Scriptural text: Psalm 62
Lesson Context: As prayers and songs, the Psalms give worshippers a voice. Sometimes in the voice of lament, and sometimes it is a voice of thanksgiving and praise. Lament prayers grieve suffering, and thanksgiving express gratitude. Psalm 62 is neither lament nor a thanksgiving hymn, though it contains elements of both. Instead, this psalm can be appropriately called a confidence psalm, it expresses trust and hope in God in the middle of distress. Confidence psalms arise from an assured relationship with God. The psalmists are confident that God is their help and refuge. (International Sunday School Lessons, KJV 2024-2025)
l. Calm Amidst Trouble (Psalm 62:1-4): A. Wait on God (vv. 1-2).
V. 1 “Truly my soul waiteth upon God. From him cometh my salvation.” “The natural mind is ever prone to reason, when we ought to believe; to be at work, when we ought to be quiet; to go our own way, when we ought steadily to walk on in God’s ways.” (Muller, cited in Spurgeon). In many psalms David began by telling his great need or describing his present crisis. Here, David began by declaring his great confidence in and trust upon God. Psalm 62 seems to come from a time of trouble, yet it asks God for nothing. It is full of faith and trust, but has no fear, no despair, and no petition. (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary) v. 2 “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” David trusted in God alone for his strength and stability. The description is of a man completely focused upon God for his help, firmly resolved to look nowhere else. (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary)
B. Confronting Enemies (vv. 3-4).
v. 3 “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.” David’s faith was in God alone, but he had words for his enemies. He rebuked them for their crazy persistence in attacking him, and warned them of judgment to come (you shall be slain). David’s image is clear enough, but there is disagreement among translators and commentators as to whom this applies. The New King James Version presents the opponents of David as the leaning wall and a tottering fence. Others think that David himself was the leaning wall, in his weakness unfairly set upon by his enemies. (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary) v. 4 “They only consult to cast him down from his excellency. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah” David described his enemies as those who only think through a matter if it involves bringing down a man of God. They were liars, especially in the sense of being faced (they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly). (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary)
ll. Calm Discovered (Psalm 62:5-8):A. Refocusing on God (vv. 5-7).
vv. 5-6 “My soul, wait thou only upon God: my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defence; I shall not be moved.” In the opening lines of the psalm, David said that this was the state of his soul. Here he spoke to his soul, telling it to remain in that place of trust in and surrender to God. David’s complete expectation was upon God. David repeated the idea from Psalm 62:2, but with this small variation. In verse 2 he wrote, “I shall not be greatly moved.” In this verse he seems to come to an even stronger position: “I shall not be moved.” (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary) v. 7 “In God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.” This verse expands what it is said in Psalm 62:2 and 62:5-6. v. 8 “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah” The emphasis again reflects David’s decision to trust in nothing or no one else. God alone is his salvation, his glory, his rock, his strength, and his refuge. David was tempted to trust many different things, but he refused and kept his expectation in God alone.
lll. Calm Grounded in God (Psalm 62:9): A. Rejecting Insubstantial Help (v. 9).
“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.” No human resource can serve as a refuge from trouble. Rather than rely on creatures, David invites us to “trust in (God) at all times” (Psalm 62:8). (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary)
B. Embracing Substance (vv. 11-12).
“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this. That power belongeth unto God. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy.”
This psalm speaks much of trusting in God alone. Now David explained why it was important to not set trust in man. David understood that whether they are men of low degree or high degree, they altogether lighter than vapor. There is no substance there worthy of trust. (David E. Guzik Bible Commentary)