Psalms 62

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

The historic background of this psalm answers to the preceding, and the occasion of both is the same. The king’s mind has attained a dignified repose in “the Rock that is higher” than he, (Psalms 61:2, comp. Psalms 62:2,) and he now more calmly surveys the scene and circumstances of the hour. The machinations of his enemies, his own firm expectation of deliverance, and the vanity of human pride and ambition, are the prolific themes of his muse. The selah divides the psalm into three equal strophes of nine lines. The first, vers. 1-4, is divided into two parts: Psalms 62:1-2, a declaration of his sole trust in God; Psalms 62:3-4, a survey of the schemes and objects of his enemies. The second, Psalms 62:5-8, of which Psalms 62:5-7 are a strong expression of his assured hope in God, and Psalms 62:8 an exhortation to the people to trust only in the same source of help: the third, Psalms 62:9-12, a warning address to his enemies; Psalms 62:9, describes the utter vanity of human ambition, even though it, for the time, succeed; Psalms 62:10, the short-lived glitter of ill-gotten wealth and power; Psalms 62:11-12, the admonition that all power belongs to God who will righteously judge every man.

TITLE:

To Jeduthun Here and in Psalms 77:0, title, it is upon “Jeduthun;” but in Psalms 39:0, title, to “Jeduthun.” Taking the preposition על , ( al,) in the sense of by or to, “Jeduthun” may here be understood as the proper name of one of the precentors of David’s choirs. 1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:3; 1 Chronicles 25:6. But the more common rendering would be upon “Jeduthun,” which would require us to understand “Jeduthun” here as the name of a choir, (so Furst,) or of an instrument.