Psalms 62

1 To victory over Jeduthun, the psalm of David. Whether my soul shall not be subject to God; for mine health is of him. (To victory, to Jeduthun, the song of David. Surely my soul shall be made subject under God; for my salvation, or my deliverance, is from him.)

2 For why he is both my God, and mine health; mine up-taker, I shall no more be moved. (For he is both my God, and my deliverer; yea, my defender, and I shall not be shaken, or defeated.)

3 How long fall ye on a man? all ye slain; as to a wall bowed, and as a wall of stone without mortar cast down. (How long shall ye fall upon a man? ye shall all be killed; ye shall be like a wall bowed down, yea, like a stone wall without mortar thrown down.)

4 Nevertheless they thought to put away my price, I ran in thirst; with their mouth they blessed, and in their heart they cursed. (Nevertheless they thought to put him down from his place of honour, and they delighted in lies; they blessed with their mouths, but they cursed in their hearts.)

5 Nevertheless, my soul, be thou subject to God; for my patience is of him. (Nevertheless, my soul, be thou made subject under God; for my hope of deliverance is in him.)

6 For he is my God, and my saviour; mine helper, I shall not pass out. (For he is my God, and my saviour; my helper, and I shall not be moved, or shaken.)

7 Mine health, and my glory is in God; God is the giver of mine help, and mine hope is in God. (My salvation, or my deliverance, and my glory be in God; God is the giver of my help, and my trust is in God.)

8 All the gathering together of the people, hope ye in God, pour ye out your hearts before him; God is our helper [into] without end (All the gathering together of the people, trust ye in God, pour ye out your hearts before him; God shall be our helper forever.)

9 Nevertheless the sons of men be (all in) vain; the sons of men be liars in balances, that they deceive of vanity into the same thing. (Nevertheless the lives of the sons and daughters of men be but a puff of air; yea, the sons and daughters of men all be liars, and if you put them on a balance, their lives shall be lighter than a breath, or a puff of air.)

10 Do not ye have hope in wickedness, and do not ye covet ravens; if riches be plenteous, do not ye set the heart thereto. (Do not ye have trust in wickedness, and do not ye desire, or lust after, stolen goods; if riches be plentiful, do not ye set your heart on it.)

11 God spake once, I heard these two things; that power is of God (that power belongeth to God),

12 and, thou Lord, mercy is to thee; for thou shalt yield to each man by his works. (and, O Lord, that true love is from thee; for thou shalt yield to each person according to his works.)

Psalms 62 Commentary

Chapter 62

David's confidence in God. (1-7) No trust to be put in worldly things. (8-12)

Verses 1-7 We are in the way both of duty and comfort, when our souls wait upon God; when we cheerfully give up ourselves, and all our affairs, to his will and wisdom; when we leave ourselves to all the ways of his providence, and patiently expect the event, with full satisfaction in his goodness. See the ground and reason of this dependence. By his grace he has supported me, and by his providence delivered me. He only can be my Rock and my salvation; creatures are nothing without him, therefore I will look above them to him. Trusting in God, the heart is fixed. If God be for us, we need not fear what man can do against us. David having put his confidence in God, foresees the overthrow of his enemies. We have found it good to wait upon the Lord, and should charge our souls to have such constant dependence upon him, as may make us always easy. If God will save my soul, I may well leave every thing else to his disposal, knowing all shall turn to my salvation. And as David's faith in God advances to an unshaken stedfastness, so his joy in God improves into a holy triumph. Meditation and prayer are blessed means of strengthening faith and hope.

Verses 8-12 Those who have found the comfort of the ways of God themselves, will invite others into those ways; we shall never have the less for others sharing with us. the good counsel given is, to trust wholly in God. We must so trust in him at all times, as not at any time to put that trust in ourselves, or in any creature, which is to be put in him only. Trust in him to guide us when in doubt, to protect us when in danger, to supply us when in want, to strengthen us for every good word and work. We must lay out wants and our wishes before him, and then patiently submit our wills to his: this is pouring out our hearts. God is a refuge for all, even for as many as will take shelter in him. The psalmist warns against trusting in men. The multitude, those of low degree, are changeable as the wind. The rich and noble seem to have much in their power, and lavish promises; but those that depend on them, are disappointed. Weighed in the balance of Scripture, all that man can do to make us happy is lighter than vanity itself. It is hard to have riches, and not to trust in them if they increase, though by lawful and honest means; but we must take heed, lest we set our affections unduly upon them. A smiling world is the most likely to draw the heart from God, on whom alone it should be set. The consistent believer receives all from God as a trust; and he seeks to use it to his glory, as a steward who must render an account. God hath spoken as it were once for all, that power belongs to him alone. He can punish and destroy. Mercy also belongs to him; and his recompensing the imperfect services of those that believe in him, blotting out their transgressions for the Redeemer's sake, is a proof of abundant mercy, and encourages us to trust in him. Let us trust in his mercy and grace, and abound in his work, expecting mercies from him alone.

Chapter Summary

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.