Berean Standard Bible · Public domain

Psalm 62

Israel’s prayers give language for praise, grief, repentance, and trust. Poetry uses imagery and parallel lines; each psalm should be read as a whole rather than as a detached promise.

Historical context & book outline

1For the choirmaster. According to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. In God alone my soul finds rest; my salvation comes from Him.

2He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.

3How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?

4They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah

5Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.

6He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken.

7My salvation and my honor rest on God, my strong rock; my refuge is in God.

8Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

9Lowborn men are but a vapor; the exalted are but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor.

10Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

11God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God,

12and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.

Read closely

  1. What repeated words, contrasts, or actions stand out in this chapter?
  2. How does this chapter fit the surrounding chapters and the book’s purpose?
  3. What did it communicate to its first hearers, before applying it to your life?