My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
Parallel translations
- WEB My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him.
- BSB Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
- NKJV My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
- NASB ¶My soul, wait in silence for God alone, For my hope is from Him.
- NLT Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David urges his own soul to wait in silence for God alone, his only hope. It is a self-exhortation to renewed, patient trust.
Overview
David preaches to himself, calling his soul to rest quietly in God as his sole expectation. The repetition from the opening verse deepens his resolve amid the threat. This practice of addressing one's own heart toward faith is a wise pattern for believers facing fear and uncertainty.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Mic 7:7Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
- Ps 27:13–14I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
- Lam 3:24–26The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
- Ps 42:11Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
- Ps 71:5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
- Ps 103:1–2Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
- John 6:67–69Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
- Ps 104:1Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
- Ps 104:35Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
- Ps 43:5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
- Phil 1:20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
- Ps 37:34Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
- Ps 146:1Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
- Hab 2:3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
- Ps 62:1–2Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
- Jer 17:17Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
- Ps 42:5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
- Ps 39:7And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
- Zeph 3:8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 62:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.