Psalm 62 — The Cry of the Helpless

For the Chief Musician; after the manner of Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 My soul waiteth only upon God:
From him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation:
He is my high tower; I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will ye set upon a man,
That ye may slay him, all of you,
Like a bowing wall, like a tottering fence?
4 They only consult to thrust him down from his excellency;
They delight in lies:
They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.     Selah
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God;
For my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation:
He is my high tower;
I shall not be moved.
7 With 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, ye people;
Pour out your heart before him:
God is a refuge for us.     Selah
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie:
In the balances they will go up;
They are together lighter than vanity.
10 Trust not in oppression,
And become not vain in robbery:
If riches increase, set not your heart thereon.
11 God hath spoken once,
Twice have I heard this;
That power belongeth unto God:
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy:
For thou renderest to every man according to his work.

As we continue through this journey of psalm addressing our enemies, I want you to consider how helpless it feels when caught up in troubles like these. Do you remember a time when troubled by an enemy? When they sought to push you over? When they spoke well with their lips but cursed with their intent and their looks? Moments like these are truly times of helplessness.

As Paul writes in Romans, "As far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." Yet, with some we cannot find peace. They attack, they bite, they scoff and scorn and we can do nothing. I think this psalm speaks an answer, or at the very least a response, to these moments of helplessness. This psalm helps us repeat to ourselves our reliance on the dependability of God.

"My soul waits only on God", is repeated almost exactly in verses 1 and 5. These powerful lines, found in vs. 1-2 and 5-6, should be our anthem, our refrain, and chorus in times of helplessness. Indeed, when enemies behave as unreliable fences, or try to topple our own defenses, the only sure response we have is reaching to a God who wants to be our sure and secure refuge and tower of defense. When we are helpless, why not repeat the very words given by the reliable one himself?

Surely, mankind is of low degree and fails in the balances, but God speaks and it comes about. Surely there is a God who judges and holds people accountable. Let us cry out to him in our moments of helplessness.