Psalm 62 is a meditation on waiting silently for God alone. The psalmist declares that his soul rests in silence before God, who is his rock, salvation, and fortress. Enemies plot to bring him down from his high position, using flattery and hidden curses. Yet twice the psalmist returns to the refrain of silent trust. He warns against trusting in oppression, robbery, or wealth, and closes with a double declaration: power belongs to God, and faithful love belongs to God, and God repays each person according to what they have done.
The word ak ('surely, only, alone') appears six times in this psalm, giving it a distinctive theological rhythm. Each occurrence narrows the field of trust until God is the only thing left standing. The two refrains (verses 2-3 and 6-7) are nearly identical but with a crucial shift: in verse 2 'I will not be greatly shaken,' in verse 6 'I will not be shaken' — the qualifier is removed. Silence before God deepens into more complete confidence. The final two verses deliver the psalm's theology in concentrated form: God possesses both oz (power, strength) and chesed (faithful love). These are not in tension but held together in one being.
The superscription assigns this to David with the notation al Yedutun, likely indicating a musical tradition or choir associated with Jeduthun (one of David's three chief musicians). The identity of the enemies in verses 4-5 is unspecified — they use blessing as a cover for cursing, which suggests political rather than military opposition. The meaning of 'silence' (dumiyyah) has been debated: is it passive waiting, active stillness, or a deliberate refusal to seek human help? The psalm seems to intend all three. The weighing metaphor in verse 10 (men are lighter than a breath on the scales) echoes wisdom traditions and anticipates the Egyptian imagery of judgment scales.
The 'rock' and 'fortress' language connects to David's earlier experiences in the wilderness (1 Samuel 23-24, Psalm 18). The warning against trusting riches anticipates Jesus' teaching about wealth (Matthew 6:19-21, Luke 12:13-21). The declaration that God repays each person according to their deeds appears in Proverbs 24:12, Jeremiah 17:10, and Romans 2:6. Paul's quotation shows this psalm's theology reaching into the New Testament understanding of divine justice.
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־יְדוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
For the director of music. According to Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
KJV To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.
אַ֣ךְ אֶל־אֱ֭לֹהִים דּוּמִיָּ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
My soul waits in silence for God alone; from him comes my deliverance.
KJV Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
This is not the silence of absence but of focused attention — the soul is quiet because it has stopped looking elsewhere for help.
אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹא־אֶמּ֥וֹט רַבָּֽה׃
He alone is my rock and my deliverance, my high fortress — I will not be greatly shaken.
KJV He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּהֽוֹתְת֣וּ עַל־אִ֭ישׁ תְּרָצְּח֣וּ כֻלְּכֶ֑ם כְּקִ֥יר נָ֝ט֗וּי גָּדֵ֥ר הַדְּחוּיָֽה׃
How long will all of you attack a man? You will be crushed — all of you — like a leaning wall, like a fence about to collapse.
KJV How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
אַ֤ךְ מִשְּׂאֵת֨וֹ ׀ יָעֲצ֣וּ לְהַדִּ֗יחַ יִרְצ֥וּ כָזָ֑ב בְּפִ֥יו יְ֝בָרֵ֗כוּ וּבְקִרְבָּ֥ם יְקַלְלוּ־סֶֽלָה׃
They scheme only to bring him down from his position; they take pleasure in deception. With their mouths they bless, but inside they curse. Selah.
KJV They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope comes from him.
KJV My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹ֣א אֶמּֽוֹט׃
He alone is my rock and my deliverance, my high fortress — I will not be shaken.
KJV He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
עַל־אֱ֭לֹהִים יִשְׁעִ֣י וּכְבוֹדִ֑י צוּר־עֻ֝זִּ֗י מַחְסִ֥י בֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃
On God rest my deliverance and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge, is in God.
KJV In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
The psalmist's glory is not self-made but rests 'on God' — his significance is derivative, dependent on divine sustaining.
בִּטְח֘וּ ב֤וֹ בְכׇל־עֵ֨ת ׀ עָ֗ם שִׁפְכוּ־לְפָנָ֥יו לְבַבְכֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים מַחֲסֶה־לָ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃
pour out your hearts before him. Trust in him at all times, you people; God is a refuge for us. Selah.
KJV Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
אַ֤ךְ ׀ הֶ֤בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָ֗ם כָּזָ֥ב בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ בְּ֝מֹאזְנַ֗יִם לַעֲל֥וֹת הֵ֣מָּה מֵהֶ֣בֶל יָֽחַד׃
Common people are only a breath; important people are a lie. Placed on scales, together they rise — they weigh less than a breath.
KJV Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
The same word that defines the theme of Ecclesiastes. Here it measures the insubstantiality of human beings when weighed against God's solidity.
אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ בְעֹשֶׁק֮ וּבְגָזֵ֪ל אַֽל־תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ חַ֤יִל ׀ כִּֽי־יָנ֑וּב אַל־תָּשִׁ֥יתוּ לֵֽב׃
Do not trust in extortion; do not put empty hope in robbery. If wealth increases, do not set your heart on it.
KJV Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
אַחַ֤ת ׀ דִּבֶּ֬ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים שְׁ֭תַּיִם ז֣וּ שָׁמָ֑עְתִּי כִּ֥י עֹ֝֗ז לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
One thing God has spoken; two things I have heard: that power belongs to God,
KJV God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
וּלְךָ֣ אֲ֭דֹנָי חָ֑סֶד כִּֽי־אַתָּ֨ה תְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃
and that faithful love belongs to you, Lord, for you repay each person according to what they have done.
KJV Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
The climactic term of the psalm. Faithful love is not softness — it is paired with power and linked to repaying each person according to their deeds. It is love that acts with justice.