1 To the choirmaster. Upon Jeduthun. A psalm of David. Only toward God is my soul silence; from him is my salvation.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 From him truly is patience, true patience, holy patience, religious patience, right patience; Christian patience is a gift of God. For many robbers also suffer most patiently; and while not yielding and overcoming the torturer, afterwards are punished with eternal fire. The cause distinguishes the martyr from patience, or rather, from the hardness of the wicked.
Waiting on God 2 Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high tower — I will not be greatly shaken.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 "For he is my God and my savior; he is my protector, I shall be moved no more." The Son, who is from God, is our God. He is also Savior of the human race, who supports our weakness, who corrects the disturbance that springs up in our souls from temptations. "I shall be moved no more." Humanly he confesses his disturbance.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For Himself is my God and my salvation, my taker up, I shall not be moved more" [Psalm 62:2]. I know who is above me, I know who stretcheth forth His mercy to men that know Him, I know under the coverings of whose wings I should hope: "I shall not be moved more."
3 How long will you all assail a man, murdering him, all of you, like a leaning wall, a pushed-over fence?
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 "How long do you rush in upon a person? You all kill, as if you were tearing down a leaning wall and a tottering fence." Again the homily speaks out against the depraved ministers of the devil, charging them with a lack of moderation in the snares they lay.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Therefore, down from the higher place fortified and protected, he, to whom the Lord has been made a refuge, he, to whom is God Himself for a fortified place, has regard to those whom he has leaped over, and looking down upon them speaks as though from a lofty tower: for this also has been said of Him, "A Tower of strength from the face of the enemy:" he gives heed therefore to…
4 Only from his dignity they have plotted to thrust him down; they take pleasure in a lie. With his mouth each blesses, but within them they curse. Selah.
Clement of Rome · AD 99 Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 "But they have thought to cast away my price; they ran in thirst: they blessed with their mouth but cursed with their heart." The price of [humanity's redemption] is the blood of Christ: "You have been bought," it is said, "with a price; do not become the slaves of people." The soldiers of Satan planned, therefore, to make this price useless to us, leading again into slavery th…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back" (ver. 4). Conquered while they slay men yielding, by the blood of the slain multiplying the faithful, yielding to these and no longer being able to kill; "Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back." Now because a Christian cannot be killed, pains are taken that a Christian should be dishonoured.
5 Only toward God be silent, my soul, for from him is my hope.
Pachomius the Great · AD 348 And now, my child, if you take God as your hope, he will be your help in the time of your anguish; "for anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who search for him." These words were written for us, that we may believe in God and do battle, great and little, by fastings, prayers and other religious practices.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Let the martyr turn his back to the unfaithful and ungrateful flatterer: let him turn his face to the most kind giver, and attribute his suffering to God, not as if he had offered this to God of his own; but rather say: My soul will praise the Lord, let the meek hear and be glad. And when you say to him, What does it mean: My soul will praise the Lord?
6 Only he is my rock and my salvation, my high tower — I will not be shaken.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 Aliens properly so called are those who have been despoiled by some enemies or adversaries, and have then become wanderers; a thing which we indeed also endured formerly at the hand of the demons.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For Himself is my God and My Saving One, my Taker up, I will not remove hence" [Psalm 62:6]. Because "Himself is my God," therefore He calls me: "and my Saving One," therefore He justifies me: "and my Taker up," therefore He glorifies me.
7 Upon God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my refuge, is in God.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 "In God is my salvation and my glory; he is the God of my help, and my hope is in God." Blessed is one who exults in none of the lofty things of life but regards God as his glory: who holds Christ as his boast; who is able to say, according to the apostle, "But as for me, God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of Christ." Many are glorified in body, who devote their…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "In God is my salvation and my glory" (ver. 7). Saved I shall be in God, glorious I shall be in God: for not only saved, but also glorious, saved, because a just man I have been made out of an ungodly man, by Him justified; but glorious, because not only justified, but also honoured.
8 Trust in him at every time, you people; pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 Since the psalmist is conscious of the use of sincere hope in God, he invites the people to a zeal equal to his own, saying, "Trust in him, all you people; pour out your hearts before him." It is impossible for us to become capable of divine grace unless we have driven out the evil passions that have preoccupied our souls.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Hope ye in Him all the council of the people" (ver. 8). Imitate ye Idithun, leap over your enemies; men fighting against you, stopping up your way, men hating you, leap ye over: "Hope in Him all the council of the people: pour out before Him your hearts:" ...By imploring, by confessing, by hoping.
9 Only a breath are the sons of mankind, a lie the sons of man; in the scales they go up — they are together lighter than a breath.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 "But foolish are the sons of people." The psalmist knew that not all follow his instruction or permit themselves to hope in God, but that they have their hope in the follies of life. Therefore, he says, "But vain are the sons of people, the sons of people are liars." Why vain? Because they are liars. Where, especially, is their deceit proved?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Nevertheless, vain are the sons of men, and liars are the sons of men in the balances, in order that they may deceive, being at one because of vanity" [Psalm 62:9]. Certainly many men there are: behold there is that one man, that one man that was cast forth from the multitude of guests.
Fulgentius of Ruspe · AD 533 Thus to those who wish to have happiness in the goods of present things, the psalm says, "How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
10 Do not trust in oppression, and in robbery do not become empty; when wealth bears fruit, do not set your heart on it.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 He turneth therefore Himself to them, thirsting for them: "Do not hope in iniquity" [Psalm 62:10]. For my hope is in God. Ye that will not draw near and pass over, "do not hope in iniquity." For I that have leapt over, my hope is in God; and is there anywise iniquity with God?
11 One thing God has spoken; two things are what I have heard: that strength belongs to God,
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 What follows? "Once has God spoken, these two things I have heard, that power is of God [Psalm 62:11], and to You, O Lord, is mercy, for You shall render to each one after his works" [Psalm 62:12]...."Once has God spoken." What do you say, Idithun?
12 and to you, Lord, belongs loyal love — for you yourself repay a man according to his work.
Romans · AD 56 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.