Embrace the Word for Wednesday, May 13, 2026

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Psalm 62 expresses an unswerving trust in the LORD amid unrelenting terror. The superscription does not provide any historical context: “To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.” Psalm 62 along with Psalm 61 as well as Psalms 63 and 64 seems to be a sub collection tying these four Psalms together with the common themes of expressing the need David has for the LORD amid the pressures he is experiencing from the hands of his enemies. The phrase, “according to Jeduthun,” was used previously in Psalm 39, which as a Psalm shares additional elements with Psalm 62. Both Psalms speak of “breathe” as in vanity (39:5,11; 62:9). Jeduthun, along with men like Aspah and Heman, is one of the men to whom David entrusted the responsibilities of Israel’s worship music (See 1 Chronicles 16:38-42). While this Psalm is attributed to David, Jeduthun played a lead role in its final musical arrangement. Psalm 62 shares some common themes with Psalm 61. Both Psalms use “rock” (61:2; 62:2,6) and “refuge” (61:3,4; 62:7) as descriptions of the LORD. As a special marker, Psalm 62 uses the same term as the first word in six of the verses. The term is translated as “alone” in verses 1,2, and 3; “only” in verses 4 and 6; and “but” in verse 9. The idea behind the term indicates exclusiveness. It is used in the positive sense of exclusiveness in verses 1,2,3, and 6; while it is used in the negative sense in verses 4 and 9. Psalm 62 begins with David’s experience of waiting on the LORD (61:1-4), then moves to David’s exhortation to wait on the LORD (61:5-8), before concluding with David’s explanation for why it is fitting to wait on the LORD (61:9-12).

Psalm 62 begins with David testifying as to whom he exclusively waits: “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (62:1a). Literally, David’s opening words state “Only for God,” or “Only in God.” Within our hearts there is an ongoing struggle for who or what will be the object of our faith and trust. David is declaring with an intensity but also an exclusivity that the LORD is the one in whom he waits. While David’s context is some sort of terrifying traumatic troubles, what he is waiting for is not merely for a change in circumstances, but for God Himself. David is aware that the LORD is aware of what he needs, so David is aware that it is the LORD that he needs. David’s waiting is done in “silence,” which does not necessarily mean the absence of any sounds or words, but in a quiet, peaceful, resting heart. The opposite of a silent soul is a soul filled with inner tumult and torment. Whatever the nature of David’s external assaults, his soul is not agitated. David elaborates on why and how his heart can be in such a state: “from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken” (62:1b-2). David waits for the LORD with a quiet heart, for He is his salvation at every level. Again, emphasizing the exclusivity of the matter, the LORD is David’s only deliverer, only place of safety, and only defender against his enemies. With such a God, David is in a safe place so that his heart will not slip or falter from its secure position.

David turns to speak to his enemies: “How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?” (62:3). David has just stated that the LORD will not allow him to be moved, but that is exactly what his enemies are seeking to do. David identifies himself as the man under attack while his enemies, who are an unspecified many, keep up their sustained attack. David’s enemies seem to see him as a “leaning wall, a tottering fence,” that is, in a place of weakness and vulnerability. They wish to maximize on what they perceive is David’s condition by battering him, that is, do great injurious, perhaps even mortal harm to him. Their intent is clear: “They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah” (62:4). David’s enemies have an exclusive focus—they only want to dethrone David. These designs should come as no surprise: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us” (See Psalm 2:2-3). And yet these enemies operate with a high level of deception as they appear to be allies of David all the while plotting evil against him.

David turns his focus back to the LORD: “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (62:5). Similar in wording to verse 1, there are a few distinctives. First, whereas in verse 1, David described himself as waiting on the LORD in silence, here in verse 5, David directs himself to wait on the LORD in silence. There is no contradiction here. In fact, David’s movement from indicating the posture of his heart to instructing his heart in the posture it must take, reminds us that waiting upon the LORD is not a static experience that we decide once and are done with it. No, waiting upon the LORD is a dynamic experience that we must renew continually. One moment we are resting peacefully in the realization of the LORD’s safekeeping, only to be thrown into terrible turmoil created by some new development. The second change in verse 5 from verse 1 is the substitution of, “from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken,” to “for my hope is from him.” Perhaps this reminds us that while the LORD is already our deliverer, place of safety, and defender against our enemies, there is a “not yet” future dimension to these experiences as well. In the present facets of our salvation, we rest in; in the future facets of our salvation, we hope in. But whether it is present or future, David reiterates the exclusivity of who the LORD is to him: “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken” (62:6).

David exhorts himself to trust in the LORD: “On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God” (62:7). But what David testifies to personally, he also exhorts others to do: “trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (62:8). David directs the nation to find refuge in the same place that he found refuge: the LORD. Finding refuge in the LORD is to trust in Him. This trust is to be understood as an ongoing process, in which the way to do so is to continually “pour out your heart before him.” Trusting in the LORD is not pretending that nothing is wrong. Trusting in the LORD means that we take our sorrows, troubles, anxieties, sadnesses, afflictions, and fears to the LORD, voicing these matters to the One who is our refuge.

In order to underscore the importance of trusting in and thus, pouring out our hearts before the LORD, David highlights the superiority of trusting in the LORD as opposed to trusting in anyone or any thing else: “Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them” (62:9-10). The status of fellowship with other human beings is of relative little value. Whether one has great cultural status or is of ordinary status is inconsequential. Power and wealth are insufficient in which to find refuge. People in high places as well as people who amass great wealth will prove to be collapsible sources of trust. Therefore, we should not set our hearts on flimsy sources. Power and wealth are a house of cards. One the other hand, the LORD is great: “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work” (62:11-12). True power resides in the LORD. In addition, no one is more loving towards His people than the LORD. Putting the truths of God’s love and power together, we can say that not only is the LORD able to be a refuge for His people—He is gladly and willingly a refuge, for He is safe, stable, and just refuge.

As we reflect on Psalm 62, we can consider how the Lord Jesus Christ is a refuge for those who trust in Him: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (See John 10:28-29). The refuge that Christ provides to His people is insurmountable. Jesus will get each of His children safely home, for we are held tightly in His hands and He is held tightly in His Father’s hands. Jesus promises to be a true refuge and His promise is irreversible and irrevocable: “So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (See Hebrews 6:17-18). No other source of refuge can make the claims that Jesus makes towards His people; and no other source of refuge can keep the claims that He can make. So, until Jesus gets us safely home, we can each and every day, “pour out your heart before him.”

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, May 13, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, May 15, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 63.