Commentary - Psalm 62:1-4

Bird's-eye view

Most psalms of affliction begin with the problem. The psalmist is in the thick of it, enemies on all sides, and he spends the psalm working his way toward a solution of faith. But Psalm 62 is different. David starts with the solution. He begins with God. Before he even describes the assault of his enemies, he establishes the unshakeable foundation upon which his soul rests. This is a psalm of settled, quiet confidence in God alone, even while the world rages. David sets forth the central contrast that governs all of reality: the utter reliability of God versus the flimsy, malicious vanity of man. The psalm teaches us to weigh things properly, to see that God is our rock and our salvation, and that rebellious men are nothing more than a leaning wall, destined to collapse under the weight of their own treachery.

David’s personal trust, declared in the opening verses, becomes the basis for his confrontation of his enemies. He knows who God is, and therefore he knows who they are. Because God is his salvation and stronghold, he will not be greatly shaken. But his enemies, who find their pleasure in lies and hypocrisy, are already teetering on the brink of their own ruin. Their counsel is to bring down the righteous man, but their foundation is falsehood, and so their efforts are ultimately futile. This psalm is a master class in where to place your trust.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 62 is a psalm of David, and it breathes the air of a man well-acquainted with treachery. Whether the specific context is Absalom's rebellion, with its painful betrayals from men like Ahithophel, or the long persecution under Saul, the sentiment is the same. David is a king, a man in a "high position" (v. 4), and such positions attract the wicked like flies to a carcass. They want to topple him, not just for political gain, but because they hate the righteous authority he represents.

This psalm fits within the broader category of psalms of trust. Unlike a lament, which cries out from the depths of confusion, this psalm sings from the heights of confidence. David is not asking God to become his rock; he is declaring that God is his rock. This settled assurance is a mark of mature faith. It shows a man who has learned, through many trials, that the only safe place to stand is on the character of God. The world ebbs and flows, friends become enemies, but the Rock does not move. This psalm is a testimony to that glorious stability in the midst of chaos.

Key Issues

Beginning: The Soul's Anchor

In a world that is constantly shouting, buzzing, and demanding our attention, the concept of a soul that "waits in silence" is profoundly counter-cultural. But this is where true spiritual strength begins. It does not begin with frantic activity, nor with anxious scheming. It begins with a settled quietness before God. David, the man of action, the warrior-king, has learned that the ultimate battle is won not with a sword, but with a silent soul fixed on God.

This psalm is not about the absence of trouble, but about the presence of God in the midst of trouble. The enemies are real. The assault is happening. But David’s first move is to anchor his soul. Before he addresses the "leaning wall" of his human adversaries, he first establishes his footing on the unmovable Rock of his salvation. This is the biblical pattern. We must see God rightly before we can see the world rightly. If we get our theology straight, our perspective on our problems will follow suit. This psalm, then, is a call to get first things first. Anchor your soul in God, and then you will be able to face the tottering fences of this world.

Commentary

Psalm 62:1

Surely my soul waits in silence for God; From Him is my salvation.

The psalm opens with a profound declaration of trust, marked by the word "Surely" or "Truly." This is not a hesitant hope; it is a settled conviction. David's soul is not just waiting, but waiting "in silence." The Hebrew word here points to a quiet trust, a submission that has ceased its striving. This is the opposite of the anxious heart that is constantly casting about for other solutions, other saviors. When a man's soul is truly waiting on God, it is quiet. It has stopped making its own noise so that it can hear the word of the Lord. And notice the singular focus: "for God." Not for a change in circumstances, not for the defeat of his enemies, but for God Himself. The deliverance is secondary to the Deliverer. "From Him is my salvation." David knows the source. Salvation is not something he can manufacture or that his allies can provide. It is a gift that comes from God alone. This is the bedrock of Reformed theology: God is the sole author of our salvation, from beginning to end.

Psalm 62:2

Surely He is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Again, "Surely." David doubles down on his conviction. He then unpacks what it means for God to be his salvation by using three powerful metaphors. First, God is his "rock." A rock is stable, immovable, a place of refuge and a firm foundation. In the shifting sands of political intrigue and personal betrayal, David has found something solid to stand on. Second, He is his "salvation." This is the active deliverance that flows from the character of the Rock. God doesn't just provide a safe place; He actively saves. Third, He is his "stronghold" or "defense." This is a high tower, a fortress that is inaccessible to the enemy. It speaks of security and protection. Because of this threefold reality, David can say, "I shall not be greatly shaken." He does not claim that he will not be shaken at all. The assaults of the wicked can rattle even the most steadfast saint. But he will not be "greatly" shaken. He will not be moved from his foundation. His feet may slip, but he will not be cast down, because the Rock beneath him cannot be moved.

Psalm 62:3

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

Having established his own position in God, David now turns to address his enemies directly. The tone shifts from quiet confidence to sharp rebuke. "How long?" This is a cry of exasperation, not at God, but at the sheer persistence of wicked men. Their goal is not merely to harass him, but to "murder him." The language is stark. And it is a group effort: "all of you." This is a conspiracy, a pack of wolves circling their prey. But then David employs a brilliant simile. He compares these wicked men to the very thing they hope to make him: "Like a leaning wall, like a fence thrust down." They are the ones who are unstable. They are the ones on the verge of collapse. While they plot to topple the man who stands on the Rock, they themselves are teetering, propped up only by their own deceit. The righteous man is a sturdy building; the wicked are a condemned structure, and their assault is nothing more than the pathetic lurching of a wall that is about to give way.

Psalm 62:4

Surely they have counseled to thrust him down from his high position; They find pleasure in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah.

A third "Surely" or "Truly," but this time it describes the character of the enemy. Their entire strategy is one of demotion: "to thrust him down from his high position." This is the essence of envy and rebellion. They cannot stand to see a man exalted by God, and so they scheme to bring him low. And what is their primary tool? "They find pleasure in falsehood." They don't just use lies; they delight in them. This reveals a deep corruption of the soul. Their entire operation is built on deceit. This leads to the classic portrait of the hypocrite: "They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse." They are masters of the two-faced word. To his face, they are all smiles and pleasantries. But in their hearts, and in their secret counsels, they are spewing curses. This is the epitome of covenant-breaking treachery. The verse ends with "Selah." This is a musical or liturgical notation, but it functions for the reader as a command to pause and think about what has just been said. Ponder this contrast: the silent, trusting soul of the righteous man versus the noisy, lying, cursing soul of the wicked. Ponder the stability of the one and the instability of the other. Let the weight of it sink in.

Application

This psalm is intensely practical for Christians living in a world that is, to put it mildly, a leaning wall. Our culture finds pleasure in falsehood. Our institutions bless with their mouths while inwardly they curse the God we serve. The temptation is to become frantic, to meet the enemy's noise with our own noise, to fight their instability by losing our own footing.

David teaches us a better way. The first order of business is not to yell at the leaning wall, but to make sure you are standing on the Rock. Is your soul waiting in silence for God? Or is it chattering away with anxiety, fear, and worldly strategies? You must cultivate that quiet confidence. God is your rock. God is your salvation. God is your stronghold. Say it, believe it, and live it. Only then can you look at the tottering fences of our modern rebellion and see them for what they are: pathetic, temporary, and doomed.

And when you see men who bless with their mouths but curse in their hearts, do not be surprised, and do not be shaken. This is what unregenerate man does. Recognize the tactic, but do not adopt it. Our warfare is not carnal. We are called to bless and not to curse. We fight falsehood not with cleverer falsehood, but with the plain, solid, rock-like truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate Rock and our salvation, the one who was thrust down by the lies of wicked men, only to be raised to the highest position. Anchor yourself in Him, and you will not be greatly moved.