495_Silently waiting for God alone

Psalm 62 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 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 trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.

Years ago, a young missionary found himself falsely accused of misconduct in a foreign land. The accusations spread rapidly, and his reputation was all but destroyed. Friends advised him to defend himself publicly and clear his name. But after much prayer, he chose to let God speak for him. Eventually, the truth emerged—entirely apart from the missionary’s efforts—and his integrity was restored. When asked why he hadn’t defended himself, he replied, “If I had spoken, they would have only heard my voice. But by staying silent, they heard God’s.”

Psalm 62 reflects that attitude of quiet trusting surrender to God’s authority. For once, David is neither pleading nor demanding. For this unique psalm neither contains prayer nor supplication. It is simply a reflection of the unshaken confidence of the one who knows that God is his helper.

David’s world was not calm. He was surrounded by enemies, people who schemed with flattering words to bring him down. He was regarded as a weakling ready to fall at any moment, like a tottering fence. They thought that one push would destroy him. He saw through their hypocrisy and malice. Yet, amidst this time of real danger and deep betrayal, David says, “For God alone my soul waits in silence… He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

This is not passivity nor fatalism. It is the word of faith, which refrains from reacting or fixing or explaining our own stance. David is not scrambling to defend himself, or to gather his own strength and call in reinforcements. This is mere foolishness in the eyes of the world. But to wait on God is not to do nothing. It is a spiritual discipline, a profound act of trust in God’s justice and sovereignty. Trust keeps our eyes on him alone. And then we find that his strength is made perfect in our weakness.

F.B. Meyer once observed, “This is why God keeps you waiting. All that is of self and nature must be silenced; one voice after another cease to boast; one light after another be put out; until the soul is shut up to God alone.” Silence strips away our pride, our panic, our self-justification. It trains our hearts to trust only him. It trains our minds to subdue our wandering and racing thoughts. It trains our wills to seek only his will. Silence demonstrates not a weak spirit, but a strong one that subdues every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Silence is not merely the lack of words but can be an expression of humility, an inward posture of stillness before God. Abba Poemen, one of the early Desert Fathers, commented, “A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night, and yet he is truly silent, because he says nothing except what is helpful to others.” True silence is when the heart is peaceful and trusting.

David trusted in God, his rock. This is repeated in the psalm like a steady heartbeat: “He alone is my rock… my fortress… refuge… I shall not be shaken.” David uses these words – rock, salvation, fortress, hope, glory, refuge—to declare his confidence in God alone. He is not one of many options, nor even the best one. He is simply the only one. When we wait for Him, we are not exposed or forgotten—we are hidden in His strength. And David, having tasted this, exhorts all the earth to take refuge in God alone – for he is the unshakable rock.

David’s faith was forged in experience. He knew the futility of placing his confidence in people. People of low status or high were all “lighter than a breath” (v.9)- they are fickle and weak. The strong and influential cannot ultimately protect us. Nor should we put our trust in dishonest gain. “Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them” (v.10).

Even when riches increase, our hearts should remain fixed on God, as David’s did, for they offer neither safety nor happiness. The right attitude was evident when David prepared for the temple. He gave not from compulsion or pride, but from devotion: “Because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God” (1 Chronicles 29:3).

And so David proclaims: “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work” (vv.11-12). These are attributes that are rarely found together. Those who hold power typically lack compassion. Others have overflowing love but lack the power to help. Only in God do we find perfect power and unfailing love acting in perfect unison. He not only longs to save us, but is strong enough to save.

Psalm 49 first expressed this truth: “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life… the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice.” Only God can save. And He has. In Christ, both power and mercy reached down to redeem us.

Waiting for God is not a retreat into despair or inaction—it is an advance into His presence. Isaiah gives us this strong promise: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength… they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).

When we are quiet before God, laying aside our arguments and our anxieties, we can hear His voice and be shaped by His Spirit. This kind of silence is not easy. Our flesh wants to defend, to explain, to retaliate. But the Spirit calls us to trust and wait, leaving things in God’s hands. We need to remember constantly that God is our judge and our vindicator. Waiting on him glorifies him.

Let us therefore be still in our hopeful faith. Let our anchor in the holy place of God’s very presence keep us quiet in trust. There our strength is renewed, and our souls restored. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence. He is our rock, our salvation, our fortress. He is our glory and our reward. God bless.