Psalm 62

Psalm 62 - A Day of Decision for Me For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. 1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 3 How long will you assault o man? Would all of you throw him down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? 4 They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah “‘To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David,’ etc. who being well assured that his prayers in the former psalm were heard, and should be answered, breaketh forth into his triumphant profession of his faith. Lo, here the happy fruit of faithful and fervent prayer.” (John Trapp) “‘My soul finds rest in God alone;’ — The Vulgate, and almost all the Versions, have understood it in this sense: Nonne Deo subjecta erit anima mea? ‘Shall not my soul be subject to God?’ In other words, God alone has a right to dispose of my life as he pleases. ‘I shall not be greatly moved’- Having God for my rock - strong fortified place, for my salvation - continual safety, and my defense - my elevated tower, which places me out of the reach of my enemies [Ps 61] ; I shall not be greatly moved - I may be shaken, but cannot be cast down.” (Adam Clarke) David then rebukes his enemies— the divided man or Israelite. I have been this man. The text convicts me: “‘How long will ye imagine mischief as a bowing wall - a tottering fence’- Ye are just ready to fall upon others, and destroy them; and in that fall yourselves shall be destroyed: ‘Ye shall be slain the whole of you.’” (Albert Barnes) These Israelites profess faith, but hitherto the thrust of their deeds had been evil, not wrought in God. The core problem is that they had not subjected themselves wholly to Christ, as David had. These seek shelter in other places, as I did when I used alcohol as a hiding place. I prayed and studied the Scriptures and found shelter in the cleft of the Rock of Ages. But I had been as the man described here as expounded by C. H. Spurgeon: “They trust not God at all who trust Him not alone. He that stands with one foot on a rock, and another foot upon quicksand, will sink and perish, as certainly as he that standeth with both feet upon a quicksand.” I have blessed with my mouth but cursed in my heart, leading no one to safety. Selah So, here is my vow: 5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor. 10 Do not trust in oppression, nor vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God. 12 Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; for You render to each one according to his work. “‘Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor.’ ‘Men of low degree’—‘and men of high degree.’ Hebrews Adam, a common man; and Ish, a prince.” (Joseph Sutcliffe) Even princes in the king’s palace, not wholly converted, are lighter than vapor, if weighed on God’s scale. These, as Absolom— the king’s son, hoped in vain oppression and robbed David of the praises of men, here dubbed riches. “If these increase,” God says: “do not set your heart on them.” “God has spoken once, twice I have heard this:’ i.e. frequently, as Job 33:14, both immediately, as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets from time to time—‘that power belongs unto God;’ that power is God’s prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things, to which no man can trust without certain disappointment, and God alone is fit to be trusted.” (Matthew Poole) “‘Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy.’ David is saying: Yahweh—the One among many imagined gods—of power or strength is the One that I am addressing. He is the only true God—the God of checed or mercy… and through Him is power and strength. Power of obedience to God. Paul described me a couple of thousand years ago: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” I have been living like the unredeemed and not by the Teachings of God. “But,” says the apostle, “we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’ (Ps 62:12).” (Romans 2:1-6) In Matthew 16:27, we discover it is indeed Jesus— the Son of Man— who will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. [Jesus will render]… “eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness— [Jesus will render] indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” (Rom 2:6b-11) I must go immediately to the mercy seat in the holy of holies for forgiveness for my sins (Ps 61) by calling on the name of Jesus, being cleansed by His blood shed for me. I heard this message and believed “that power belongs to God” when I was converted and I hear it again today. But this time I vow to do the work of God. Firstly, I am going to find those that I have neglected along the way to apologize and make it right.