Psalm 62

Psalm 62  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 4
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“To the chief musician, on Jeduthun, a psalm of David. Only1 on God [is] my soul silent; from him [is] my salvation. Only he [is] my rock and my salvation, my high place; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye set upon a man? will ye murder, all of you, one like a wall inclined, a fence thrust down? Truly from his dignity they consult to thrust; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, and in their inward part they curse. Selah. Only on God be silent, my soul, for from him [is] my expectation. Truly he [is] my rock and my salvation, my high place; I shall not be moved. On God [rests] my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my refuge [is] in God. Confide in him at every time, O people; pour out before him your heart: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah. Truly vanity [are] sons of man, a lie are sons of man; in a balance they go up, less than vanity together. Confide not in oppression, and in robbery be not vain; if riches increase, set not your heart [on them]. Once hath God spoken; twice. have I heard this, that power [belongeth] to God. And to thee, O Lord, [belongeth] mercy; for thou wilt render to a man according to his work” (ver. 1-13).
Thus, as is well known, this psalm divides into three strophes, each opening with “only” or truly, and the first and second ending with Selah. Throughout God alone is declared worthy of trust. Unworthy objects are exposed in the last, where God is shown emphatically worthy.
There is manifest progress in Psa. 62 as compared with its forerunner. The soul learns to be silent or still, as well as to call on God importunately. It distrusts its own activity, and is assured that God's will alone is good. Only He therefore is looked to; no deliverance from another quarter would satisfy. Mercy, power, and justice are His.
In the psalm that follows the soul rises higher still as we may clearly see.
 
1. “only” and “truly” are the same word; and “silent” may mean “in peace.”