Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect – briefly – on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined to get going. I’ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions:
- What is this Psalm about?
- What does this Psalm teach about God?
- How does this Psalm connect to God’s people today?
I’ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together.
On the 22nd of October 2023, here’s Psalm 62:
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
What is this Psalm about?
This is a powerful Psalm of personal trust in God. Not disconnected from difficult circumstances (which are hinted at firmly!) or detached from the challenges of the world, Psalm 61 is a challenging reminder of what it could look like to place one’s trust in God, regardless of what is going on. Truth brackets the Psalm – two occurrences of ‘truly’ in first verse, and an intriguing instance of God’s speech and God’s people hearing in verses 11 and 12.
What does this Psalm teach about God?
Verses 1 and 2 use metaphorical language to describe God’s strength, the salvation that He offers, and his unshakeable nature – perhaps this is where true rest is found, in the truth about who God is. Verse 6 repeats these themes, whilst verse 5 adds the idea of God providing hope. Verse 8 adds a relational dynamic – God invites people to pour out our hearts to Him. Verse 11 contains two truths: that God speaks, and that power belongs to God. Verse 12 continues – God has/is ‘unfailing love’, and a fair judge and arbiter.
How does this Psalm connect to God’s people today?
Psalm 62 offers a deeply encouraging challenge – regardless of circumstance, will we repeat truth about and to God, because ‘Power belongs to’ Him, and with Him, ‘Lord, is unfailing love’? It is a challenge that truth triumphs over circumstance – the highborn and lowborn (Which perhaps covers everyone!) of verse 9 and the enemies of verses 3 and 4 – are ultimately ‘weighed on a balance’ that is held and decided by God. There are strong themes of justice in this Psalm – a justice which can sometimes seem far away, but is rooted in God’s very being.
A prayer drawn from Psalm 62
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Lord, help me to know and live in this truth that is spoken. Let my heart hear it, every day of my life. Amen.
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