“Find Rest” -- Psalm 62

“Don’t just sit there! Do something!”

In our world, idleness is frowned upon. If a person isn’t busy, they’re wasting their time. If there are things to do, then we should do them.

And there is merit to that. It seems silly to be sitting idle while work piles up. If there are tasks to do, then twiddling one’s thumbs is not the best means of getting the tasks done. The Bible speaks against idle hands and laziness.

But sometimes, it is best to sit and wait. Sit and do nothing. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are not to cast our pearls before swine. He demonstrated that truth when He stood silent before the Sanhedrin as they sought to condemn Him. Words from Him would have been wasted on them. If someone doesn’t want to hear, then no amount of words can force them to hear.

The same is true of work at times. There are times when we enter a crisis situation, and the general thought is that a crisis situation demands a strong action. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, we need to sit and let events take their course. Once we have done what we know to do, then things are removed from our hands and we have to wait.

David is in a situation in this Psalm where he is being assailed by words and deeds of those he thought were his friends. Remembering that David is a king, it’s not a surprise that there were those who were opposed to him. No matter how popular a public figure is, there will always be those who oppose him or her. Immediately after the Iraq War when our alliance drove the Iraqi army from Kuwait, polls showed President Bush was sitting at 92% favorable ratings. That means that, even when he was most popular, 8% of those polled still didn’t like him.

While David probably didn’t have pollsters and things like that, I’m sure he was aware of the unrest and disapproval that sits with being a king. A king is called upon to set policies, to make decisions and to rule and govern. Inevitably, there will be those who don’t like the policies, who disagree with the decisions, who think the government could be run better.

It is in the midst of this intrigue that David writes this psalm. He finds himself being assailed, and for once, this man of action decides the best course is to do nothing but rest in the Lord. In this psalm, David makes a clear delineation between God and man, and comes to the very clear statement that God alone is to be trusted.

Central Truth: The Sabbath rest comes from our trust in and relationship with God.

Resting in God:

1. He is our rock and salvation (1-5)

In these first few verses, David set the theme of the psalm. A man under siege needs to know where his friends are, needs to know the ones he can rely on to see him through the trying times. For David, the only answer is God.

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.” David has always been a fighter. Most of his time as king has been in fighting enemies. Now he wants to stress that the time has come not to fight, but to find solace and peace in the presence of God. Notice how David describes God: “my salvation,” “my rock” and “my fortress.” The idea is one of comfort to the king. The fortress on a rock is a secure place to withstand attacks and sieges. It will be difficult to overcome such a fortress.

In Israel, the army wears a patch that says “Never Again” with a silhouette of Masada. Masada was a tall mesa in the desert where Israelites held off the Roman legions under Trajan. The only access to the fort at Masada was a narrow winding path. The Romans finally took the fort only after they constructed a large ramp from the desert floor to the top of the mesa. The Romans entered the fort only to find that the families inside had killed themselves rather than fall into the hands of the Romans. The fort on a hill was a comfort to David, coming readily to mind from a soldier’s point of view, although it is interesting to note that in many other translations, the phrase in the NIV “I will never be shaken” is “I will not be greatly shaken.” That is, David seems to be willing to acknowledge that the difficulties may harm him to some degree, but is confident that God will see him through.

The key thing that stands out, though, is the idea that David finds his rest only in God. It is to God that David goes to find that peace of mind, that comfort, that security in times of trial and tribulation. And it is this idea of rest that God promises through the idea of Sabbath. The rest of the soul is found in that we are no longer in conflict with the Father. Our sins are forgiven—in Him we find our salvation. And that salvation brings us rest—from conflict and from worry.

As he finds his comfort and his rest in God, David turns to those who would seek to bring him down. He sees them for what they are, and while he may be disappointed, he is not surprised. To his face, they bless him, but behind his back they curse him. They are eager to see his demise. That is their plan and their goal. David knows to whom he must turn for peace and rest, and it is not the so-called friends.

It is to God alone. “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.”

1. We depend on Him (6-8)

Here the psalm returns to the theme of resting in God, only here he makes it more personal. In v. 1, he makes a declarative statement to the congregation; in v. 5, his statement is to himself—“Find rest, O my soul.” Here, he changes salvation to hope, but again refers to God as his rock and salvation.

The words David writes in these few verses are a tribute to God and to the rest that is found only in Him. In his words, David is reaffirming that the only one he can truly trust in is God. God is the rock, the fortress, the hope, the salvation. Here, though, instead of confessing that he will not be greatly shaken, he asserts that he will not be shaken at all.

In John 15:4-5, Jesus tells us, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me, you can do nothing.” Jesus’ words are a declaration that we are to be totally dependent upon Him for the works of the Spirit. If we are to be fruitful in the life God has called us to, then we must depend upon Jesus’ guidance and the Spirit’s influence. We must depend on Him.

That is an a restatement of David’s words in v. 7: “My salvation and my honor depend on God.” David has learned the truth that everything about us and our relationship with God must be centered on that relationship and that trust in Him. Everything we have of worth is dependent upon God the Father. When we walk in His ways and obey His commands, we find that our lives are above reproach and that we have honor. Our salvation is completely dependent upon Him. By His grace and mercy, the salvation that comes only through Christ the Lord is made available to us. Our salvation and our honor depend upon God.

It is because of this that David urges the congregation to also learn to trust in God. The call is to speak honestly and openly with the Father with the confidence that God who knows our hearts and our thoughts, who knows us better than we know ourselves, will be quick to be our refuge. In Jeremiah 29:13-14a, God tells us, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” It is the same promise He makes through His servant David.

When we seek the Lord with all our heart, we find the rest that comes from depending upon Him.

1. He alone is the source of loving strength (9-12)

As David comes to the conclusion of his psalm, he reminds us that people always let us down, but God never fails.

He begins with making the statement that people, regardless of their position in life, are but a fleeting breath. “If weighed on a balance, they are nothing.” He reminds us that nothing in this world is worthy of our trust, because nothing in this world will satisfy us. The words, “do not set your heart on them” is repeated by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

The psalm closes with a prayer. David states that God has spoken and that the psalmist has heard two things. First, that God is strong. Second, that God is loving. These declarations are said in the form of a prayer, words being spoken to God Himself.

God’s strength will sustain us. God’s love will direct His way with us. Because of God’s great love for us, He will always guide us in the path that will be best for us. Sometimes, that path will lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, but we can take comfort—He is there, and His great strength will protect us even in the darkest and most testing of times. Because we put our trust in Him, we will see better things.

That’s why David concludes his psalm with, “Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done.” If we seek and do God’s will, as the branch clings to the vine, then we will be fruitful and we will find rich reward from Him. We do it not for the reward, but because of our love for Him and our faith in Him. We know He loves and sustains us; therefore, we willingly follow His lead.

And in so doing, we find the rest of the Sabbath. We find rest in Him alone.

Conclusion

“Don’t just do something! Sit there!”

The words of the psalmist remind us that there are times we need to not try to do it all ourselves. Instead, we need to rest in the Lord, trusting Him to lead us, to sustain us, to love us. He is our rock, our fortress, our salvation and our hope. Embrace the rest He offers by coming into His presence and letting Him teach and guide and sustain us.