STEADINESS
Opening Prayer
Quiet my heart, Lord Jesus.
Read Psalm 62
Psalm 62[a]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.[b]
5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God[c];
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”
Footnotes:
a Psalm 62:1 In Hebrew texts 62:1-12 is numbered 62:2-13.
b Psalm 62:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
c Psalm 62:7 Or / God Most High is my salvation and my honor
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Where are the pressure points in your life at the moment? What makes you unstable?David is under pressure from people intent on bringing him down (3,4). Yet he has rest (1) and is steady (2) because he is not looking to himself, or to others, to give him what he needs. When we face trials and pressures, the temptation is to trust in our own strength or look to other people. Let’s learn from David that our security, now and forever, comes from God. Despite the lies of others (4), David knows that his honor is safe with the God who protects him (7).
Too often, we think of God as a hard taskmaster who demands that we try harder and do better, but his heart is to reward us (12; cf. Heb. 11:6), and “he does not treat us as our sins deserve” (Psa. 103:10). Though we are “but a breath” (9), his infinite power shaped by unfailing love is on our side (11).
Apply
What changes are needed in the way you think in order that you might be able to say with David, “I shall not be shaken”?
Closing prayer
Lord, help me to see any thoughts that need to be made obedient to You. I offer them to You.
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