Psalms
Chapter 62
Only in God Is the Rest
My soul finds rest in God alone; from him, comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and salvation; with him as my stronghold, I shall not be overcome.
How long will you assail with your threats, all of you, to bring someone down— as you would pull a wall or smash a fence?
Indeed, they plan to topple me. They take pleasure in telling lies; with their mouths they praise, but in their hearts they curse.
Find rest in God alone, O my soul; from him, comes my hope.
He alone is my rock and my salvation; with him as my stronghold, I shall not be overcome.
On God, rests my salvation and my honor; he is my refuge, my mighty rock.
Trust in him at all times, my people; pour out your hearts before him; God is our refuge.
People of low rank are only a breath, important people, merely an illusion. If weighed together they are nothing, even lighter than a puff of wind.
Do not set your heart on extortion, nor your hopes upon corrupt gain. Even if wealth accumulates, keep your heart detached.
God has spoken one word, and I have heard two things: that power belongs to God;
and yours, O Lord, is also mercy: you reward each one according to his deeds.
Commentaries
62
The Psalmist repeatedly shows faith in God throughout this psalm. The only solid foundation is God; the wise person does not build on sand, or the winds and floods will destroy the house (Mt 7:24ff). This psalm has a peaceful confidence that we often miss in many others, which instead feature almost frantic appeals. In the Psalter, we can usually find a prayer that fits our moods.
Only God can be the rock, stronghold, and fortress (3, 7, 8, 9) where human life can be supported. Human beings have a choice: to rely on their own power or divine power, to trust in riches or in God. Serving both God and money is impossible (cf. Mt 6:19, 24). You must choose to trust either in God or wealth: see 1 Timothy 6:17; James 4:13-14; 5:1-6. If we want to be messengers of trust, we need to speak not only of ideas but also of the experience of God as a fortress and refuge.
The Psalms are prayers from people who are constantly struggling and suffering violence. Look at the television news, and the violence in the world will be clear enough for us to pray this evening—the prayer of a real world trying to survive.