Back in King David’s day, he had formidable enemies who slandered him and attacked in different ways. Today, our enemy is Satan and he not only slanders us, but raises people up to attack our integrity and righteousness. We need to be patient before the Lord — to lay our problems, trials and tribulations before Him and wait for His response. Let’s dig in…
Psalm 62
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.3 So many enemies against one man—
all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
or a tottering fence.
4 They plan to topple me from my high position.
They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
but curse me in their hearts. Interlude5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope (expectation) is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. Interlude9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
If you weigh them on the scales,
together they are lighter than a breath of air.10 Don’t make your living by extortion
or put your hope in stealing.
And if your wealth increases,
don’t make it the center of your life.11 God has spoken plainly,
Psalm 62 NLT
and I have heard it many times:
Power, O God, belongs to you;
12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.
Surely you repay all people
according to what they have done.
Digging in…
David opened Psalm 61 shouting at God. In fact, many psalms are like that. Undoubtedly, when the psalmist is in trouble and he yells at God. Ultimately, the writer ends up trusting and praising God for being his only hope and salvation. Here, David is waiting quietly. He is showing patience.
Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit which we find in Galatians 5. Personally, before I was born again, I was not a patient person. The Holy Spirit taught me patience and to trust in God ALONE.
In Christ Alone…
Pastor Sandy Adams sums this up nicely…
So much of our discontent stems from selfish expectations. We think we know what’s best for us. We should come to God with a blank slate. Is our expectation from Him? Are we asking God to decide what’s best for us and our family?
The Hebrew word “expectation” means literally “a twisted cord.” David’s life – his entire world – was interwoven with God. He’s like a yo-yo strung to God’s finger. If God sends him down he goes down. If God wants him to hesitate he hesitates. If God wants to send him round the world, David is ready. He’s spinning on the end of God’s string. David has no expectation out of life, but to follow God.
Notice also in verse 5, David waits for “God alone.” He has no other options. He’s burned all his bridges. He’s totally dependent on God.
If God doesn’t come through, then David is doomed. We insult God when we keep “other options open…” or plan for “just in case.” David’s faith was in God and God alone.
It’s interesting this one word “alone” became the battle-cry of the Protestant Reformation. It was the spark that ignited Europe. It caused millions to turn from the false religion of Roman Catholicism and back to biblical Christianity. The Reformers championed Sola Scriptura, Sola Christos, Sola Fide, and Sola Gratia! (There are 5 Solas – he missed Soli Deo Gloria)…
Pastor Sandy Adams
- Scripture alone – spiritual authority comes from the Bible – not the traditions, and councils, and pronouncements of the church.
- Christ alone – He’s our Mediator – not the pope, or Mary, or the saints.
- Faith alone – Jesus’ death on the cross earned a complete pardon for sin. Saying the rosary, and a thousand Hail Marys can’t add to His work.
- Grace alone – God’s favor is a gift – it can’t be gained by our good works, or charitable deeds, or religious rituals…
- (To God alone be the glory – everything we do should for His glory not our own.)
Who do YOU Trust?
“Those who trust in God alone have Him and everything else. Those who trust in Him and anything else, end up without Him and nothing else.”
Lloyd Ogilvie
Jesus is our Rock and our Salvation!
The folks at Spoken Gospel sum up the Good News in this psalm…
Five times we’re told that God “truly” or “only” is a rock and fortress against the lies of enemies. When King David trusts God as his only rock, his kingship survives the enemies’ lies. And when the kingdom of Israel trusts God as their fortress, they’re blessed with God’s compassionate power that vindicates them from their enemies’ accusations. This Rock and Fortress is Jesus.
Jesus has entirely canceled any record of our failures and sins by his death on the cross (Colossians 2:14). In him our innocence is unassailable. It is walled in between the great rocks of God’s grace and sacrifice.
But we have an enemy and a culture that loves to accuse, condemn, and cancel us for sins already expunged. And like David warned us against, we try to leverage either our high or low social status to tip the conversation in our favor. But these are poor fortresses compared to the power and love of Jesus.
God the Rock is on your side and no enemy can move him (Romans 8:31)! He gave up his Son, so how could he not vindicate you from the accusations that cloud your mind and keep you anxious at night (Romans 8:32)? Jesus has already been publicly shamed for you, which means there is no one left who has the right to condemn you now (Romans 8:34).
Even if every thought, friend, demon, and social media platform screams you are guilty, you have been exonerated by Jesus’ love and power over death (Romans 8:37-39). That means you can rest tonight because Jesus surrounds you like a Rock and he is not convinced by lies.
Spoken Gospel
They reference Romans chapter 8…
Paul wrote…
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39 NLT
I ask again….
Who do YOU Trust?
Who is your hope in? On where do your expectations fall? Every Saturday, I do a weekly wrap-up of Bible Prophecy News. A few weeks ago, I added this prayer at the end…
Jesus, you are the unbreakable, unshakeable, immovable foundation that stands the test of time and keeps us standing strong in the face of panic-inducing winds and terrifying storms. Help us to remember that we born-again believers are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven — and this evil earth is not our home! Thank you for being our confident hope!
Lord, please come soon to fulfill your salvation, and grant us patience, strength, courage and boldness as we wait to see it. Amen.
As you pray this psalm, give your problems, trials and sorrows to Jesus. Remember, He and ONLY He ALONE said…
33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
Therefore, isn’t it time you surrendered your life to the One who Alone overcame sin and death?
