In God alone the soul rests
“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.”Psalm 62:1-2
Reflection
Notice the word that appears and reappears in this psalm like a refrain: "TRULY", "ONLY". "My soul waiteth ONLY upon God... he ONLY is my rock." David is doing a purge — crossing off the list everything else the soul tends to seek rest and security in. It is not "I wait on God and also on my money". It is not "God is my rock, but people are too". It is ONLY God. And that little word is one of the hardest to live, because the human soul is always trying to anchor its security in several things at once — and it is precisely that dispersion that steals rest.
Think of where your soul has sought rest and security. In the bank account? It fluctuates. In people’s approval? It is fickle. In health? It is fragile. In work, relationship, recognition? All of it can collapse from one day to the next. David knew all those unstable anchors — he was a king, he had wealth, power, armies — and concluded that none of them truly sustained the soul. Only one anchor does not fail: God. To rest in anything else is to build peace on sand; to rest in God alone is to build on the rock. Resting in any other thing is peace on sand; resting only in God is peace on the rock.
And note the images David uses for God: "rock", "salvation", "defence". Rock is what does not move — firmness in the midst of the earthquake. Salvation is the rescue — the way out that comes from Him and not from us. Defence (or "high refuge") is the protection — the safe place beyond the enemy’s reach. Three images of stability for a soul tired of instability. When life shakes, the soul that rests only in God has beneath its feet something the tremor does not move. That is why David concludes: "I shall NOT be greatly moved". He does not say he will never be touched by difficulties — he says he will not be TOPPLED by them, because he is founded on what does not move.
There is a huge difference between being shaken and being DESTROYED. The soul anchored only in God still feels the shocks of life — the fright, the pain, the uncertainty — but is not uprooted, because its base is not in the circumstances that tremble. If you walk without rest, perhaps it is time to do David’s purge: identify the unstable anchors where your soul has leaned and transfer the whole weight to the one Rock that does not fail. Say to your soul what David said to his: "wait ONLY upon God". True rest does not come from having more anchors, but from having the right anchor. And it is one alone.
Prayer
Lord, my soul is tired because I have sought rest in things that tremble — money, approval, circumstances. Today I do David’s purge: I transfer the whole weight to You. You alone are my Rock, my salvation, my defence. My soul waits ONLY upon You. Steady me on what does not move. Amen.
Put it into practice
Do "David’s purge": identify the unstable anchors your soul has sought security in (money, approval, control) and, one by one, hand them to God, declaring "my soul waits only upon You". Repeat this verse to your soul when anxiety strikes.
To reflect on
In what unstable anchors has your soul sought rest — and what would change if you waited ONLY upon God?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).