My Soul Rests in God Alone
Psalm 62 summary: what it means
Psalm 62 is about where to rest. It opens with a calm statement: my soul rests in God alone. God is the speaker's rock, salvation and fortress. The calm is tested at once. Enemies are trying to push him over like a leaning wall, and they bless with their mouths while cursing inwardly. The speaker answers by telling his own soul to wait in silence for God alone.
Then he turns to everyone else: trust in him at all times and pour out your heart before him. People, whether low or high, weigh less than a breath, and riches are not worth setting your heart on. The psalm ends with something heard twice, that power belongs to God, and adds that loving kindness belongs to him too.
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Psalm 62: My Soul Rests in God Alone
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-62
Psalm 62 commentary: explained verse by verse
My soul rests in God alone.My salvation is from him.
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
The psalm opens with a statement of rest. The speaker's soul rests in God alone, and his salvation comes from him. The word alone keeps returning in the verses that follow.
Also read Psalm 37:39, Lamentations 3:38, Lamentations 3:25, Isaiah 12:2
He alone is my rock, my salvation, and my fortress.I will never be greatly shaken.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
Three pictures of safety follow: rock, salvation and fortress. Because of them the speaker says he will never be greatly shaken. Verse 6 repeats this almost exactly, but drops the word greatly.
Also read Micah 7:8-9, Psalm 89:26, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Psalm 21:1
How long will you assault a man?Would all of you throw him down,like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
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.
The speaker turns to his attackers and asks how long they will keep assaulting one man. He pictures himself as they see him: a leaning wall or a tottering fence, ready to be pushed over.
Also read Exodus 16:28, Jeremiah 4:14, Matthew 17:17, Proverbs 6:9
They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place.They delight in lies.They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
The attackers intend to throw him down from his high place. They delight in lies, and they bless with their mouths while cursing inwardly. Selah follows.
Also read Psalm 28:3, Proverbs 13:5, Luke 20:20, Acts 4:25-28
My soul, wait in silence for God alone,for my expectation is from him.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
The speaker now speaks to his own soul. He tells it to wait in silence for God alone, because his expectation is from him. Verse 1 described rest, and this verse is an instruction to keep resting.
Also read Lamentations 3:24-26, Psalm 104:35, Philippians 1:20, Psalm 42:11
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.I will not be shaken.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
This repeats verse 2 almost word for word. God alone is the speaker's rock, salvation and fortress. The difference is small: here he says he will not be shaken at all.
Also read Hosea 1:7, Isaiah 45:17, Psalm 16:8, Psalm 62:2
My salvation and my honor is with God.The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
The list of what God is grows. The speaker's salvation and honour are with God, and God is the rock of his strength and his refuge. Everything he relies on is placed in one person.
Also read Psalm 85:9, Psalm 4:2, Psalm 18:46, Jeremiah 3:23
Trust in him at all times, you people.Pour out your heart before him.God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
The psalm turns outward to all people. Trust in him at all times, pour out your heart before him, because God is a refuge for us. What the speaker has found for himself is now offered to everyone.
Also read Proverbs 14:26, Job 13:15, 1 John 2:28, Psalm 34:1-2
Surely men of low degree are just a breath,and men of high degree are a lie.In the balances they will go up.They are together lighter than a breath.
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.
People are weighed and found light. Those of low degree are just a breath, those of high degree are a lie, and on the balances they all go up together, lighter than a breath. No human standing is heavy enough to rest on.
Also read Psalm 116:11, Psalm 118:9, Isaiah 40:17, 2 Samuel 15:6
Don’t trust in oppression.Don’t become vain in robbery.If riches increase,don’t set your heart on them.
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Three warnings follow. Do not trust in oppression, do not become vain in robbery, and if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. Wealth is treated like the people of verse 9, too light to rest on.
Also read Mark 10:23, Isaiah 59:4, Job 27:16-23, Psalm 91:14
God has spoken once;twice I have heard this,that power belongs to God.
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
The psalm draws to a close with a saying. God has spoken once, and the speaker has heard it twice: power belongs to God.
Also read Isaiah 26:4, Matthew 6:13, Job 40:5, Psalm 59:17
Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness,for you reward every man according to his work.
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Verse 12 adds, speaking to God directly, that loving kindness also belongs to the Lord, who rewards everyone according to their work. Power and loving kindness are held together in God, and that pairing is the psalm's last word on why he can be trusted.
Also read Ezekiel 18:30, Ezekiel 7:27, 1 Corinthians 3:8, 2 Corinthians 5:10
A prayer from Psalm 62
God, my soul rests in you alone. My salvation comes from you. You alone are my rock, my salvation and my fortress, so I will not be greatly shaken. When people try to push me down like a leaning wall, and bless with their mouths while they curse inside, teach my soul to wait in silence for you. I pour out my heart before you, because you are a refuge. Keep me from setting my heart on riches if they increase. Power belongs to you, and loving kindness belongs to you too. Amen.
Psalm 62 Bible study questions
- Verses 2 and 6 are almost the same; what difference do you notice between never be greatly shaken and will not be shaken?
- In verse 9, how does the psalm describe people of low degree and people of high degree when they are weighed in the balances?
- Verse 8 invites people to pour out their heart before God; what might make that hard or easy for you?
- Verse 10 warns against setting your heart on riches; where might that warning touch ordinary life today?
- Psalm 131:2 describes a soul that has been stilled and quieted; how does that picture compare with the resting soul of Psalm 62:1?
Questions about Psalm 62
What is Psalm 62 about?
It is about resting in God alone. The speaker is under attack from liars, but calls God his rock, salvation and fortress, and urges everyone to trust God at all times rather than people or riches.
Who wrote Psalm 62?
The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to Jeduthun, for the Chief Musician.
What does Psalm 62:8 say in the KJV?
The King James Version reads "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."
What does Psalm 62:11 mean?
It says God has spoken once and the speaker has heard it twice: power belongs to God. Verse 12 adds, speaking to God directly, that loving kindness belongs to him too.
What does Psalm 62:5 mean?
The speaker tells his own soul to wait in silence for God alone, because his expectation is from him. It turns the calm statement of verse 1 into a command to keep trusting.
What does Psalm 62:10 mean?
It warns against trusting in oppression or robbery, and says that if riches increase, you should not set your heart on them. Like people in verse 9, wealth is too light to rest on.
Psalm 62 KJV: the King James Version
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.1
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.2
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.3
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.4
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.5
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.6
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.7
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.8
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.9
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.10
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.11
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.12
Psalm 62 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־יְדוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2 אַ֣ךְ אֶל־אֱ֭לֹהִים דּֽוּמִיָּ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
3 אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִֽישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹא־אֶמּ֥וֹט רַבָּֽה׃
4 עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּהֽוֹתְת֣וּ עַל אִישׁ֮ תְּרָצְּח֪וּ כֻ֫לְּכֶ֥ם כְּקִ֥יר נָט֑וּי גָּ֝דֵ֗ר הַדְּחוּיָֽה׃
5 אַ֤ךְ מִשְּׂאֵת֨וֹ ׀ יָעֲצ֣וּ לְהַדִּיחַ֮ יִרְצ֪וּ כָ֫זָ֥ב בְּפִ֥יו יְבָרֵ֑כוּ וּ֝בְקִרְבָּ֗ם יְקַלְלוּ־סֶֽלָה ׃
6 אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
7 אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִֽישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹ֣א אֶמּֽוֹט׃
8 עַל־אֱ֭לֹהִים יִשְׁעִ֣י וּכְבוֹדִ֑י צוּר־עֻזִּ֥י מַ֝חְסִ֗י בֵּֽאלֹהִֽים׃
9 בִּטְח֘וּ ב֤וֹ בְכָל־עֵ֨ת ׀ עָ֗ם שִׁפְכֽוּ־לְפָנָ֥יו לְבַבְכֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים מַחֲסֶה־לָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃
10 אַ֤ךְ ׀ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָם֮ כָּזָ֪ב בְּנֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִם לַעֲל֑וֹת הֵ֝֗מָּה מֵהֶ֥בֶל יָֽחַד׃
11 אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ בְעֹשֶׁק֮ וּבְגָזֵ֪ל אַל־תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ חַ֤יִל ׀ כִּֽי־יָנ֑וּב אַל־תָּשִׁ֥יתוּ לֵֽב׃
12 אַחַ֤ת ׀ דִּבֶּ֬ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים שְׁתַּֽיִם־ז֥וּ שָׁמָ֑עְתִּי כִּ֥י עֹ֝֗ז לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
13 וּלְךָֽ־אֲדֹנָ֥י חָ֑סֶד כִּֽי־אַתָּ֨ה תְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃
Psalm 62 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 61 there.
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1 Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David.
2 Shall not my soul be subject to God? for from him is my salvation.
3 For he is my God and my saviour: he is my protector, I shall be moved no more.
4 How long do you rush in upon a man? you all kill, as if you were thrusting down a leaning wall, and a tottering fence.
5 But they have thought to cast away my price; I ran in thirst: they blessed with their mouth, but cursed with their heart.
6 But be thou, O my soul, subject to God: for from him is my patience.
7 For he is my God and my saviour: he is my helper, I shall not be moved.
8 In God is my salvation and my glory: he is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.
9 Trust in him, all ye congregation of people: pour out your hearts before him. God is our helper for ever.
10 But vain are the sons of men, the sons of men are liars in the balances: that by vanity they may together deceive.
11 Trust not in iniquity, and cover not robberies: if riches abound, set not your heart upon them.
12 God hath spoken once, these two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God,
13 And mercy to thee, O Lord; for thou wilt render to every man according to his works.
Psalm 62 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 61.
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1 In finem, pro Idithun. Psalmus David.
2 Nonne Deo subjecta erit anima mea? ab ipso enim salutare meum.
3 Nam et ipse Deus meus et salutaris meus; susceptor meus, non movebor amplius.
4 Quousque irruitis in hominem? interficitis universi vos, tamquam parieti inclinato et maceriæ depulsæ.
5 Verumtamen pretium meum cogitaverunt repellere; cucurri in siti: ore suo benedicebant, et corde suo maledicebant.
6 Verumtamen Deo subjecta esto, anima mea, quoniam ab ipso patientia mea:
7 quia ipse Deus meus et salvator meus, adjutor meus, non emigrabo.
8 In Deo salutare meum et gloria mea; Deus auxilii mei, et spes mea in Deo est.
9 Sperate in eo, omnis congregatio populi; effundite coram illo corda vestra: Deus adjutor noster in æternum.
10 Verumtamen vani filii hominum, mendaces filii hominum in stateris, ut decipiant ipsi de vanitate in idipsum.
11 Nolite sperare in iniquitate, et rapinas nolite concupiscere; divitiæ si affluant, nolite cor apponere.
12 Semel locutus est Deus; duo hæc audivi: quia potestas Dei est,
13 et tibi, Domine, misericordia: quia tu reddes unicuique juxta opera sua.
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Psalm 62 at a glance
| Verses | 12 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to Jeduthun, for the Chief Musician. |
| Type | Trust |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 61 |
Read Psalm 62 when you are facing
trusting godpatiencepeaceenemies
Psalm 62 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 62 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 62 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 2 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source