The Word Made Fresh
(For the worship leader: accompanied by Jeduthun. A psalm of David.)
1My soul finds quiet rest only in God
who always comes to my rescue.
2Only God is my rock and my rescue,
my refuge from which I cannot be shaken.
3How long will they attack someone and batter them,
as if they were coming against a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
4All they want to do is bring some important person down.
They delight in lies. They flatter with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse.
5My soul waits for God alone, in whom rests my hope.
God is my protection, and I shall not be shaken.
6Only in God is my safety and my rescue.
God watches out for me, and I can’t be shaken.
7I rely on God to deliver me and preserve my honor.
God is my strong fortress and my refuge.
8You can always trust in God, people!
You can always pour out your heart to God, our safe haven.
9Those who are low born are no more than a breath,
and those who are high born fool themselves.
Weigh them on the scales and together they are nothing.
10Don’t think you can get away with extortion and robbery.
If wealth comes, don’t let it capture your heart.
11Once God has spoken, and twice I have heard this –
we should know that power belongs to God.
12Unwavering love belongs to you, LORD.
You repay everyone according to the kind of life they lead.
Commentary
Superscription: the 49th psalm assigned to David. Three of them mention Jeduthun (Psalms 39, 62, and 77), who was a musician in the time of David (see 1 Chronicles 16:41-42).
1-2: The psalm begins with a statement of trust in God’s protection, but there is also a hint that there is no one else who can be trusted; a sad situation.
3-4: There are people, he explains, whose sole ambition is to bring down others whom they perceive to be more prominent than they.
5-8: Who else can be trusted? Perhaps there are friends on whom to rely, perhaps not; but God is always reliable.
9-10: Wealth brings no eternal advantage; rich and poor are all the same in the end.
11-12: “Once … twice” – a common expression found often in ancient wisdom literature. It means that a thing is well attested. You can be sure that power belongs to God and, thankfully, steadfast love as well. In the end we are all judged by how we live.
Takeaway
One of the most often expressed views in the Psalms is that self-important people are not important. Rejoice in your lot, and trust that God is with you.