the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Psalms 62:11
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God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you;
God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God:
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this, That power belongs to God.
God has said this, and I have heard it over and over: God is strong.
God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] to God.
God has spoken once, Twice have I heard this, That power belongs to God.
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
God spak onys, Y herde these twei thingis, that power is of God, and, thou Lord, mercy is to thee;
God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God,
I heard God say two things: "I am powerful,
God hath spoken once, Twice have I heard this, That power belongeth unto God.
Once has God said, twice has it come to my ears, that power is God's:
Don't put your trust in extortion, don't put false hopes in robbery; even if wealth increases, don't set your heart on it.
Once hath God spoken, twice have I heard this, that strength [belongeth] unto God.
Trust not in oppression, and put not vain hope in robbery;
God hath spoken once; twice haue I heard this, that power belongeth vnto God.
God has spoken once. I have heard this twice: Power belongs to God.
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
God spake once or twise, I haue heard it, that power belongeth vnto God,
God has said this once; twice have I heard this; that power belongs unto God.
More than once I have heard God say that power belongs to him
One thing, hath God spoken, Two things, there are which I have heard, That, power, belongeth unto God;
(61-12) God hath spoken once, these two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God,
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God;
The Lord spake it once, [but] I haue hearde it twise, that power and mercy belongeth to thee O Lorde God:
God has spoken once, and I have heard these two things, that power is of God;
God has spoken once;I have heard this twice:strength belongs to God,
God has spoken once, Twice have I heard this, That power belongs to God.
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that strength belongs to God.
God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God;
Once hath God spoken, twice I heard this, That `strength [is] with God.'
God spake once a worde, twyse haue I herde the same: that power belongeth vnto God.
God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes Straight from God."
God has spoken once; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;
God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.
Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God;
Once God has spoken;Twice I have heard this:That strength belongs to God;
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
spoken: Job 33:14, Job 40:5
power: or, strength, Psalms 68:34, Psalms 68:35, Isaiah 26:4, Matthew 6:13, Matthew 28:18, John 19:11, Revelation 19:1
Reciprocal: Exodus 3:4 - Moses 1 Chronicles 29:12 - power 2 Chronicles 20:6 - in thine hand 2 Chronicles 25:8 - God hath power Job 4:12 - a thing Job 9:19 - he is strong Job 33:13 - giveth not account Job 37:23 - excellent Psalms 59:9 - his strength Psalms 66:7 - ruleth Psalms 89:13 - a mighty arm Proverbs 18:11 - General Daniel 2:20 - for wisdom Daniel 2:37 - power Nahum 1:3 - great Matthew 19:26 - but Luke 8:32 - besought Romans 13:1 - there 1 Corinthians 3:6 - God Revelation 18:8 - for
Gill's Notes on the Bible
God hath spoken once,.... One word of his is more to be confided in, and depended on, than all the men and things in the world. The meaning is not that God hath only spoke once; he has spoke often; he spoke all things out of nothing in creation; he spoke all the words of the law at Mount Sinai; he spoke by the prophets under the Old Testament dispensation, and by his Son in the last days, and still by the ministers of the Gospel: but the sense is, that what God has once spoken stands; it is irreversible and immutable; it is firm, sure, and unalterable; he does not repent, he cannot lie, nor will he alter the thing that is gone out of his lips; and therefore his word is to be trusted to, when men of high degree are a lie;
twice have I heard this; that is, many times, as Kimchi explains it: the Targum refers this, and the preceding clause, to the delivery of the law:
"one law God spake, and twice we heard it from the mouth of Moses the great scribe;''
but the meaning is, that the psalmist had heard of two things, and was well assured of the truth of them, and which were the foundation of his trust and confidence; one is mentioned in this verse and the other in
Psalms 62:12; the first is,
that power [belongeth] unto God; great power, even almighty power, as appears from the creation of all things out of nothing, the preservation of them in their beings, the government of the world, the redemption of his people by Christ, the work of grace upon their hearts by his Spirit, the perseverance of the saints, their deliverance from their enemies, and the destruction of them. The ancient Cabalists n among the Jews have endeavoured, from this passage, to establish a Trinity in unity, they speak of
"three superior "Sephirot", or numbers; and of them it is said, "God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this": once and twice, lo, the three superior numbers, of whom it is said, one, one, one, three ones; and this is the meaning of "God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this; this" in it makes them one.''
n Tikkune Zohar, Correct. 38. fol. 82. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this - This repetition, or this declaration that he had heard the thing repeated, is designed to give emphasis to what was said, or to call attention to it as particularly worthy of notice. See the notes at Job 33:14. Compare Job 40:5. The sentiment here is particularly important, or is deserving of special attention, because, as the psalmist had shown, all other resources fail, and confidence is to be placed in nothing else for that which man so much needs; neither in people, whether of low degree or high Psalms 62:9; not in oppressive acts - acts of mere power; not in plunder; not in wealth, however acquired, Psalms 62:10.
That power belongeth unto God - Margin, strength. The idea is, that the strength which man needs - the ability to defend and to save him - is to be found in God. All else may fail, but the power of God will not fail. The result of all, therefore, should be to lead us to put our trust in God alone.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 62:11. God hath spoken once — God has once addressed his people in giving the law on Mount Sinai. The Chaldee translates the whole passage thus: "God hath spoken one law, and twice have we heard this from the mouth of Moses the great scribe, that strength is before God: and it becomes thee, O God, to show mercy to the righteous; for thou renderest to man according to his works."
Twice have I heard this — Except some of the ancient Versions, almost every version, translation, and commentary has missed the sense and meaning of this verse. I shall set down the text: אחת דבר אלהים שתים זו שמעתי achath dibber Elohim; shetayim zu shamati; of which the true version is this: Once hath God spoken; these two things have I heard. Now what are the two things he had heard?
1. כי וז לאלהים ki oz lelohim, "That strength is the Lord's;" that is, He is the Origin of power.
2. ולך אדני חסד ulecha Adonai, chased; "and to thee, Lord, is mercy;" that is, He is the Fountain of mercy.
These, then, are the two grand truths that the law, yea, the whole revelation of God, declares through every page. He is the Almighty; he is the most merciful; and hence the inference: The powerful, just, and holy God, the most merciful and compassionate Lord, will by and by judge the world, and will render to man according to his works. How this beautiful meaning should have been unseen by almost every interpreter, is hard to say: these verses contain one of the most instructive truths in the Bible.
ANALYSIS OF THE SIXTY-SECOND PSALM
The intent of this Psalm is to teach men to trust in God; and not to trust in wealth, or strength, nor in the power or promise of men.
It may be divided into the five following parts: -
I. David's confidence in God, Psalms 62:1-2.
II. The mischievous but vain attempts of his enemies, Psalms 62:3-4.
III. He encourages himself and others in the same confidence, Psalms 62:5-9.
IV. That no trust is to be put in men, nor riches, Psalms 62:9-10.
V. The grounds of our confidence in God, Psalms 62:11-12.
I. In the first verses David expresses, or rather labours to express, as appears by his frequent repetition of the same thing in divers words, his trust, hope, and confidence in God: -
1. "Truly, my soul waiteth upon God." I acquiesce in his will.
2. "From him comes my salvation." If I be safe in my greatest troubles, it is from him.
3. "He only is my rock, and my salvation; he is my defence so that I shall not greatly be moved." He is to me what a rock or tower or defence is to such as flee to them.
II. And upon this he infers that the mischievous attempts of his bitterest adversaries are but vain; with them he expostulates; them he checks, and over them he insults.
1. "How long will ye imagine mischief against a man?" i.e., me. He chides their obstinacy.
2. "Ye shall be slain all of you;" and their ruin he declares by a double similitude; "Ye shall be as a bowing wall;" whence when some stones begin to start out or fall, the rest follow: or as a tottering fence, that is easily thrown down.
Next, by the description of their manners, he intimates the cause of their ruin.
1. "They only consult to cast him down from his excellency;" their counsel is to destroy David.
2. "They delight in lies;" invent lies and tales to destroy him.
3. Flatterers and dissemblers are they: "They bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly;" no wonder then, if destined to the slaughter, "if they be as a broken wall," c.
III. And lest his heart faint and fail through the multitude of temptations, he first encourages himself to be confident still. Secondly, persuades others to do so.
1. He encourages himself, making use of the words of the first and second verses for reasons: "My soul, wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him: he only is my rock, and my salvation; he is my defence, I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation, and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God."
2. He exhorts others to do the like: "Trust in him, ye people," which he amplifies: -
1. By assignation of the time: "Trust in him at all times:" in prosperity, that he be not secure; in adversity, that he be not heartless.
2. And in our saddest occasions he shows what is to be done, that we bring our grievances and complaints before God, and with an honest heart open them: "Pour out your heart (that is, the griefs of your hearts) before him."
3. Adding this reason: "God is a refuge for us."
IV. So are not other things; whether, 1. Men. 2. Wealth, especially unjustly got.
1. Not men; there is no credit or trust to be put in them of any degree. 1. "Surely men of low degree are vanity," 2. "And men of high degree are a lie." The low are not able; the high deceive our hopes.
"Put them into the balance; they are altogether lighter than vanity." Make trial of them, as of things in a scale, and you shall find them so vain and light that they carry no proportion to what is weighty, but ascend as an empty scale.
2. Nor wealth, nor riches; especially if unjustly heaped together: "Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them."
V. In the close, he sets down the grounds of his confidence, taken upon God's word: "God hath spoken; twice have I heard the same;" or, "I have heard these two things:" -
1. "That power belongs to God;" and there fore he is to be trusted.
2. "That mercy belongs to God;" and therefore, also, you may have the utmost confidence in him.
The consequence of both is, "Thou renderest to every one according to his works," bonis vera, malis mala: rely upon him. Bad work cannot have good wages; good work cannot have bad wages. "What a man soweth, that shall he also reap." "The righteous shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools." A man may deserve hell by a wicked life; but he cannot merit heaven by a good life because he cannot do good but through the grace of God, and the merit of the work belongs to the grace by which it was wrought. Reader, hear God's sentence on this subject: "The wages of sin is death." This is desert. "But the gift of God is eternal life." Here is no desert, for it is "by Jesus Christ our Lord." To him be glory for ever. Amen.
