Psalm 62 - The Contemplative Bible Meditation Series
Psalm 62 is a sacred hymn of trust and solace, a song composed by David during a time of distress and uncertainty. This psalm is an invitation to enter into stillness, to seek refuge in the deep well of peace that only God can provide. Its beauty lies in its call for a patient and unwavering faith in the midst of storms, teaching us to be like David—standing firm in God, who is our rock and salvation. In a world filled with distractions, fears, and relentless pressures, Psalm 62 speaks to the restless hearts of modern readers. It calls us to pause, to listen, and to find comfort in the silence that comes from trusting God alone. As we explore each verse, let us draw on its timeless wisdom to nourish our spirits, deepen our faith, and cultivate an inner sanctuary of peace and resilience.
Transcript
Psalm 62 is a sacred hymn of trust and solace,
A song composed by David during a time of distress and uncertainty.
This psalm is an invitation to enter into stillness,
To seek refuge in the deep well of peace that only God can provide.
Its beauty lies in its call for a patient and unwavering faith in the midst of storms,
Teaching us to be like David,
Standing firm in God who is our rock and salvation.
In a world filled with distractions,
Fears and relentless pressures,
Psalm 62 speaks to the restless hearts of modern readers.
It calls us to pause,
To listen and to find comfort in the silence that comes from trusting God alone.
As we explore each verse,
Let us draw on its timeless wisdom to nourish our spirits,
Deepen our faith and cultivate an inner sanctuary of peace and resilience.
Psalm 62 Truly my soul silently waits for God,
From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
He is my defence,
I shall not be greatly moved.
How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain,
All of you,
Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
They only consult to cast him down from his high position.
They delight in lies,
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly.
My soul waits silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
He is my defence,
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory,
The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times,
You people,
Pull out your heart before Him,
God is a refuge for us.
Surely men of low degree are a vapour,
Men of high degree are a lie.
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapour.
Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery.
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
God has spoken once,
Twice,
I have heard it.
God has spoken once,
Twice,
I have heard this,
That power belongs to God.
Also to you,
O Lord,
Belongs mercy,
For you render to each one according to his work.
Verse 1 Verse 1 Trust my soul silently waits for God,
From Him comes my salvation.
In this opening verse,
David's soul waits in silence,
A stillness that reflects a profound surrender.
The word silently signifies a state beyond worthy or striving.
It is a waiting rooted in trust.
To silently wait for God is to resist the urge to control or manipulate our circumstances.
It is to remain anchored in the knowledge that whatever may come,
Our deliverance is already prepared by the one who sees all.
Verse 2 For us,
This is a reminder to cultivate a calm patience,
Especially when life seems uncertain.
Silence your racing thoughts and release the need for answers.
Know that the salvation you seek is already in God's hands.
Breathe deeply and let your spirit rest in that truth.
Verse 2 He only is my rock and my salvation,
He is my defense,
I shall not be greatly moved.
David declares God as his rock,
A foundation that is unshakable,
A source of strength that cannot be undermined.
When trials threaten to unbalance us,
This verse serves as a grounding force.
God is our defense,
The wall that guards our heart from fear and doubt.
Even if we tremble under pressure,
We shall not be greatly moved.
In your own life,
Where are you feeling shaken?
What fears are attempting to unsettle you?
Allow this verse to stabilize you.
Imagine yourself standing on a vast rock,
High above the waves of Vadhi.
Feel the solidity beneath you,
The immovability of God's presence.
With God as your guide.
You may sway,
But you will not fall.
Verse 3 How long will you attack a man?
You shall be slain,
All of you,
Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
Here,
David speaks to his adversaries.
But this verse can also be seen as an inner dialogue with our own self-defeating thoughts and fears.
The leaning wall and tottering fence are images of instability,
Just as doubt and fear try to weaken our spirits.
Yet,
In confronting them,
David shows us that their power is fleeting.
Think of your own internal struggles,
The thoughts that undermine your peace,
The voices of self-doubt that shake your confidence.
They may appear threatening,
But like a crumbling wall,
They cannot stand before the strength of God's truth.
Take a moment to confront these thoughts with courage,
Affirming that their power is temporary.
And will crumble in the face of divine assurance.
Verse 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position.
They delight in lies.
They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly.
David describes those who conspire against him,
Who praise outwardly,
But curse inwardly.
These false fronts can be found not only in others,
But also within ourselves.
We too might struggle with our own divided selves outwardly appearing at peace,
While inwardly battling insecurity or dissentment.
To align our hearts with truth is a spiritual practice.
Notice where your words and inner thoughts diverge.
Offer these contradictions to God.
Pause here.
Reflect.
Let the silence reveal where you need to be more honest with yourself and more trusting in God's ability to heal the gap between what you say and what you truly feel.
Verse 5 My soul waits silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from him.
David turns inward again,
Gently instructing his own soul to wait for God.
Gently instructing his own soul to wait just as a peasant calms an anxious child.
This repetition of silently reminds us that waiting on God is an active choice to be still.
To wait silently is to expect without impatience,
To believe that what is promised will come even if the timing is unknown.
When you feel anxious or impatient,
Echo these words to your own soul.
Wait silently.
Let go of striving and allow your heart to rest in the knowledge that God is faithful.
Place your hope not in outcomes or in people,
But in God alone.
Verse 6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
He is my defense,
I shall not be moved.
David repeats these words as if reinforcing a truth that needs to be embedded in his very soul.
Verse 7 Repetition in scripture is a form of prayer,
A rhythm that anchors us deeper into reality.
Again,
We hear that God is only,
Exclusively our salvation and our rock,
Nothing else,
No earthly solution or temporary comfort can offer what God does.
Verse 8 Let this verse be a refrain,
A reminder that when you feel yourself slipping,
When doubts enroach,
You can come back to this truth.
God is your unshakable ground.
When your heart feels unsteady,
Say,
I shall not be moved and feel your spirit regain its balance.
Verse 7 In God is my salvation and my glory,
The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God.
David acknowledges that all he is,
His glory,
His strength,
His refuge is found in God.
He doesn't attribute his security or honor to his own achievements but to God's grace.
Verse 8 This is a profound shift from self-reliance to God-reliance,
An attitude we are called to embody.
Verse 9 In your own life,
When you are tempted to define yourself by your successes or failures,
Remember this verse.
Let your identity rest not on what you do but on who God is.
He is your refuge,
Safe,
Strong and forever.
Verse 8 Trust in Him at all times,
You people.
David invites everyone to trust in God at all times,
Not only in crisis but also in peace,
Not only in fear but also in joy.
And how do we do this?
By pouring out our hearts before Him.
True trust is the key to God's love and His love for us.
Before Him.
True trust is vulnerable and honest.
It's bringing your whole self to God without holding back.
Take a moment to pour out your heart,
Your joys,
Your sorrows,
Your hopes and your fears.
Picture God as your refuge,
A place where all of you is welcome,
Where nothing is too small or too heavy for His embrace.
Pause here.
Rest in the knowledge that God hears and holds all that you are.
Verse 9 Surely men of low degree are a vapour,
Men of high degree are a lye.
If they are weighed on the scales,
They are altogether lighter than vapour.
In these words,
David exposes the illusion of human status and power.
Whether of low degree or high degree,
People,
When viewed from an eternal perspective,
Are as insubstantial as vapour.
Human ambitions,
Titles,
And positions can seem weighty,
But they fade like mist under the warmth of the sun.
This verse invites us to reconsider what we hold as valuable.
What do we chase?
What are we striving for?
Reflect on your life's pursuits.
How often do you measure yourself by worldly standards?
Consider the weight of your soul not in terms of status or possessions,
But in terms of your connection with the divine.
The passage calls us to invest in what endures.
Love,
Faith,
And trust in God.
Everything else,
No matter how solid it appears,
Is lighter than vapour.
Verse 10 Do not trust in oppression,
Nor vainly hope in robbery.
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
Even if we do not actively oppress or steal,
We can be lured by the desire to secure our lives through material success.
The verse doesn't condemn having wealth.
It does not condemn having a job.
It does not condemn having a family.
It does not condemn having a job.
It does not condemn having a family.
The verse doesn't condemn having wealth,
But cautions against setting our hearts on it,
Letting it define us or determine our worth.
Take a moment to examine where your heart is set.
Do you find security in your resources,
Your career,
Or your possessions?
Release the grip on these temporary securities.
Instead,
Set your heart on what truly endures,
God's unwavering presence.
Pray for the wisdom to hold your blessings lightly and to let your heart rest firmly in the eternal treasure of God's love.
Verse 11 God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this,
That power belongs to God.
This verse reveals a simple but profound truth.
All power belongs to God.
David hears it not once,
But twice.
A poetic way of emphasizing that this is a truth worth repeating.
True power is not held by kings or rulers,
By wealth or status.
All power,
In its truest form,
Flows from God alone.
When you feel overwhelmed by the forces in your life,
Whether they are people,
Situations,
Or even internal struggles,
Remember,
The ultimate authority is God's.
Lay down your burdens and fears,
Knowing that God's power is not arbitrary or harsh.
But filled with grace and compassion.
Let this truth be a source of peace.
The one who loves you most holds all power.
Verse 12 Also to you,
O Lord,
Belongs mercy,
For you render to each one according to his work.
David concludes with a beautiful pairing,
Power and mercy.
While power alone can instill fear,
God's power is coupled with mercy.
He is not only mighty,
But also kind.
This verse reassures us that God sees and hears us.
And responds to our lives with perfect justice and mercy.
Whatever we face,
We can trust in his righteous judgment,
Knowing that he is both strong and loving.
Meditate on this final truth.
God is merciful and just.
Release any bitterness or fear of being unseen,
Misunderstood or mistreated.
God's mercy meets you wherever you are.
And his justice is both compassionate and true.
Rest in the knowledge that he sees you fully and will respond in perfect love.
A prayer O God,
My refuge and my rock,
Teach me to wait in silence before you,
To stand firm on the ground of your promises.
When the storms of life threaten to move me,
Let me feel your unshakable strength beneath my feet.
In every season,
Let my soul find rest in you alone.
May I pour out my heart honestly and trust deeply,
Knowing that you are my salvation,
My glory,
My hope.
Amen.
