Finding Rest in God ALONE

 Psalms 62:1-2 (NIV)

[1] My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

[2] He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Vs. 5-8

[5] Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

[6] He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

[7] My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

[8] Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

How many times do you see the word “ALONE” in this psalm?  Psalm 62 is a song of rest - a rest that is found in total trust in God.  

First, in verse 1 and 2 David sets the foundation and proclaims that his soul finds rest in God ALONE.  He ALONE was his hope, his salvation.  It was God ALONE who was his Rock, his Fortress, and in Him he would not be shaken.  This is what David believed.

Then in verses 5 to 7 David seems to speak to himself - “find rest, O my soul, in God ALONE”.  Even with his right understanding of who God it seems David still had a heart that wandered off, and he had to remind himself, his soul, that he should find rest in God alone.

And so David called upon the people to call upon the Lord with him, in verse 8 - “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

David believed that in God alone he would find rest.  He knew that his heart would still wander and find rest in other things, and so he needed to remind himself to trust God, to pour out his heart to Him.

Does God stand alone in our soul?  Or does He stand with other people, other things?  In our hearts do we believe that our Sovereign God alone can give us rest?  One of the reasons why there are so many of us who are not at rest during this pandemic is that God does not stand alone in our hearts, He still shares that position with other people and things.  If that is the case, then He is not our Lord.  And if He is not our Lord, we have no rest.  We will still be shaken.

The reason many of us have no rest, no peace, is because we still believe that rest comes from a number of sources, God just being one of them.  Our hearts still depend on other people, other things, to give us rest.  We’re waiting on a better government, a better system, better decisions.  We’re waiting on better circumstances, for a vaccine to come, we’re waiting for life to go back to normal, before we can rest.

Our souls do not find rest in God alone.  Therefore, we are shaken.

Our hearts must proclaim, just as David did, that our rest is in God ALONE.  That He ALONE is our rock, our fortress, and that in Him alone do we take refuge.  Then, and only then, can we REST.

And with this belief, that He stands alone in our hearts, do we seek Him everyday?  Even if we do believe that God stands alone in our hearts, we need to remind ourselves to trust Him, we need to refresh ourselves with His Word.  We need God Himself to refresh us with His presence.  If God alone is our refuge, then we will cry out to Him everyday, proclaim our trust, and from that gain the rest that we so need.

The reason there are many of us who are still not at rest is that we’re spending more time watching the news, looking at statistics - how many have the virus, how many are dying, how many are recovering.  We’re spending more time criticizing the government, complaining about the steps they are taking, rather than spending time with God.  We are more consumed by what the world is saying (which is full of contradictions and lies) rather than God’s Word which continually assures us of who He is, and what His promise is.

Let’s settle the matter in our hearts.  Does our soul find rest in God alone?  Do we remind our soul everyday of this truth?  Does this belief move us to pour out our hearts to Him, trust Him, and rest in Him?

Or are we still trusting in other people, in circumstances, to give us this rest?

John 14:27 (NIV)  [27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.