My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him.
Parallel translations
- KJV My soul, wait thou only upon God; 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 7:7But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- Ps 27:13–14I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.
- Lam 3:24–26“Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”
- Ps 42:11Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God.
- Ps 71:5For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh; my confidence from my youth.
- Ps 103:1–2By David. Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!
- John 6:67–69Jesus said therefore to the twelve, “You don’t also want to go away, do you?”
- Ps 104:1Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
- Ps 104:35Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless Yahweh, my soul. Praise Yah!
- Ps 43:5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God.
- Phil 1:20according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
- Ps 37:34Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
- Ps 146:1Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul.
- Hab 2:3For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won’t delay.
- Ps 62:1–2For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.
- Jer 17:17Don’t be a terror to me: you are my refuge in the day of evil.
- Ps 42:5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
- Ps 39:7Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.
- Zeph 3:8“Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “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 on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
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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.