A Soul at Rest
Daily Nourishment for the Soul
Trusting God Alone
Psalm 62 is a psalm of deep trust and confident rest in the Lord. It’s a psalm for the weary, the restless, and those who need to be reminded where their salvation truly lies. The heading in my ESV Bible reads, “My Soul Waits for God Alone.” That phrase alone is enough to cause reflection. What does it mean for our souls to wait for God alone?
Lent is a season of repentance, reflection, and intentional pursuit of God. But as much as we focus on seeking after him, we must also learn to wait for him. That waiting isn’t passive but deeply rooted in trust. Psalm 62:1-2 begins with these powerful words:
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
These are the kinds of verses that anchor the soul. David isn’t looking to God plus something else - his security, his comfort, his plans, his own strength. He’s waiting for God alone. He knows that his salvation comes from God alone. He declares that God alone is his rock, his salvation, and his fortress.
That’s a statement of faith, but it’s also a statement of experience. David’s life was full of trials, battles, betrayals, and struggles - many of them due to his own mistakes. Yet, through it all, he learned this profound truth: God was his rock. His salvation. His fortress. Because of that, he would not be greatly shaken.
What Does It Mean to Wait in Silence?
The phrase “my soul waits in silence” is striking. It raises the question: What does it mean to wait in silence for God? Does it refer to patience? To trust? To shutting out the noise of the world? Perhaps it’s all of these things.
Our souls are often restless, filled with turbulence. We turn to distractions, plans, and other comforts to calm our anxieties. But David is saying that his soul has found its rest in God alone. Instead of striving for control, he chooses to wait. Instead of grasping for solutions, he trusts.
There’s something deeply countercultural about this. The world tells us to hustle, to fix our problems, to make things happen. But Scripture repeatedly calls us to be still and know that he is God (Psalm 46:10). To cast our anxieties on him, because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). To trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
David knew what it was like to be shaken. But he also knew that when his soul rested in God alone, no earthly trouble could ultimately undo him.
God Alone Is Our Salvation and Strength
David doesn’t just make this declaration once. In Psalm 62:5-7, he repeats it with renewed emphasis:
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Here, David isn’t merely stating the truth – he’s preaching it to himself, something the Puritans used to recommend for the care of one’s soul. He’s instructing his own soul to wait for God alone. He reminds himself that his hope is from God, not from his circumstances, his own efforts, or anything else.
There’s great wisdom in this. Our emotions, fears, and worries often try to pull us away from trusting God. Sometimes we must speak to our own souls - remind ourselves of what we know to be true. David is telling his own heart: “Wait for God alone. He is your rock. He is your fortress. You will not be shaken.”
This isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the confidence that comes from knowing the character of God. The same God who was faithful in the past will be faithful now.
A Fortress That Cannot Be Shaken
One of the most repeated images in this psalm is that of God as a fortress. What does a fortress do? It protects. It shields. It stands firm against attacks.
Jesus gives us a similar image in Matthew 7:24-25 when he describes the wise man who builds his house on the rock. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
When our lives are built upon the rock of Christ, we may experience trials, but we won’t be ultimately shaken. We may be tested, but we won’t be destroyed. Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Hope That Anchors the Soul
David closes this section by declaring, “On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God” (Psalm 62:7). These words aren’t just comforting; they’re essential.
Our security doesn’t rest on our own strength. Our salvation isn’t something we achieve – it’s something we receive. God alone is our mighty rock. He alone is our refuge.
This is why these words aren’t just worthy of writing on a refrigerator magnet. They deserve to be engraved in our hearts, etched into the very fabric of our lives. They’re words to return to daily, weekly, yearly - for however long the Lord gives us breath.
My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone
This psalm points us to Christ, the One who fully embodies these truths. He is the rock of our salvation. He is the fortress that cannot be shaken. He is the One in whom our hope is secure.
So, what does this psalm call us to do?
Wait for God alone - Resist the temptation to put your trust in worldly solutions. Find your security in him.
Preach truth to your own soul - When fears and doubts arise, remind yourself: “God alone is my rock, my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.”
Rest in his unshakable refuge - The world may tremble, but our God never does. Find peace in his presence.
May the Holy Spirit seal these words into our hearts and minds, that they may become a daily source of strength.
Our hope is in the Lord indeed. Thanks be to God.
Questions for Personal Reflection
In what areas of your life are you struggling to wait for God alone?
How can you remind yourself daily that God is your rock and fortress?
What does it mean for you to “not be greatly shaken” even when facing trials?
Walking Points
Take time this week to meditate on Psalm 62:1-2, 5-7. Ask God to help you trust him alone as your rock and salvation.
When fear or uncertainty arises, remind yourself of these verses. Speak them aloud as a declaration of faith.
Reflect on ways God has been a fortress in your past. Let those reminders strengthen your trust in him for the present and future.
If this devotion encouraged you, consider sharing it with others who may need the same reminder. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to Walking Points so you never miss a new post. Let’s continue growing together in faith and trust!