Psalm 62:1-12 A Song Of Confidence by David
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Psalm 62:1-12 Pour Me Another
When I used to attend Charles Stanley’s church, I got to actually talk to him a few times. He knew we were having a hard time trying to move from Atlanta to Dallas to go to seminary. He’d stop me in the halls and ask me how things were going. Brenda said she’s only seen me speechless with two people, when I’d talk to Dr. Stanley or Dr. Criswell. I would just nod my head toward Brenda and she’d talk to them. But I do remember that one time he told me that Psalm 62:5 was his favorite verse. It’s a great one. Psalm 62:8 has always had special meaning for me. We’ll look at both in the lament psalm.
Twice in this short psalm David mentions that he “waits in silence” for God (vv. 1, 5). One of my all time favorite sermons was preached by Dr. Stanley in the 1970’s. Yes, there was preaching back then. Actually, it was probably a lot better than the preaching today!
The name of the sermon by Dr. Stanley was “Quietness.” He expounded the benefit of being silent before God for almost an hour. I’m thinking it takes about that long for a preacher to convince his congregation to be quiet. I hadn’t thought about how noisy my life was before that. I started appreciating silence. I could turn the radio off in the car. In fact, it would irritate me when riding with someone else and they automatically turn on the radio, crank it up loud and then yell over the top of it! It turns out we are not comfortable being alone with ourselves. But if we are going to mature in our relationship with God, spending some quiet time with Him is a necessity.
God is referred to as a rock about twenty times in Psalms. David refers to God as a rock three times in this very psalm (vv. 2, 6-7). In a world running out of control, God is the stabilizing force. It is in Christ that all things hold together (cf. Col. 1:17).
Notice David doesn’t say he is never shaken (vv. 2, 6). He simply declares that God provides his protection and is his stronghold or fortification. We might get blindsided or endure a surprise attack but we should regain our composure and remind ourselves of our trust in God.
David’s enemies think he is a “tottering fence” (v. 3). They don’t realize God is his stronghold. I’ve learned to take refuge in the Lord when having any struggles. If I don’t, I’m inevitably embarrassed. The enemies of the Lord are the ones who will trip over themselves. They enjoy their lying and double-speak (v. 4).
But David retreats into his relationship with the Lord (v. 5). God is David’s refugee (v. 7b). He gets alone with Him and blots out all the distractions that would divert him from his focus. David knows it is God alone who can rescue him (v. 7a).
Verse 8 has been a comfort to me over the years. People sometimes wonder if God minds if we whine and complain to Him. The answer is in verse 8. We should always trust God but we can vent and tell Him what we really feel like. We can “pour out” our “hearts” to Him (v. 8b). He is our shelter and refuge (v. 8c). When things go wrong, try to find a quiet place and just spend time with the Lord.
David puts things in perspective (v. 9). Poor people come and go and powerful people think more of themselves than they should (cf. Rom. 12:3). All men are, “lighter than a breath,” (v. 9c). All things are vanity and fluff, according to David’s son, Solomon (Eccles. 1:2). Ecclesiastes says that no one remembers even the most famous of people (cf. Eccles. 1:11; 2:16).
David warns us not to trust in the things that the unrighteous trust in, money and power (v. 10). Even if we do achieve wealth, David warns us to trust them. Moses similarly warned the Jews, “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut. 8:18).
In verse 11, David says, God had spoken once and he had heard God twice. He is not stuttering. It is like he is saying, “Hey, listen! This is absolutely, definitely true. It couldn’t be more true than it is.” It was the OT version of “truly, truly, I say to you” on steroids.
So what is David so excited about? God has all the power in the world. He holds all the cards, as it were. He controls everything. As R.C. Sproul once said, ““If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled” (R.C. Sproul, Chosen By God: Know God’s Perfect Plan for His Glory and His Children). Sproul is usually just depressing but in this instance he is absolutely correct. If a single atom flew away beyond God’s control, God wouldn’t be God.
How many psalms have ended on a note of confidence after beginning with whining and yowling? Many. Again, David ends by sounding a note of confidence and trust. He is depending on Yahweh’s hesed. He will balance all the books in the end. He will be fair. Everyone will get his or her just deserts. Except Christians. Christians will get mercy, things we don’t deserve. We will also get grace that we don’t deserve.
Proverbs 11:18-19 Little LTD, You’re Looking Fine
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I remember years ago trying to get onto the freeway in Dallas. A really arrogant rich person came up next to me and squeezed me off to the shoulder of the road. I got mad and thought, “I’ll show him a lesson.” I pushed the pedal to the metal of my ten year-old Ford LTD. My vinyl fringed limousine coughed and nearly just sputtered to the side of the road as the BMW roared by me. Rich people. Ugh!
Well, he may have had the speedier car then but, hey, wait till we get to eternity! OK, that’s not the best attitude (cf. Prov. 24:17; 1 Cor. 1:31; 2 Cor. 10:17) but it is true that those who try to do the right thing for the Lord will be much better off than the rich who only live to accumulate more and more (v 18).
We are called to be steadfast (v.19a, cf. 1 Cor. 15:58). Those who don’t could end up in eternal separation from God (v. 19b).