Psalms 62:5

5 Upon God alone, O my soul, rest peacefully; for my expectation is from him.

Psalms 62:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 62:5

My soul, wait thou only upon God
Be silent and subject to him, acquiesce in his providences, rest in him patiently and quietly, wait for his salvation; (See Gill on Psalms 62:1); perhaps some new temptation might arise, and David's soul began to be uneasy and impatient; for frames are very changeable things; and therefore he encourages it to be still and quiet, and patiently wait on the Lord, and on him only:

for my expectation [is] from him;
or "my hope", as the Targum; the grace of hope is from the Lord, and the thing hoped for is from him; he is the author and the object of it; and his word of promise encourages to the exercise of it; or "my patience"; as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions. The grace of patience is from the Lord; the means of it is his word; and it is exercised, tried, and increased by afflictions sent and sanctified by him; and "expectation" is nothing else than these graces in exercise, a waiting patiently for things hoped for Old Testament saints expected the first coming of Christ; New Testament saints expect his second coming; and all expect good things from him in time and eternity; nor shall their expectation fail and perish; and therefore is a reason why their souls should wait only on the Lord.

Psalms 62:5 In-Context

3 How long will ye assail a man; will ye [seek], all of you, to break him down as a bowing wall or a tottering fence?

4 They only consult to thrust [him] down from his excellency; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but in their inward part they curse. Selah.

5 Upon God alone, O my soul, rest peacefully; for my expectation is from him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation; my high fortress: I shall not be moved.

7 With God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'wait in silence,' as Ps. 65.1.