David, professing his confidence in God, discourages his enemies, 1-4. In the same confidence he encourages the godly, 5-8. No trust is to be put in worldly things, 9, 10. Power and mercy belong to God, 11, 12.
1 [To the Chief Musician, to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.]
Truly my soul waits upon God./
My salvation comes from him.
2 Only he is my rock and my salvation./
He is my defense./
I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will you devise mischief against a man?/
All of you shall be slain./
You shall be as a bowing wall and as a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellence./
They delight in lies./
They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly./
[Selah.]
5 My soul, wait only upon God,/
for my expectation is from him.
6 Only he is my rock and my salvation./
He is my defense./
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory./
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you 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./
They will be laid in the balance./
They are altogether lighter than vanity.
10 Do not trust in oppression/
and do not become vain in robbery./
If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.
11 God has spoken once,/
and twice I have heard this:/
that power belongs to God,
12 And to you, O Lord, belongs mercy./
For you render to every man according to his work.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 62[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
The greater part of this psalm is occupied with meditations, in which David encourages himself and others to hope in God, and fortifies his mind against the assaults of temptation. And as we are ever prone to be drawn away from God by the influence which worldly objects exert over our senses, perishing and evanescent as these are, occasion is taken to show the folly of this, and bring us to a single and entire dependence upon God.
[v.12] - Quoted in Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6. Reference, Proverbs 24:12; Ephesians 6:8.