Introduction to Psalm 62
Psalm 62 text: 'my soul finds rest in God alone' and silence
Psalm 62 is dominated by a characteristic Hebrew particle: akh (alone, only, certainly), which recurs six times (vv.2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10) and gives the psalm its tone of exclusivity. It opens with the programmatic verse: akh el-Elohim dumiyyah nafshi mimennu yeshu'ati — "my soul finds rest in God alone, from him comes my salvation" (Ps 62:2). The term dumiyyah (silence, quiet, rest) indicates not an absence of words but inner serenity — the psalmist's soul ceases to be agitated only in God's presence.
The exclusive akh of Psalm 62 is theologically dense: it means that no one else can be the source of true salvation. Verse 6 repeats this with a variation: akh le-Elohim dommi nafshi ki mimennu tiqvati — "rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from him" (Ps 62:6). The difference between v.2 and v.6 is that the first is a statement (dumiyyah — silence), the second is an imperative (dommi — be still). The psalmist first describes his state, then exhorts himself to maintain it. Mishnah Berakhot 5:1 establishes: ein omdin le-hitpallel ela mi-tokh koved-rosh — "one does not stand to pray except with a weighty earnestness." The inner silence of Ps 62:2 is the classical model of Tannaitic koved-rosh.
| Verse (MT) | Key Hebrew term | Theological meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 62:2 | akh el-Elohim dumiyyah nafshi (אַךְ אֶל־אֱלֹהִים דּוּמִיָּה נַפְשִׁי) | My soul finds rest in God alone |
| Ps 62:3 | akh hu tzuri vi-yshu'ati (אַךְ הוּא צוּרִי וִישׁוּעָתִי) | He alone is my rock and my salvation |
| Ps 62:9 | bittchu vo be-khol-et am (בִּטְחוּ בוֹ בְכָל־עֵת עָם) | Trust in him at all times, O people |
| Ps 62:10 | akh hevel benei-adam (אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי־אָדָם) | Surely the children of men are only a breath |
| Ps 62:12 | achat dibber Elohim shtayim-zu shamati (אַחַת דִּבֶּר אֱלֹהִים שְׁתַּיִם־זוּ שָׁמָעְתִּי) | Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this |
Psalm 62 commentary: 'surely the children of men are only a breath' and vanity
Verse 10 takes up one of the themes dearest to Hebrew sapiential literature: akh hevel benei-adam kazav benei-ish be-mozenayim la'alot hemmah me-hevel yachad — "surely the children of men are only a breath, the children of man are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath" (Ps 62:10). The term hevel (breath, vapor, vanity) is the one that opens Kohelet (havel havalim) and is used in Ps 62 in a similar sense: the person who trusts in themselves, in their own resources or efforts, is essentially empty.
Verse 11 continues: al-tivtechu va-osheq u-va-gazel al-tehbalu chayil ki-yanuv al-tashitu lev — "put no confidence in oppression, set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them" (Ps 62:11). The two temptations are: acquisitive violence (osheq and gazel) and attachment to wealth (chayil). The psalmist exhorts not to set the heart (lev) on riches, a phrase that will become proverbial. Mishnah Avot 4:1 cites Ben Zoma: eizehu ashir? ha-sameach be-chelqo — "who is rich? The one who is satisfied with his portion." True Tannaitic wealth is contentment, not accumulation. Ps 62:11 is a classic scriptural foundation of this rabbinic and Christian spiritual attitude.
Psalm 62 explanation: 'once God has spoken; twice have I heard this'
Verse 12 contains a formula of didactic teaching typical of biblical wisdom: achat dibber Elohim shtayim-zu shamati ki-oz le-Elohim — "once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God" (Ps 62:12). The one-two structure is typical of the numerical rhetoric of biblical wisdom (cf. Prov 6:16, Prov 30:15-31, Amos 1-2 with the formula al shloshah pish'ei... ve-al arba'ah). The psalmist declares that from a single divine word he has learned two things: (1) power belongs to God (oz); (2) hesed (steadfast love) belongs to God (v.13).
The two declarations are complementary: divine power without steadfast love would be terror; steadfast love without power would be weakness. Only the union of oz and hesed constitutes the true portrait of God. Mishnah Avot 5:18 contains a similar structure of spiritual enumeration: three things are characteristic of the disciples of Balaam, three things of the disciples of Abraham. Tannaitic wisdom knows this numerical rhetoric and Ps 62:12 is its classic model. The traditional Jewish explanation of Psalm 62 sees in this verse an example of how from a single divine revelation an articulated sapiential teaching can be derived. The psalm closes with the declaration of v.13: u-le-kha Adonai chased ki-atta teshallem le-ish ke-ma'asehu — "and to you, Lord, belongs hesed, for you repay each person according to his work," thus uniting steadfast love and retributive justice.