Psalm 62

Psalm 62
"Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation."
Verse 5 in German, "My soul is still in God", on a gravestone
Other name	Psalm 61 (Vulgate) "Nonne Deo subiecta erit anima mea"
Language	Hebrew (original)

This article is about Psalm 62 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 62 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 63.

Psalm 62
← Psalm 61 Psalm 63 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 62 is the 62nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 61. In Latin, it is known as "Nonne Deo subiecta erit anima mea". The psalm offers a warning not to let one's power erode one's trust in God.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. Verse 12 is quoted in the New Testament.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־יְדוּת֗וּן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃‎	For the Leader; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
2	אַ֣ךְ אֶל־אֱ֭לֹהִים דּֽוּמִיָּ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעָתִֽי׃‎	Only for God doth my soul wait in stillness; From Him cometh my salvation.
3	אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹא־אֶמּ֥וֹט רַבָּֽה׃‎	He only is my rock and my salvation, My high tower, I shall not be greatly moved.
4	עַד־אָ֤נָה ׀ תְּה֥וֹתְת֣וּ עַל־אִישׁ֮ תְּרָצְּח֢וּ כֻ֫לְּכֶ֥ם כְּקִ֥יר נָט֑וּי גָּ֝דֵ֗ר הַדְּחוּיָֽה׃‎	How long will ye set upon a man, That ye may slay him, all of you, As a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
5	אַ֤ךְ מִשְּׂאֵת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֥עֲצ֣וּ לְהַדִּיחַ֮ יִרְצ֢וּ כָ֫זָ֥ב בְּפִ֥יו יְבָרֵ֑כוּ וּ֝בְקִרְבָּ֗ם יְקַֽלְלוּ־סֶֽלָה׃‎	They only devise to thrust him down from his height, delighting in lies; They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah
6	אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּֽי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃‎	Only for God wait thou in stillness, my soul; For from Him cometh my hope.
7	אַךְ־ה֣וּא צ֭וּרִי וִישׁוּעָתִ֑י מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י לֹ֣א אֶמּֽוֹט׃‎	He only is my rock and my salvation, My high tower, I shall not be moved.
8	עַל־אֱ֭לֹהִים יִשְׁעִ֣י וּכְבוֹדִ֑י צוּר־עֻזִּ֥י מַ֝חְסִ֗י בֵּאלֹהִֽים׃‎	Upon God resteth my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
9	בִּטְח֘וּ ב֤וֹ בְכׇל־עֵ֨ת ׀ עָ֗ם שִׁפְכֽוּ־לְפָנָ֥יו לְבַבְכֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים מַֽחֲסֶה־לָּ֣נוּ סֶֽלָה׃‎	Trust in Him at all times, ye people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
10	אַ֤ךְ ׀ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי־אָדָם֮ כָּזָ֢ב בְּנֵ֫י־אִ֥ישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִם לַעֲל֑וֹת הֵ֝֗מָּה מֵהֶ֥בֶל יָֽחַד׃‎	Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; If they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.
11	אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ בְעֹשֶׁק֮ וּבְגָזֵ֢ל אַל־תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ חַ֤יִל ׀ כִּֽי־יָנ֑וּב אַל־תָּשִׁ֥יתוּ לֵֽב׃‎	Trust not in oppression, And put not vain hope in robbery; If riches increase, set not your heart thereon.
12	אַחַ֤ת ׀ דִּבֶּ֬ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים שְׁתַּֽיִם־ז֥וּ שָׁמָ֑עְתִּי כִּ֥י עֹ֝֗ז לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃‎	God hath spoken once, Twice have I heard this: That strength belongeth unto God;
13	וּלְךָֽ־אֲדֹנָ֥י חָ֑סֶד כִּֽי־אַתָּ֨ה תְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃‎	Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; For Thou renderest to every man according to his work.

King James Version

1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
5. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
7. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
10. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
12. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Contents

Jeduthun's name stands at the head of this psalms, along with Psalms 39 and 77. In 1 Chronicles 16:41–42 he is one of the chief singers, and his sons were gatekeepers at the tent of the Ark of the Covenant. His name is mentioned, perhaps, as a special honour.

Uses

New Testament

A phrase from verse 12, "for thou renderest to every man according to his work", which also occurs in Proverbs 24:12, is quoted in Matthew 16:27 and Romans 2:6 in the New Testament.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 12th day of the month.

Catholic Church

Until 1912, Psalm 62 was part of the Tenebrae liturgy during the Holy Week.

Silence

St. Norbet's Arts Center anchors its views on silence in verse 1, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation", from Psalm 62.

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a choral setting of a metred paraphrase of Psalm 62 in German, "Mein Seel ist still in meinem Gott" (My soul is still in my God) in 1628 as part of the Becker Psalter.

Max Reger composed a paraphrase of Psalm 62, "Meine Seele ist still zu Gott" (My soul is still towards God) as the second of two sacred songs (Zwei geistliche Lieder) in German for voice (mezzo-soprano or baritone) and keyboard (organ or harmonium or piano), Op. 105, in 1907, the other being "Ich sehe dich in tausend Bildern" on a poem by Novalis. George S. Talbot composed a setting in English, "My soul rests in God alone". In 1921, a setting of three psalm settings by Max Gulbins was published as his Op. 109. They were written for a three-part women's choir and organ, containing Psalm 62 as "Meine Seele ist stille zu Gott", and also Psalms 13 and 141. In 1937, the Danish composer Vagn Holmboe set Psalm 62 for an unaccompanied children's choir. In 2000, Stephen McManus, composed a setting for unison choir, mixed choir, oboe and organ.

"Psalm 62" is a track of the album Pages, the fifth studio album by the 2007 contemporary worship duo Shane & Shane. The Philippine composer Joel P. Navarro wrote a hymn setting in English, "My Soul Finds Rest", to a melody by Arnel dC Aquino, in 2011.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 62: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 62: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 62 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 62 according to the 1928 Psalter
• For the leader; 'al Jeduthun. A psalm of David. / My soul rests in God alone, from whom comes my salvation. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 62 – My Only Rock, My Only Salvation text and detailed commentary, enduringword.com
• Psalm 62:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 62 / Refrain: Wait on God alone in stillness, O my soul. Church of England
• Psalm 62 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 62 hymnary.org
• Charles H. Spurgeon: Psalm 62 detailed commentary, archive.spurgeon.org