Psalm 62: An exegetical analysis

Psalm 62 is introduced.

The Psalm's genre is described, its authorship is identified, and it is shown how both are reflected in the text of the Psalm.

Psalm 62: Exposition

The translation of the Psalm used appears below. It is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, and is available online at http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/BIBLE/PSA/PSA62.HTM:

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.

They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.

Selah

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah

Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

For you repay to all according to their work.

The structure of the Psalm is elucidated.

The meanings of key words that appear in the Psalm are explored.

Psalm 62: Theological Meaning

The theological message of the Psalm, in relation to the Bible as a whole, is explored.

Psalm 62

I. Introduction

According to Jewish tradition, Psalm 62 is the work of David. Like Psalms 39 and 77, Psalm 62 is linked with Jeduthun and is intended to be sung in his choir or after his manner. It is found in the second book of the Psalter, according to Jewish usage.

Psalm 62 is nearly identical to Psalm 39. Psalm 39 utilizes the word "only" - translated above as "alone" - four times; this Psalm features the word six times, and has hence come to be known as "the 'Only' Psalm."

Psalm 62 takes the form of a hymn, as its main focus is the glorification of God. It is intended to be sung by Jeduthun and his sons. According to tradition, the sons of Jeduthun were porters. Jeduthun himself had been appointed by David as one of his three music masters, which gives further confirmation as to the Psalm's Davidic authorship. According to Spurgeon, even if the Psalm were not signed, the style of many of the stanzas reflects Davidic idiosyncrasies.

The Psalm is essentially about becoming strong via one's faith in God. There are numerous references in the Bible to David becoming "strong in God."

In terms of division, the pauses in the Psalm have been marked by the insertion of "SELAH" at the end of Ps 62:4 and Ps 62:8. In the words of Spurgeon, the Psalmist's true and sole confidence in God laughs to scorn all its enemies. When this Psalm was composed it was not necessary for us to know, since true faith is always in season, and is usually under trial. Moreover, the sentiments here uttered are suitable to occasions which are very frequent in a believer's life, and therefore no one historic incident is needful for their explanation.

II. Psalm 62: Exposition i. Structure of the Psalm

Different Biblical scholars have divided psalm 62 in a number of different ways over the ages. Some have argued that the Psalm consists of three sections of four verses, each divided by "selahs."

Others have divided the Psalm into four sections according to theme, where verses 1 and 2 correspond to an expression of trust, verses 3 and 4 serve as a lament, verses 5-7 repeating the expression of trust, and the final verses exhorting the bystanders.

It is generally agreed, however, that the Psalm consists of two distinct pericopes. The first half of the poem, up to verse eight, expresses trust in God, while the second half of the poem consists of an exhortation to others to put their trust in the Lord.

The two different pericopes are tied together, however, by the repeated usage of the word "alone" ('ak in the original Hebrew) as well as the theme of trust, which proliferates throughout the Psalm. Thus, one must analyze the Psalm as a unit, rather than as pieces of a whole.

A ii. Key Words

When examining Psalm 62, the most prominent feature we find is the recurring use of the word "alone." In the Hebrew version, the word "alone" - 'ak - serves as the first word in verses 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9, thus reiterating its importance. God alone can help us; men alone will only hurt us. Of course, David is not referring to all men in this sense, but in his enemies - those who seem to be attacking at the gates.

Hebrew scholars have noted the loaded meaning of this word in the original. In addition to the translated sense of "alone," 'ak also possesses a note of contrariness to prevailing customs.

In spite of what may appear obvious to man, God is in fact the only entity that we may rely on in life. The repetition of "alone" throughout the Psalm thus serves a three-fold purpose: as a means of designating something that runs contrary to popular opinion, but also as a means of establishing a rhythm throughout the text, and, finally, reinforcing the theme of the Psalm. The Psalmist clearly wants to make his words and views stand apart from those of others, and he accomplishes this through his repetition of "alone."

Now let us take a look at the rest of the line: "For God alone my soul waits in silence." The word "silence" continues to puzzle scholars.

According to Tsevat, the Hebrew version of the word - dumiyah - only appears in the Psalms and nowhere else.

It seems that the "silence" in the line connected to another word - "waiting." This word has also been translated as "resting." So the "waiting" in this line is clearly meant to signify a "silent waiting" - a waiting without stirring, without engaging in any other activity, and without speaking - until that silence is broken by God.

The division between God and men is re-affirmed throughout the Psalm through the usage of words typically employed by soldiers engaged on a battlefield: fortress, shelter, wall, and fence. While man may build such artificial refuges as a means of protecting themselves from one another, the only true refuge (fortress, shelter, wall, or fence) is that of God. All else provides merely an illusion of safety.

Oftentimes, people overlook the slight change that occurs in verse 6, which otherwise appears to be a verbatim repetition of the second verse. The change occurs in the second line. Compare:

Verse 2: I shall never be shaken.

Verse 6: I shall not be shaken.

While the first verse's qualifier is rooted in the temporal, the one in the sixth, the "not," is solidified. The speaker has become more certain in his faith via the verses that come between, inferring that speaking one's faith - or, in this case, speaking one's "silence" in the faith of God - strengthens one in the face of adversity.

The "leaning wall" and "tottering fence" of verse 3 has also been the subject of some controversy by Biblical scholars. Here, it is worth quoting the verse in full:

How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

The confusion surrounds the question as to whom the wall/fence is meant to represent. Is it meant to be a symbol of David? This is most likely not the case, as the wall/fence would not be leaning or tottering in its faith. (Although there are some scholars who interpret the Psalm as being symbolic of God's connection to earthly authority, such as kings and governments, of which David was most certainly in possession.) the wall/fence is metaphorically linked with the person/victim evoked in the preceding lines, but why would the individuals David is addressing choose to attack a wall? It seems that the Psalmist is inferring an act of demolition as the result of a perceived failure in support. The crowd that David is addressing, then, the aggressors, devote their energies to beating down a "wall of faith" that they cannot find meaning or salvation in.

Here, it may also be important to keep in mind who this Psalm was meant to be sung by: that is, the sons of Jeduthun, the "keepers at the gate." The gatekeepers are thus attempting to protect the fortress by expressing to those who attempt to tear at it that He who dwells inside will have none of it.)

The purpose of this action, as the next verse tells us, is to bring down a "person of prominence." Prominence is thus granted to that individual from without, through his trust in God. But the word "prominence" is also etymologically linked with "highness, height," which is why translations of this verse refer to the person as being in a "high place." Perhaps that high place that the person belongs to, that gives them prominence, is the fortress of the second verse - the fortress whose walls the perpetrators are attempting to knock down.

Verse four ends with the following characterization of the perpetrators:

They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.

This calls to mind the words of James, brother of Jesus: "Out of the same mouth come good and bad words. My brothers, this should not happen."

The "good words," of course, are blessings, while the "bad words" are curses.

In the Hebrew version of verse 7, the word "God" appears as both the first and last word of the verse, thus re-affirming God's vitality in the verse. This is a unique feature of Hebrew poetry that features often in the Psalms, particularly the Davidic Psalms.

In verse 8, the Psalmist instructs the people to pour out their hearts to God. This means that we should never attempt to hide any of our thoughts from God, for ultimately, "God is our refuge"; God is that fortress whose walls can never be torn down, no matter how hard the believer's enemies may try.