Wait in Silence

Scripture Reading: Psalm 62

The English Standard Version translates both verse 1 and verse five as “wait in silence,” where other translations say only “wait” or “wait only.” “Wait in silence” seems to get at the idea of the Psalm. It is not a vow of silence. Verse 8 makes that clear when it says, “pour out your heart before him,” and verse one calls it a silence of the soul, not a silence of the lips.

The emphasis is on waiting, not speaking out too quickly. There are times where the Spirit of God, truth, and circumstances require immediate and quick responses. But too often we react without taking time to be quiet before the Lord, to seek His wisdom, to give Him space to work.

The world says, “Don’t just sit there, do something!” That’s the world’s way – act impulsively and without prayer. God’s way is to give us time to be still, fix our gaze on Him, seek out His will, and move forward in His power alone.

In verse one David proclaims, “For God alone, my soul waits in silence.” In verse 5 the phrasing is changed slightly. “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence.” He begins by saying what he was doing, but in a short span of a few verses, he has to command himself to wait in silence. There is the pull, even when we begin with waiting, to jump into the fray, to get busy, and do something when we need to patiently wait.

You may need to talk to yourself about this. When you feel that urge to speak before you have prayed or to act before you have prayed, preach to yourself: “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence.”