Psalm 62:11

Let us go to Psalm 62. This psalm consists of a series of comparisons in regards to where can one in trouble turn to for salvation or relief from the problem, difficulty, pressure, tribulation, or trial that one happens to be going through? And the comparison is between God and man—in terms of who can save. The statement that we are going to read does not apply directly, in context of this sermon, but the principle does apply.

Brethren, much of our faith hangs on this verse. We believe, and we conduct our lives in the way that we do, because we believe that Power—despite all that we are able to see with our eyes. That is, the mighty mass of power of the nations with their nuclear weapons, and rockets, and million-man armies, and tanks, and planes—all of those things by which they can make war; all of those things by which they can subjugate peoples to bring about their designs, whatever they might be.

I think that you understand that in terms of religious persecution, it has always been "the power of religion" that has gotten hold of the power of the civil government that has effected the persecution against those who are the true worshippers of God. As it has been in the past, it will be in the future as well. So the power of religious government is there, and the power of civil government is there also. But the psalmist wants us to understand that the real power belongs with God. We may not be able to see Him, but our faith is in our belief of that.

I think that there is in all of us the tendency to think that he who has the power, governs. Or, another way of saying it might be—He who governs has the power. This verse is showing us that God's power is over everything earthly. Consequently, nothing takes place without Him, and whatever is opposed to His governance must, sooner or later, give in to His will.

Psalm 62:11-12

This is the part where the second section of that structure comes in. Now he turns to talking directly to God, and he declares here in the first line that he understands that God is the only one with true power. That makes a big difference. His enemies thought they had power. They thought that they could overthrow David. They thought that if they did their conspiracy or their whisper campaign or whatever that they could take him off the throne and replace him. But David dispels that. He says, "No. The only real power in this world is God. He alone has true sovereignty."

And then he goes on in verse 12 to show that one of the ways He shows His power most obviously in the world is through His judgment, through His position as righteous Judge. So He renders to one justice and to another mercy. The word here is chesed, that lovingkindness, that covenant love, and he is showing that there are two sides. God shows His power on the one hand against those who deserve justice because of the way they treated their fellow man, or specifically in this case, he is talking about how they treated David. But on the other hand, He also uses His judgment to show mercy, kindness, love, to those whose side He is on—because they are on His side and they are working together in this covenant relationship.

And so, what you get out of these two verses is that David is saying, "Look, God holds all the cards. Just get that through your thick skull. God is the one with all the power even though the people out in the world don't think that it's the truth. It's reality that God is the only legitimate power. Power belongs to Him. He has it and He could give it or withhold it at His discretion."

Psalm 62:11

We could spend a great deal of time showing what the Holy Spirit is. Psalm 62:11 says that "power belongs to God." It is saying that in the context of a person going through trials. We have a natural tendency to turn in every direction to reach out to other people, come up with solutions, to have the power to solve that problem, but the psalmist tells us God is the source of salvation. That is where the power to save in a right and good way resides.