“Trusting only in the Lord” (Ps. 62)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/21/2012 9:40:49 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                    Focus:  “Trusting only in the Lord”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                             Reference:  Psalm 62

 

            Message of the verses:  “Whether Absalom’s rebellion is the setting or not (2 Sam. 15-18), David writes this psalm while facing treason from someone.  David faces the problem of his adversaries forthrightly (vv. 3, 4), but his thoughts focus primarily on God (cf. Phil. 4:4-13).”  (John MacArthur Study Bible)

 

            “This psalm may have come out of David’s trial when his son Absalom sought the throne (vv.3-4), but it also may have been written while David was ruling over Judah in Hebron (2 Sam. 1-4). Those were difficult years as the forces of Saul tried to continue his dynasty and dethrone God’s anointed king.  (For ‘Jeduthun,’ see Ps. 39, and note how they note the two psalms parallel each other in a number of ways.)  In this psalm, David shows remarkable faith as he rests in God alone (vv. 1, 2, 5, 6) and trusts Him to defeat the enemy and restore peace to the lane.  Three powerful truths emerge from his experience.”   (Warren Wiersbe)   

 

            God Alone Saves Us (vv. 1-4):  “1 For the choir director; according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David:  My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. 3 How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence? 4 They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah.”

 

              1 For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David. I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. 3 So many enemies against one man-all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. 4 They plan to topple me from my high position.  They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.  Interlude” (NLT)

 

            I have mentioned in past SD’s how much I admire David, and when I read what the Bible tells about David’s life in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel along with 1 Chronicles I only see one part of David’s life, but when I read the psalms that David wrote that go along with the different challenges and circumstances that he went through I learn much more about who David is and why God stated that David was a man after God’s own heart.

           

            I have also mentioned that there are times when I read the commentary of Warren Wiersbe that my heart is so blessed, and many of those times when I am blessed by his commentaries is because I find myself in a situation that is helped by his words and also in this case by the words of David too. 

           

            In this first section I find myself blessed and will quote some of the things that Warren Wiersbe writes about these four verses.  First I want to point out what we find in this psalm and also in others that when David was facing troubles that his trust and faith was in God alone and that is a very important thing to remember when one is going through troubles that is to trust completely in God for the answer.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “David wants us to know that his faith isn’t in God plus something else, but in God alone.  Yes, God uses means to accomplish His work, and the same God who ordains the end also ordains the means, but our faith is in Him and not in the means.  David didn’t argue with the enemy or try to tell God what to do; he simply prayed, trusted and waited, knowing that God would give him the kingdom in His good time…The enemy could threaten him, lie about him, and even assault him, and he would not lose the peace God put in his heart.  To wait in silence before the Lord is not idleness or inactivity.  It is calm worship and faith, resting in His greatness and submitted to His will.  It is preparation for the time when God gives the orders to act (Ps. 18:30-45).”

 

            God Alone encourages Us (vv. 5-8):  “5 My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

 

            We see in verse two David writes “I shall not be greatly shaken” and then in verse six we see that David writes “I shall not be shaken.”  David’s faith and trust has grown more in the Lord as he pens this psalm.  Perhaps by just writing it and thinking of the words that he has written was that which made his faith grow more in the Lord. 

           

            When we go through difficult circumstances we find that many times we have to wait on the Lord and as we see from the first section that this waiting can be turned into worship as we seek the Lord to guide us through these difficult times and to teach us what it is that He wants us to learn.  Life is a school, a school in which there are tests and the tests are hard to pass at times.  When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances and are waiting on the Lord we should not be afraid to ask others to pray for us, for we see in 1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1 that the apostle Paul writes these words “Pray for us.”  Prayer is one of the most important things we can do.  We see in the Gospels that Jesus prayed to His Father on many occasions and when He was about to chose His apostles Jesus stayed up all night praying.  Verse eight shows us the importance of prayer in the life of David as he seeks others to trust in the Lord at all times.

           

            Dr. Wiersbe writes the following about God’s delays:  God’s delays are not God’s denials, but our impatience can be used by the devil to lead us on dangerous and destructive detours.”

 

            God Alone Rewards Us (vv. 9-12):  “9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath. 10 Do not trust in oppression And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. 11 Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; 12 And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.”

 

“9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. 10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. 11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; 12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.”  (NLT)

 

As I read this section of Psalm 62 it reminds me in many ways like something that I would read in the book of Proverbs for it speaks about what riches can do to a man and also speaks of how empty and weightless men really are without the Lord.  I believe that we can see that David had the right perspective on riches and that is that we are stewards of the Lord has given to us, for the Lord owns everything, we are not to trust in our riches, we are not to trust in the gifts of the Giver, but in the Giver of the gifts.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “How tragic when God’s people today put their trust in their wealth, positions, and human abilities and not in the God who alone can give blessings.”

 

We see in the words from the NLT “I have heard it many times” from verse eleven, speaking of how often David had heard these words and the lessons they carried were written on his hearts.  The lessons I am speaking of are about the faultiness of riches.  We are to trust in God for God is merciful and God is all powerful, so it is much better to trust in the Lord than in riches.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “No matter what people may say about us or to us, God keeps the books and one day will give sinners and saints the rewards they deserve.  ‘And each on will receive his own reward according to his own labor.’  (2Cor. 3:8)”

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I suppose that trusting in money and music that is sung in the church are two difficult problems that a believer will face in his life.  I am not saying that there are not other challenges like sickness, but it seems to me that Satan can use these two things along with sex (mostly for men) to tempt believers into not trusting in the Lord and getting off the path that He wants us to be on. 

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Remember that at times the battle is tough, and I am in need of the spiritual armor, and I must also remember that waiting is also hard, but waiting on the Lord and trusting only in Him is worship to Him.  Waiting on the Lord also produces contentment, but I must remember that all of this has to be done through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me to guide and direct me every day.

 

3/21/2012 11:07:47 AM