Waiting Quietly Before God

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms 

September 28, 2022

Waiting Quietly Before God

 

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

    for my hope is in him.

Psalm 62:5

How do you respond when faced with a challenge, crisis, or uncertainty? I mentioned a few days ago that adverse circumstances are accompanied by a crisis of belief, and what we do next reveals what we believe about God. What would a faithful response to a crisis look like?

Psalm 62: 5-7 encourages us to,

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

    for my hope is in him.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress where I will not be shaken.

 My victory and honor come from God alone.

    He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.”

This encouragement is not an invitation to do nothing. Rather, it is a call to fully gather ourselves before we do anything. This point is made by an addition to the opening statement in verse 1, ““I wait quietly before God.” In verse seven, the psalmist clarifies this statement: “Let all that I am wait quietly. . .” Recall Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God!”

In the quietness of waiting before God, we can consider both the adverse circumstances we are facing, and the assurances and promises of God. We can take time to remember that we are a child of God; this is our core identity. We can pray for wisdom and carefully consider whether our planned response to our circumstances evidences our life in Christ.

Our mortal life is influenced and led by fear, deceit, temptation to sin and condemnation, or guilt. However, while our mortal life, or flesh life as the Apostle Paul calls it, tries to lead us away from God, God continually speaks to our spirit, “Do not be afraid.” God has promised that he will never lie to us. God is not the tempter. In Christ, there is no condemnation. Patient waiting before God allows us to consider whether we are being led by the flesh, or by the Spirit of God.

My Takeaway: Quietly waiting before God does not preclude singing. May I suggest an opening hymn?

Open my eyes that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;

Place in my hands the wonderful key

That shall unclasp and set me free. 

Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready, my God, Thy will to see;

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit Divine!

Open My Eyes, That I May See

Clara H. Scott, 1895 

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.