Introduction
Psalm 62 is another psalm for troubled times, because in this psalm David reminds us to trust in the Lord at all times, because he alone is our rock and salvation, our fortress and refuge. He is powerful; and therefore he’s able to help And he loves his people with a steadfast love; and therefore he’s willing to help. So, trust in the Lord at all times.
Verses 1 and 2
David begins the psalm with this confession of faith:
My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
Instead of being anxious and afraid, he could rest in the knowledge that whatever trouble he faces, God was able to save him from it. And therefore all he had to do was wait quietly for the Lord to come to his aid. Whereas those who don’t believe are agitated and worried and they can’t sleep, but they’re tossing and turning, thinking about their troubles, David and those who share his faith have no need to fear, because they know the Lord is our rock and salvation and our fortress. He’s used the image of a rock and fortress before. We’re to think of a rock which cannot be moved and which we’re able to shelter behind when the wind is blowing; or think of the way a soldier might take cover behind a rock when the enemy begins to fire at him. The rock provides protection and shelter; and believers are able to look to the Lord to protect us from evil. Likewise, he’s like a fortress or high tower. Just as people in the past would flee to a fortress when their enemies attacked, so the believer can flee to the Lord for refuge. And he is our salvation in the sense that he’s the source of salvation. He the ones who saves his people.
Years later, the Apostle Paul would put it like this: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ That is: ‘who can be against us and succeed?’ Who can succeed against us, because the Lord our God — who is our rock and salvation and our fortress — is able to keep us safe? For many years, Saul was against David; but the Lord kept David safe. Then his son Absalom was against him; but the Lord kept David safe. Then there were all the Philistines and the other nations who were against him; but the Lord kept David safe. And even when we’re called to suffer for the Lord, he’s able to work all things together for our good. And so, instead of being anxious and afraid, we can rest in the knowledge that God is able to save us from it.
And so, David says at the end of verse 2: ‘I shall never be shaken.’ Interestingly, a more literal translation is: ‘I shall not be greatly shaken.’ He may be shaken, but not greatly. He may be shaken by the circumstances of his life, but he will not be so shaken that he is destroyed, because the Lord will help him.
Verses 3 and 4
That’s his confession of faith: he trusts in the Lord alone. In verses 3 and 4, he refers to the trouble he was facing. He asks: ‘How long will you assault a man?’ David is the man who is being assaulted. He’s the man who is being attacked. And his enemy or his enemies want to throw him down. They want to strike him down to the ground. And he compares himself to a leaning wall and to a tottering fence. That’s how David sees himself: he’s like a fence that’s ready to topple over; he’s like a wall that’s ready to fall. His enemies — whoever they are — are too strong for him. They’re ready to topple him from his position, which he describes as a lofty place. So, he’s in a high position. David, of course, was the king of God’s people and his enemies were trying to topple him from this throne. And one of the ways they sought to topple him from his throne was by telling lies about him. When they were with him, they blessed him. But secretly, in their hearts, they hated him and cursed him. Think of Absalom, his son, who turned the people against David by saying that David was not interested in their grievances, whereas he, Absalom, would help them, if only he were the king in place of his father. David could be referring to that time in his life, but no doubt there were lots of people who lied about him and to him.
Verses 5 to 8
Faced with enemies like this, David reminds himself in verses 5 to 8 to trust in the Lord. So, in verses 1 and 2 he confessed his faith in God alone. Now, he reminds himself of what he had earlier confessed: ‘Find rest, O my soul, in God alone’ And that’s what we need to do. Whenever we face trials and tribulations and when we go through troubled times, we need to speak to ourselves and remind ourselves to trust in the Lord. Remind yourself when you’re worried that there’s no reason to be worried, because God is the one who gives us hope: hope for deliverance and hope for better things to come. Remind yourself when you’re worried that there’s no reason to be worried, because God is your rock and salvation and your fortress, the one you can turn to for refuge and strength. ‘I shall not be shaken’, David adds at the end of verse 6. And this time, unlike in verse 2, he doesn’t add the word ‘greatly’. So, in verse 2 he confessed that he might be shaken, but not greatly. Now he confesses he will not be shaken. Full stop. God will uphold him and will keep him from falling. He once felt he was like a wall that was about to collapse and he was like a fence that was leaning over. But now he feels unshakable; and he feels unshakable because he reminded himself that he can trust in the Lord, who is his rock and salvation and fortress.
My salvation and my honour depend on God, he says in verse 7. He means that God is the foundation of his life and that he depends on God for these things. And, of course, God is a sure foundation, because he cannot be moved. Other foundations — the other things people rely on — are liable to give way. But God will never give way, because he is the eternal God who does not change. He is the one who was, and who is, and who is to come, for ever the same. So, build a house on the sand, and the house will collapse, because the sand will give way under it. Build a life on anything other than God, and your life will not be secure, because the foundation is not secure. But build your life on God, and you will never be moved, because he is strong and mighty and secure and everlasting.
And so, trust in him at all times. Whatever you’re going through, whatever you’re facing, whatever the circumstances of your life, remind yourself to trust in the Lord. Pour out your heart to him in prayer. The image of pouring conveys the idea of letting it all out: whatever is in our hearts — our cares and concerns, our worries and fears, our sorrow and sadness, whatever is in our heart, including our joy and thanksgiving — pour it out before the Lord. And the reason we can pour out our hearts to the Lord and appeal to him for help is because he is our refuge.
I mentioned during the summer a book I bought years ago which sat on my shelf for many years before I read it. And it was pure gold. There’s another book I bought about the same time. This too is an old book, because it was written by John Calvin and it’s called ‘The Necessity of Reforming the Church’. It too is pure gold. And in the book, he writes:
Let us now see what is meant by the due worship of God. Its chief foundation is to acknowledge him to be, as he is, the source of all virtue, justice, holiness, wisdom, truth, power, goodness, mercy, life and salvation; in accordance with this, to ascribe and render to him the glory of all that is good, to seek all things in him alone, and in every want have recourse to him alone. Hence arises prayer; hence praise and thanksgiving.
Do you see what he’s saying? Once we realise who and what God is — and how he’s the source of every good thing we need — then we’ll turn to him in prayer to seek from him all that we need. And then we’ll give thanks to him in worship. And that’s what David is doing. Who is God? He is my refuge. And since I believe he’s my refuge, then I will go to him in prayer and seek from him the refuge and strength I need.
Verses 8 and 9
Having taught us to trust in the Lord, David teaches us in verses 8 and 9 that we can’t rely on other people, because all people — lowborn and highborn alike — are but a breath. A puff of wind. They are nothing. In fact, they’re a lie in the sense that they may appear very impressive, but they will only disappoint us in the end. That’s not to say that other people mean well and want to help us. But we cannot trust in them the way we can trust in the Lord. And he mentions extortion and stolen goods and riches. People think they’ll be safe and secure if they have money. And so, they’re tempted to get as much money as possible, whether through legal or illegal means. But as the rich fool in the Lord’s parable discovered, having great wealth does not make us any more secure, because our life can end at any time. And so, we’re not to rely on other people or on money. We’re not to build our life on those things or on anything else. The true foundation for our life is the Lord and we’re to trust in him alone to help us and to keep us.
Verses 11 and 12
And we can trust in him because he is strong. Do you see that in verse 11? He’s is strong. He’s powerful. He’s almighty. There’s nothing he cannot do; and there’s nothing impossible for him. Whatever problems we have, whatever trials and troubles, the Lord is able to deal with them. And so, he’s able to help us because he’s powerful. And he’s willing to help his people because of his love. Do you see that in verse 12? David is referring in this verse once again to God’s covenant love, his steadfast love towards his people which will never end.
Though we deserve to be condemned by the Lord forever, because we’re sinners who sin against him continually, Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and his covenant people and he has made a lasting peace between us by the sacrifice of himself on the cross to pay for our sins and to satisfy God’s justice for ever. And so, the Lord is no longer our enemy, but he’s our God and he’s promised to love us with a never-ending love and to regard us as his treasured possession.
And so, you can trust in the Lord at all times. Since he’s all-powerful, he’s able to help you. And since he’s our loving Father, he’s willing to help you.
And then we have at the end the promise that God will reward each person according to what he has done. Now, we’re justified — pardoned and accepted by God — by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. In other words, we’re not saved because of our works, but because of God’s grace towards us in Christ Jesus. Our salvation is entirely God’s gracious and free gift to us which we do not deserve and cannot earn.
But when God converts us to faith in Christ, he fills us with his Spirit to love and obey him more and more. And in his law, which he has given to guide us, he promises blessings for obedience. These are blessings which we do not deserve, and cannot earn, but which he freely bestows on us when we’re careful to walk in his ways.
And so, the point of having this at the end of the psalm is to teach us not to be afraid or anxious, but to trust in the Lord at all times. Trust in the Lord at all times and walk in his ways, because the Lord has promised good things to those who trust in him and who walk in his ways.
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