from her barrenness and His assurance that her husband’s name would endure for many generations.
The significance of God as the Rock of my salvation expands as the biblical narrative unfolds. Isaiah 28:16 prophesies, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic” (cf: Psalm 118:21-23;Zechariah 10:4). The God who had rescued His people throughout history gradually offered more vivid insights.Glimpses, through His prophets, of just how far His salvation would reach. Isaiah’s prophecy clearly points to the hope of the Messiah, yet the truth that God, the Rock of salvation, would become flesh in Jesus Christ was not yet revealed.
In the New Testament, as Jesus begins His ministry, His disciples and others still do not understand that He is the climactic saving act of the God of the Israelites. But after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, all doubt is removed (John 20:26-29). The spiritual Rock they had always worshiped had now become physical. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples’ bold preaching demonstrates their certainty that Jesus truly was this same Rock. Peter preaches, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone’” (Acts 4:11; see also 1 Peter 2:4-8). The canvas had now been filled with color, the painting now containing details that were once just faint ideas.
Its meaning greatly enlarged, Rock of salvation now resonates even more deeply in our hearts, as it relates not only to God’s deliverance within the physical realm but also to the ultimate spiritual deliverance He provides His people through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Rock of our salvation, a sure and eternal refuge, the foundation on which rests the hope of heaven. “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” «Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. », (1 Peter 2:6).
