July 9, 2009

• Psalm 62 – My Rock and My Salvation

  Scriptural translation and meditation of the week – Psalm 62:1-2

  Verse 1
  אַךְ אֶל-אֱלֹהִים , דּוּמִיָּה נַפְשִׁי;    מִמֶּנּוּ, יְשׁוּעָתִי.
  -Surely, (this is nothing other than the truth that) with God
  -my soul is in repose (alternate translations: still/waiting)
         – “repose” means the state of rest, peace, calm, composure (a state only derived from feeling safe/secure)
  -my salvation comes from Him.
         – “comes from” indicates “source”… i.e. the source of my salvation is God
         – “salvation” in the OT refers primarily to physical rescue (i.e. from enemies, harm, evil) though with a spiritual nuance (though there is a spiritual connotation to the idea of salvation, the psalmist did not have New Testament definitions of salvation in mind when he wrote this).

  So with God, my soul can be calm and at peace — why? — because He is my salvation.  He is my rescuer and my deliverer from harm, evils, enemies.

  Verse 2
  אַךְ-הוּא צוּרִי, וִישׁוּעָתִי;    מִשְׂגַּבִּי, לֹא-אֶמּוֹט רַבָּה.
  -Surely, He is my rock and my salvation
          – “rock” is figurative of God as support and defense of His people
  -my refuge (alternate translations: secure height/stronghold/retreat, i.e. place of safety and security)
  -I will not be shaken (alternate trans: moved/tottered/slip/be overthrown) ever (alt trans: at all — emphatic)!

  The imagery of God being a refuge – a high secure place of safety – is repeated throughout this psalm. He is “my refuge” is literally “secure height” which is interesting, since in v. 2c “I will not be shaken, ever!”, the word “shaken” can be translated “tottered” or “toppled”.  These are words that are related to being on a high plain and are also used in vv. 3-4 (totter, topple, lofty).  God is my secure height; I will not be toppled, ever!

  Verses 11 and 12 sum up the main idea of the psalm nicely.  “Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love.”  Because power belongs to God, He is able to be that refuge, shield of protection and deliverer from evil.  And because of His unfailing love, the psalmist knows that God will harness that power for him (and on his behalf), so that he can rest in the calmness and peace that is derived from a sense of security.  The imagery I see from this is that the psalmist is being suspended in protection (over a cliff, but safely) by God’s power and love. 

  The injunction to us, modern-day readers, is this:  Trust him at all times; pour out your hearts to Him (v. 8); and do what is right (v.12), for the Lord God is our Rock and our Salvation. 

  • 4:44 pm
  • 3 Comments