The Soul Patiently Waits for its Only Refuge and Hope

The setting.

Psalm 62:1–8 1 My soul waits in silence

What does it mean to wait in silence?

To wait in submission. :Like a servant.

Why would the soul need wait in submission?

Because it is in a difficult spot, a trial. It’s that waiting were you are wondering what God is doing in his providence.

Calvin:

The silence intended is, in short, that composed submission of the believer, in the exercise of which he acquiesces in the promises of God, gives place to his word, bows to his sovereignty, and suppresses every inward murmur of dissatisfaction.

“It expresses the opposite of that heat of spirit which would put us into a posture of resistance to God.”

Footnote:

“The import of the Hebrew word is “patient silence.” The Septuagint reads, Ὀυχι τῷ Θεῷ ὑποταγήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου? “Shall not my soul be subject to God?” And doubtless the Psalmist intended to say that his soul was quiet, submissive, and subject; the rebellious affections being tamed and subdued. With respect to the translation of our English Bible, “Truly my soul waiteth upon God,” Dr Adam Clarke remarks, “I do not think that the original will warrant this translation.” He reads, “Surely to God only is my soul dumb;” which he thus explains: “I am subject to God Almighty. He has a right to lay on me what He pleases; and what He lays on me is much less than I deserve; therefore am I dumb before God. The Vulgate, and almost all the versions, have understood it in this sense: ‘Nonne Deo subjecta erit anima mea? Shall not my soul be subject to God?’ ” With this agree the version and interpretation of Calvin.”

John Calvin and James Anderson, Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010).

Lamentations 3:26 “26 It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the Lord.”

for God only;

He does not turn to the creature, but lifts his eyes above the creature. What can a creature do for my soul? For my body, for temporal things the creature can bring some deliverance and some help. But for my troubled soul, I and we must lift our eyes up to the heavens.

“Only” is used by David as a means of convincing himself. Of reminding himself of who God is and what he’s promised. It is like preaching the gospel to yourself. It could be transalted truly or surely. He is warding off temptation. This probably accounts for the piling up of names for God, says Calvin.

And he is doing so patiently

Romans 8:25 “25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

From Him is my salvation.

2 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold;

I look to God because he has supported and has delivered(Ps 61). And none other. His soul is fixed on trusting to God alone. God alone is a stable support and deliverer. And this is the God that the Psalmist possesses(My 3X). This God belongs to him by covenant love. 2 Sam 7. My God. My soul waits for my Savior.

Psalm 33:17 “17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.” Psalm 20:7 “7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.”

I shall not be greatly shaken.

Whatever the enemy is going to do. I shall not be greatly moved. No great harm can come upon me, no lasting or permanent harm. The psalmist knows God is good whatever the providence may be. He is fully satisfied in the goodness and wisdom of God. Great troubles may come, but they will not overcome me.

Calvin: The believer may be overthrown for a time; but as he is no sooner cast down than he is raised up again by God, he cannot properly be said to fall. He is supported by the Spirit of God, and is not therefore really prostrated and overcome.

3 How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

What can the enemy do? He is about to topple over. And if God is my support and deliverer than who could be against me?

4 They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;

They are taking counsel against God’s king, God’s anointed, God’s Christ. Ps 2. David knows the Lord scoffs.

They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah.

These are the temptations that assail our souls every week. The world the flesh and the devil. Always trying to throw us off our trust and confidence in many ways. Today for me was such a day. Every turn it I seemed to be on the verge of slipping. Responding with impatience, bitterness, discontentment. Only in turning to the Lord in prayer. acknowledging your desperate state to him. Asking for greater measure of his Spirit do we come out, without falling into great sin.

5 My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

The Words are nearly verbatim, but the sense and language is heightened greatly to the exhortation of his own soul(Verse 1). He does this in direct defiance of the enemies threats. Wait in silence, my soul, leave all to God, you will not be shaken. There seems to have been a wrestling with trust in God for the psalmist up to this point where he is determined to give over to Providence.

7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. (Center of the Psalm)

Determined confession.

Matthew Henry: 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.

8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

PHR (Concise, good exercise in spiritual and christological int, pastoral application, intertextual) : The life of faith is pretty much evenly divided between serving and waiting. (It is curious that we still call those who serve us "waiters.") These are the two activities of faith— "to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven" ( Thess. 1:9, 10). The life of prayer in particular involves a great deal of waiting, while attempting to calm our souls in the presence of God. This is the exhortation of our psalm: "Hope in Him, every gathering of the People. Pour out your hearts before Him, for God is our help."

This is the King addressing the people as he has waited so he instructs the people. King Jesus, walked in such a way on our behalf. Serving and waiting on God for his protection and deliverance. Deliverance from evil doers deliverance from death.

9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath. 10 Do not trust in oppression And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

PHR: To this quiet waiting in the presence of God is contrasted the busy agitation of life without God, filled with vanity, dishonesty, lying, cheating, hypocrisy, cursing. In all these lines one recognizes themes from the Bible's wisdom literature. In accord therewith the servants of God are told that, even if from a worldly perspective things are going well, they must be careful not to lose the custody of their hearts: "If wealth increases, do not set your heart upon it."

11 Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; 12 And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.”

O God, in whom alone is our hope and salvation, help us amid all the blows of life to confess to you our failures and fears; and help us to pour out our hearts before you, until we find that stillness where we are sure that you alone will make all things well.

John Eaton, The Psalms: A Historical and Spiritual Commentary with an Introduction and New Translation (London; New York: T&T Clark, 2003), 234.