Psalm 62
This psalm may have come out of David's time of trial when his son Absalom sought the throne (vv. 3–4), but it also may have been written while David was ruling over Judah in Hebron (2 Sam. 1—4). Those were difficult years as the forces of Saul tried to continue his dynasty and dethrone God's anointed king. (For "Jeduthun," see Ps. 39, and note how the two psalms parallel each other in a number of ways.) In this psalm, David shows remarkable faith as he rests in God alone (vv. 1, 2, 5, 6) and trusts Him to defeat the enemy and restore peace to the land. Three powerful truths emerge from his experience.
God Alone Saves Us (vv. 1–4) The word translated "only" or "alone" in verses 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, and "surely" in verse 9 (all kjv) is a Hebrew adverb that is also translated "indeed, verily, but" and is even ignored completely. David wants us to know that his faith isn't in God plus something else, but in God alone. Yes, God uses means to accomplish His work, and the same God who ordains the end also ordains the means, but our faith is in Him and not in the means. David didn't argue with the enemy or try to tell God what to do; he simply prayed, trusted, and waited, knowing that God would give him the kingdom in His good time. The images of God as "rock" and "fortress" remind us of Psalm 18:1–2. A humble man, David saw himself as a bowing stone wall about to collapse and a tottering fence ready to fall down (see 1 Sam. 24:14; 26:20). But God was his strong tower! The enemy could threaten him, lie about him, and even assault him, and he would not lose the peace God put in his heart. To wait in silence before the Lord is not idleness or inactivity. It is calm worship and faith, resting in His greatness and submitted to His will. It is preparation for the time when God gives the orders to act (18:30–45).
"You Have Heard Me"—Confidence in the Lord (vv. 5–8) When David became king, he made some promises to the Lord and to the people, and he intended to keep those promises. All during his wilderness exile, while hiding from Saul, David obeyed the Lord (18:19–27), and he sought to be a shepherd to the nation. Why would the Lord care for David all those years, give him his throne, and then allow him to be replaced by his wicked son? His throne was his heritage from the Lord (16:5–6), just as the land of Israel was the heritage (possession) of God's people (37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34).
God Alone Encourages Us (vv. 5–8) David has moved from "I shall not be greatly shaken" (v. 2 nasb) to "I shall not be shaken" (v. 6 nasb). The greater
His requests in verses 6–7 relate to God's gracious covenant with David (2 Sam. 7). The Lord promised