Psalms 62:9-12

9 Men * of ¹low * degree * are only ²vanity and men * of rank are a ³lie; In the ⁴balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath.

10 ⁵Do not trust in oppression And do not vainly hope in ⁶robbery; If riches increase, ⁷do not set your heart upon them.

11 Once God has ⁸spoken; Twice I have heard this: That ⁹power belongs to God;

12 And lovingkindness ¹⁰is Yours, O Lord, For You ¹¹recompense a man according to his work.

Psalms 62:9-12 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, [A Psalm] of David. Concerning "Jeduthun," See Gill on "Ps 39:1," title. Kimchi thinks this psalm was written concerning the captivity; and Jarchi twtdh le, concerning the decrees and judgments made against Israel by their enemies; and so some of their ancient expositions {d}; but it seems to have been composed by David when in distress, either through Saul and his courtiers, or by reason of the conspiracy of Absalom. Theodoret takes it to be a prophecy of the persecution of Antiochus in the times of the Maccabees.

{d} Vid. Yalkut Simeoni in loc.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 49:2
• 2. Job 7:16; Psalms 39:5; Isaiah 40:17
• 3. Psalms 116:11
• 4. Isaiah 40:15
• 5. Isaiah 30:12
• 6. Isaiah 61:8; Ezekiel 22:29; Nahum 3:1
• 7. Job 31:25; Psalms 49:6; Psalms 52:7; Mark 10:24; Luke 12:15; 1 Timothy 6:10
• 8. Job 33:14; Job 40:5
• 9. Psalms 59:17; Revelation 19:1
• 10. Psalms 86:5; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 130:7
• 11. Job 34:11; Psalms 28:4; Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Revelation 2:23

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "become vain in robbery"
• [b]. Or "One thing"
• [c]. Or "These two things I have heard"