“He (God) alone” v.2 David attracted attention and was surrounded by people. Ever since the Goliath incident and maybe ever since the day Samuel anoints David. David had seven passed-over brothers and those brothers had friends. So Samuel the prophet comes along and endangers the whole family with this anointing incident. Everybody is immediately guilty of treason. It’s hard to believe that it was kept a secret by all the sons of Jesse, the servants of David’s household and David’s parents. Maybe people didn’t put much stock in the visit after nothing seems to come of it until the day David killed Goliath. Add to those things David's other roles, such as the task of helping Saul find rest by David visiting and playing his harp. So David might be the next king, and surely people will want a piece of the David train action. After Goliath, David has a few different roles in the royal household of Saul. Upstart military leader, closest friend of the royal prince Jonathan, and royal-courtier-harp-player-crazy-king-counsellor, and he is later a would-be son-in-law to the king. David goes from being insignificant, to famous to infamous. All that is sure to attract attention. Any one of these roles would probably attract people to David. Wouldn’t it always be hard to know people’s true motives? In the same way when Jesus starts showing messiah-like signs and talking about God’s kingdom, even His disciples could not resist vying for position and power.
David and Jesus can only truly trust God because only God has pure motives and the power to help David, especially after David is the king. I’ve copied a number of verses below from John that show Jesus with a similar attitude to David in relationship to God the Father.
So now let's go back to verse one, since we have a bit more context.
“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” Psalm 62v.1
Do you see David? He is waiting in the foyer of the heavenly royal court. He is waiting on the highest authority, the King of Kings, to hear his case. He’s taken His concerns to the supreme court. And he is confident in God.
David has apparently been here before and had a good outcome with his appeal to God, so he is not shaking. David is not even worried.
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.
When someone has access to power and authority (when David is serving Saul or is king himself after the death of Saul and Jonathan) or is a known rebel (when David is running from Saul) and is taking a stand against power and authority, other people smell a shortcut and a path to their own prosperity and position. David and Jesus both suffer this loneliness of distrust (or knowing the motives of others). It is so hard to trust people. People are inherently users of other people. We need one another and that is good and healthy until it gets manipulative and dishonest. And people quite often get manipulative and dishonest.
“But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.” John 2:24
“When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” John 6:15
“I do not accept glory from men, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you.” John 5:41-42
(Matthew 9:4, Matthew 10:16-17, 1 Samuel 16:7, Acts 1:24, )
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
MAIN POINT: God determines your security and position, no one else.
Go to God and plead your case and wait.
This is what David did in Psalm 62.
This is what Jesus did in John 17.
Don’t give in to other methods of security and position.
Don’t kill to get what you want. That may sound extreme, but the Bible is full of places in the new and old testaments where we are warned against this thinking, and Jesus expands the definition to murderous thoughts and hate. So who is not guilty of trying to solve his personal problems by eliminating someone in some way. Just like Cain or really Adam and Eve eliminating God by disobeying and then hiding.
Don’t resort to slander. Really this is just character assassination and is the same as the last point. (I’ll just mention here that I know I am inconsistent in showing from the text or giving you the references here. So you fill in the blanks and set verse numbers beside points from the Psalm and add your own cross references.)
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking one position in life is superior to the other. Some people think being an ordinary worker is superior to being a rich person and others desire riches and status. These often opposing ideologies form philosophies, political parties and justify much of what happens in the world today. David says neither is of more value and ultimately will fail you. Go to God alone with your problems and your hopes.
v.10 Have a look at what David says you are not to do.
Reasons why God is the only right court of appeals.
No one is higher.
No one has more power.
No one is more stable.
No one else can save you. (Especially from God himself. Who is going to come to your aid if you have made God your enemy? Will your friends and political allies and scheming, profit-making, clever, intelligent, philosophical friends be able to help you when all of you (us) have to face God?
God’s CV/resume
God speaks clearly.
God speaks frequently.
God has power (all of it).
God is loving and He never fails to love. NEVER Fails. Never.
God is just.
God knows you.
By the way, all those points are taken from the chapter, particularly the last few verses. Can you spot them?
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.
Psalms 62:11-12 (NLT)
Conclusion:
Where do you take your problems? Who do you trust to help you? If it isn't God then you are going to be disappointed. Only God can help you. Only God can determine your security and position, no one else has the power or authority to give you any help. Only God is truly for you.
Jesus knew this truth and David knew this truth. Both of them lived and died by the fact that God was for them. Will I? Will you?
Jesus’ relationship with His Father
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. John 4:34 (ESV)
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgement is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 5:30 (ESV)
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 6:38 (ESV)
26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” John 8:26 (ESV)
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:18 (ESV)
49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” John 12:49–50 (ESV)
world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. John 14:30–31 (ESV)
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. John 15:10 (ESV)
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| Handwitten Psalm 62 |
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