Trusting God Alone, Part II
TRANSLATION
(7) On God (rests) my salvation and my honor. The rock of my strength, my refuge (is) in God. (8) Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts to him. God is a refuge for us. (Selah) (9) Surely those of low estate (are) a vapor. Those of high estate (are) a lie. In the balances they are weightless. Together they (are) a vapor. (10) Do not trust in extortion. Do not set vain hope in robbery. If riches increase, do not set your heart on them. (11) Once God has spoken. Two things I have heard, that power (belongs) to God, (12) and that to you, Lord, (belongs) steadfast love. Surely you reward each one according to his works.
OBSERVATIONS
Several repetitions occurred in this second half of the psalm. “Refuge” appeared twice referring to God’s protection (vss. 7 & 8). Two uses of “vapor” emphasized the transitory nature of our human existence (vs. 9). “Trust” was also repeated to encourage us to rely on God rather than on human schemes or efforts (vss. 8 & 10). “Heart,” occurring twice, referred to the very core of human personality from which our affections and desires arise (vss. 8 & 10). In the final two verses, God was named twice as Elohim (both in vs. 11) and once as Adonai (vs. 12). How fitting that this final repetition should direct us to place our trust in our all-powerful, all-loving God!
These six verses establish a clear contrast between God’s protection on which we should rely as opposed to that which inevitably proves false, namely human attempts to provide security. The key word, “trust,” and the exhortation, “trust in him at all times” (vs. 8), were placed in direct juxtaposition to the exhortation, “Do not trust in” the accumulation of wealth by whatever means it is attained (vs. 10).
OUTLINE
I. What we should do… (7-10)
– trust in God, our refuge. (7 & 8)
– trust not in things which pass away. (9 & 10)
II. Why we should do it: God rewards our trust. (11 & 12)
IDEA STATEMENT
God rewards those who trust in him rather than trusting in that which will soon pass away.
APPLICATION
Whenever believers suffer from natural disasters, lose their lives in accidents, become victims of crime, or die from a terrible disease, those who know them will inevitably ask, “Why does God allow his children to suffer? Could he not spare those who are his from such calamities?” David in Psalm 62 provided a convincing response to such questions. While strongly maintaining that God is both all-powerful and all-loving (vss. 11 & 12), he demonstrated that one of God’s great purposes for his children is that we learn to trust him completely in any circumstance we face. That is one good reason for allowing us to undergo pain and suffering, disasters and tragedies, so that we may learn to trust him no matter what happens in our lives and value him above everything else.
We may never fully understand why bad things happen to good people although Romans 3:10-18 reminds us that none of us is really good and 1 John 5:19 tells us that we live in a sin-cursed, Satan-controlled world where such misfortunes are bound to occur. The following truths can sustain us whatever trials come our way. First, our all-powerful God is in control and has promised to give us the strength and grace we need to endure. Second, our all-loving God will never leave us nor forsake us but will always be there to uphold and comfort us when we look to him for the help he has promised to provide.