THE "ONLY" PSALM
Psalm 62: 1-12
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A PRESBYTERIAN PSALTER - by Pastor Max A Forsythe |
There is a dominant word in this psalm that does not come through well in many of the newer translations. Wherever you see the word alone, older translations may better use the word only. Because of this only theme Spurgeon and Mackintosh and other ancient commentators would call this the "Only Psalm". This word "only" occurs in verses 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 9. The implications of its use here is that only God is worthy of our exclusive trust. In verses four and nine where the object of reference is man, that trust is weighed in the balance and found wanting. So complete is David's trust only in the Lord here, that we have an unusual psalm. There is not a single word of fear or dejection. Unlike so many of David's all too human experiences, on this occasion he is all prayed up and confident that no matter what may come his way, his confidence is whole heartedly in God alone.
The great defender of the faith, Athanasius says that this psalm may be said in the midst of any and all tribulations. Well did Athanasius know in his century the trials of holding up the orthodoxy of the Christian faith. In this psalm he as well as David, was strengthened to depend upon God alone. May we learn too grow in confidence as we stand more strongly in the strength of the Lord. The great Russian Christian of this century, Alexandr Solzehnytsn learned his confidence in the Lord through his long struggles with the forces of communism. After thirty years of intimidation and threats the worst they could finally do was throw him out of the Soviet Union.
Well should we learn this essential lesson, known by David, that God alone is sovereign and only He deserves our grateful trust and adoration. But learning to trust is sometimes a difficult proposition. We can easily say that we trust in the Lord, but once we say that publicly, we must learn to show that trust in our lives. The trust that David learned over a lifetime is well displayed in the divisions of this short psalm. Verses one and two are his statement of faith. Verses three and four summarize his worldly concerns. After pausing for thought, he reminds himself in verses five through eight of the object of his faith. In verses nine and ten he briefly considers the state of humanity and he closes in verses eleven and twelve with the comfort of God's words.
We begin with David's statement of faith. Certainly, we know that David very early knew about Israel's God. We also know that the great prophet of Israel Samuel set David apart in his later youth to be King over Israel. And yet, like so many of us born into the Church, there is much growing in grace that must be done before we fully appreciate and even realize the great mercy given to us in our salvation. Too often we tend to regard our human response to that offer of grace too highly. Like David, we must affirm that God only is our rock, salvation and fortress. Once we know that then we can finish the phrase in verse two confidently. "I shall not be greatly moved."!
Of course many people barely affirm the reality of God and never worry about the purpose of the suffering of Christ, and so the devil barely bothers them, because they are peacefully ignorant of their peril. However, whenever you begin to take the cross of Christ seriously and determine that He may make you His, there may come all manner of trials and troubles. In verses three and four David meditates the assaults of the worldly on the people of faith. He admits that like a leaning wall or fence, we may be barely able to withstand a determined push.
And like Humpty Dumpty sitting high up on that wall, the wicked would rather see God's elect fallen into the dirt and mud. Their methods may include lies and confusing speech David tells us. In our time we have only to consider the popular myths of science, industry and economics to appreciate that as one old saw had it, there are lies, darn lies and statistics! In addition, even within Christ's own churches there are many who would use the language of the faith so that they fit in with the elect, but who in their hearts give worldly meanings to the Divine revelations. At the end of verse four David invites us to pause and consider the situation carefully.
When he begins his meditation again, he has returned his thoughts to the restfulness that may be found in God alone. Ah, the worldly are left behind and his thoughts are raised up to heaven and heaven's God. How much better than the worldly habit of drowning sorrows in a cup of wine or beer. Isn't it sad that the very medicine the worldly choose actually causes a deepening of depression? Too often most of the worldly cures for depression end up doing the very opposite than well meaning counselors intend.
One of our teachers recently found a cure for one student's continued complaining. Whenever he complains, she looks up from her work and asks him if he would like a little cheese with his whine! The class laughs and his attention is refocused on the work before him. Several years ago, one young lady just couldn't get her work done, so I bought her a can of Mountain Dew, her favorite beverage, and wrapped one of my own labels around it. The label read simply "I CAN", and the small print advised her not to drink it until all her work was done for the Nine Weeks. Well, she made it, and the last time I heard from her, she still had the can on the shelf by her framed diploma! So, as we deal with irresponsibility in the public schools we do well whenever we can get our young people to look up from their perspective of failure. Unfortunately we are not able to encourage them publicly to look to David's God.
But, we who are in the faith may make David's practice our own. "Find rest ... in God alone". He is, as David affirms, our rock, our salvation and our fortress. Like the early settlers in our area who built a series of block houses to retreat to whenever Indian troubles were rumored, all we have to do is fly to our spiritual retreat: our Father in heaven! In Him is not only our salvation but our honor as well. Because of this fact, David would encourage us to "Trust in him at all times ...". And how may we do that?
In the next phrase David tells us to pour out our hearts to God, take your troubles, take your concerns, take your weaknesses and sickness and pour it out before the throne of heaven. Again, David encourages us to pause and think carefully! Imagine how much better every Christian would feel if this pouring out became a regular habit! This we may suggest is the proper cure for spiritual constipation. So many people build up a back log of feelings, hurts and complaints that their whole personality is affected. How much better off are God's people who leave all these types of problems in the throne room of the King of Kings!
Once again in verse nine the focus of David's meditation shifts to the problem of the worldly. Their immediate and continuing problem is the fact that if weighed for their significance, the balance scale would barely tremble. These only as verse nine would have it are many and enthusiastic, they are not to be depended on. They are as restless and as wild as the sea, tossed to and fro. One minute as verse four tells us they bless the coming of our King with loud cries of "Hosanna" but a few days later they yell "Crucify Him". A minister's wife in our area told me Monday that her husband had a sermon title for psalm Sunday. "Yea, yea; Nay, nay" So fickle is the worldly crowd!
These, David tells us, trust in extortion and stolen goods. Certainly, these are still problems in our own day. One judge has tried a new cure for burglars who come into his court. The victims are taken to their homes and allowed to choose any personal items they care to cart away that equal the value of their losses. He hopes that the thieves who come into his court learn the meaning of the second phrase in verse ten: "if your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."
Instead of following the hopes of the worldly, David again shifts our attention to God alone. David's God has spoken and David has heard His voice. God alone is strong and He loves us eternally. In that certain hope we may well expect that God will justly judge all of mankind. In our translation we find the essence of the Gospel! "Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy". An earlier commentator in his Explanation of Scripture Difficulties tells us that this concept of mercy is the second thing that David will tell us.
This mercy contrasted with the justice in the last verse assures us that God's power and wisdom will eventually prevail. May we accept that mercy even as the worldly clamor for justice. Amen.
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Resources Used: |
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Alexander, Joseph. |
Commentary on Psalms. | |
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Kidner, Derek. |
Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms. | |
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Spurgeon, C.H. |
The Treasury of David. | |
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Foundation for Reformation. New Geneva Study Bible . (1995) Thomas Nelson, Inc. New King James Version. (1982) | ||
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Psm 062a |
12 April 92 & 04 June 95 | |