For God alone we wait in silence
Oct. 8 - Psalm 62
To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
3 How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 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.
10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, 12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all according to their work.
Paying attention to the structure of the Psalm: vs. 1 and 2 are repeated almost word for word in vs. 5 and 6. Both times David, as psalm writer, says that he is waiting in silence for God. Then in vs. 11 God speaks once, but is heard twice. The truth God speaks rings through twice – answering the writer who silently waits for God.
That David waits in silence is an indication of trust. David knows that God’s plan is better and more wonderful than anything David can imagine. Further, David recognizes that God will do what God will do. David is the subject – God is the ruler. We are often quick to tell God what to do and how to fix the situations we pray about. Here David invites being with God in silence. God knows our hearts, the things that burden us, and we are invited to be with God in silence trusting that he will act.
David is certain that God will act, for as the psalm ends – power belongs to God and so does steadfast love. These are the signs that God is to be trusted, can be trusted to act for the good. We are invited to join David in silently waiting for God to act, and in that place of silent waiting we will find our anxiety lift, for the burden is not ours, it belongs to God. In silent waiting we discover that the threats of opponents and the temptation of money (the two things that David cites) no longer seem important. We are waiting on the God of the universe to act, and he alone brings salvation.
PRAYER:
God of power and steadfast love, in silence we wait for you. You can do far more than we can imagine or think – and so we trust you to act. We wait for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.