A Word from Psalm 62

Are you the kind of person who rests easily? When you go to bed at night, do you drift off to sleep rather quickly? Or do you tend to toss and turn? And when you try to take a nap during the day—if you try to nap during the day—does rest come? Or do you soon find yourself back up and at it? Of course, the deeper issue isn’t the ability of your body to rest—but of your mind, and heart, and spirit to rest. Do you rest easily in God?

Well, I confess that I don’t rest easily. I’ve never been able to nap. And when I try to go to sleep, my mind usually wakes up. But that’s why I find both comfort and instruction in today’s word from Psalm 62.

The psalmist begins with a beautiful description of resting in God:

“Truly my soul finds rest in God,” he says;

     “my salvation comes from Him.

Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

     He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (vs. 1-2)

But what I hadn’t really noticed until today was that this description of rest is followed by multiple things that interfere with rest. Apparently, the psalmist feels under attack in some way: “How long will you assault me” he asks. (v. 3) And later, he laments the apparent emptiness of life: “Surely the lowborn are but a breath,’ he says, “and the highborn are but a lie.” (v. 9)

And yet, right in the middle of it all, he keeps calling himself—and others—back to that bedrock conviction that peace and rest do come from the God who has proven Himself faithful:

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

     my hope comes from Him.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

     pour out your hearts to Him,

     for God is our refuge. (vs. 5, 8)

So today, may you rest in God! And even when rest doesn’t come easy, may you discover that God will keep welcoming you back into His presence, until you’re able to find peace in His unfailing love. Amen.