My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

I love Psalm 62. There’s something about it that puts me in my place and reminds me that I don’t hold the reins of life. This psalm, like so many others, comes from the cry of one who is afflicted. One whom the enemy seeks to destroy, or, if that isn’t possible, at least to lower him to a place of undignified shame. It is from this place that David says in faith, “I can trust and wait on God alone.” In how this verse, and later, verse 5, are worded, there is an emphasis on being silent before God, and God ‘alone.’ This rest in silence can be understood to be deeply expressive.

We all undergo struggles and hardship. Peace is often not won without a hard fight, often in tears. We must sacrifice something of ourselves and our lives before we can say in the stillness of our hearts, “all is well.”

People will disappoint us, but we can always rest our hope in God. We are to trust Him at all times. His will is holy and good. This trust and hope bring us to the place of rest, of stillness and contentment. In Him alone.

David in verse one makes a statement, “my soul finds rest in God alone.” Then in verse five he commands his soul, “Find rest, Oh my soul, in God alone.” First David asserts the stillness of his soul in God. Then he speaks to his soul as assurance and affirmation of steadfastness in God. It is a good habit for us to assert, affirm and remind ourselves of truths that are found in Scripture. Speaking out biblical truths is an integral part of a strong faith life. We see David doing that here.

In the years when David was an outlaw from king Saul, his hideouts often included a cavern made of rock, a stronghold. As an experienced fighter, David knew the value of these solid defenses. Yet even more, he recognized that his safety came from God alone who is his forever rock and fortress. His high tower, above the struggles of the world, where he could find rest for his soul.

Often, we tend to put one foot on the rock of Christ while we rest the other foot on a bed of sand. Then we wonder why trials feel so difficult, or why we can’t seem to get it all together. But David asserts his complete and utter dependence on God for all of his earthly needs. With both feet solidly on the Rock of Christ, we will never be shaken and our hope, trust and peace in Christ will remain steadfast throughout every stormy gale.

It must be in God alone that we find our rest and the peace that we seek. We cannot save ourselves, nor can we save anyone else. God alone is our salvation.

David invites the people to trust God at all times in verse 8, then lists places where their trust cannot be found. Both the lowborn and the highborn are no more than a breath or a vapour. “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matt 23:12).

Riches are a gift from God. But with riches comes a temptation and trap into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction (1 Tim 6:9). There is a right way and a wrong way to obtain riches. Extortion and robbery are a mockery of God. There is no one and nowhere else where our hope can be found, but in God alone. True riches are not in our hands, but in our heart. How is your heart posture towards God?

David ends this psalm declaring the omnipotence of God. All power and strength belong to God alone. The power of God in Christ is for our redemption. It is in God alone, our Rock, our Salvation, and our Fortress, where our soul can find true rest. In Him we will never be shaken.

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