Psalms
Psalm 62
KJV
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; 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; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Overview
Psalm 62 is a meditation on exclusive trust in God under social pressure. Its repeated rock-and-fortress refrain anchors the speaker while opponents attack and manipulate. The psalm then widens into public instruction: pour out the heart before God, do not absolutize social rank, coercion, or wealth, and remember that power and steadfast love belong to God.
Setting and context
A wisdom-shaped psalm of trust attributed by the superscription to David and associated with Jeduthun. The poem alternates personal confession, description of hostile pressure, communal exhortation, and a closing theological summary about divine power, steadfast love, and accountable judgment.
Themes
Waiting for God alone · God as rock, salvation, and fortress · Resistance to manipulation and double speech · Pouring out the heart before God · The fragility of social rank · Warning against oppression, robbery, and wealth-idolatry · Power joined with steadfast love · Moral accountability before God
Reflection
Practice God-centered waiting without confusing trust with passivity; name manipulation without retaliating; pour out distress honestly; use status, money, and authority without treating them as ultimate; and hold power together with steadfast love and accountability.
Reading notes
The psalm calls for ultimate trust in God while condemning predatory pressure, deception, oppression, robbery, wealth-idolatry, and false human ultimacy. It does not forbid prudent action, responsible possessions, lawful accountability, or needed support.
Key passages
Psalm 62:1: The psalm opens with quiet dependence on God as the source of salvation. Let prayer and patient trust shape action without abandoning prudent help. Psalm 62:2: God is named rock, salvation, and fortress, giving stability under pressure. Ground identity in God while taking real danger seriously. Psalm 62:8: Personal trust becomes a communal invitation to pour out the heart before God. Pray honestly and seek trustworthy human support when needed. Psalm 62:10: Oppression, robbery, and growing riches are all rejected as ultimate sources of security. Use money responsibly without placing the heart in wealth or unjust gain. Psalm 62:11: Power belongs ultimately to God. Exercise any human authority as limited, accountable, and never absolute. Psalm 62:12: God’s steadfast love and moral judgment are held together at the close. Take conduct seriously while reading judgment within the Bible’s wider teaching on grace and mercy.
Questions readers ask
What is the main message of Psalm 62? Ultimate security belongs in God rather than status, manipulation, coercion, or wealth. What does it mean to wait silently for God? It describes dependent trust and inner orientation toward God, not universal inactivity. What does Psalm 62 say about money? It warns against unjust gain and against setting the heart on riches even when wealth increases. How are power and steadfast love connected in Psalm 62? The ending presents God’s power as joined to covenant love and morally accountable judgment, not arbitrary force.