Being Still In The Waiting

Waiting

Waiting is something we often struggle with. But what can be even harder is silence and stillness. King David exhibited stillness in the waiting that stands out in Psalm 62. We don’t like to wait. We “can’t wait” for that new release, for the next season of our favorite show to come back on, for our meal to be brought out by the waiter/waitress, for that first day of vacation, for payday… and even harder to enjoy silence (if you actually even "enjoy" silence). Whether it's music, the TV in the background, podcasts or youtube, it is too easy to always have something on to break silence. Those things can be good, but it is very helpful to have times of stillness. Stillness and silence will encourage your mind and heart to reflect and meditate on God.  

It is believed that Psalm 62 was written by King David in the time that he was fleeing from his own son Absalom’s revolt against him (2 Samuel 15-20). The mere fact of dealing with his son rising up against him with an army of his own in attempt to overtake his father’s throne would be devastating and hard enough. But David had to disguise himself and run for his life, leaving his throne and kingdom and responsibilities of his crown, and wait.

King David, the one long-before ordained, anointed and promised of the throne, the one long-before prophesied of a kingdom that would last forever (2 Samuel 7), finds himself running (again), hiding and in a place of waiting, seeming like he could lose it all. Evetnually, battle would ensue and that would take the lives of 20,000 men, soldiers, including the life of Absalom (2 Samuel 18). Though Absalom was revolting against David, Absalom’s death would still mean the loss of a son, his blood, his kin. David almost lost his throne, but instead lost his son.

Until the battle, David would wait. In the waiting we can grow impatient and grow full of heartbreak and hurt that can cause us to question God. It is not inherently wrong to question God, until it fosters anger and distrust of God. 

Here, the King exemplifies waiting and stillness.

In Psalm 62, verses 1 and 5 resemble each other, yet differ from each other. They correspond but speak to each other. The difference is found in the two words “truly” and “only” as well as the direction of language. 

Verse 1 expresses his current place of submission and stillness. Waiting requires stillness. And stillness is often what we have a hard time doing. We don’t like to be still. Personally, I am a pretty fidgety person. In moments of stillness, my brain is racing and it is hard to be still. Some part of my body is always moving, like my feet or legs or fingers tapping. We are so used to being on the run and on the go and having so many items filling our calendar that we don’t know what to do when there is nothing to do. We have so many notifications from our phones, computers and even our TVs. Everything is dinging and pinging, constantly calling for our attention, pulling us here there and everywhere, leaving us with no time of stillness. 

So, then, when we need to be still and wait on God, we don’t know how and we are tempted to think that God isn’t there, or He isn’t doing anything, or isn’t aware of our dire situation, He doesn’t care. 

Waiting requires stillness. Trust allows for stillness. And stillness is a good thing. When we don’t practice moments and times of stillness we will have difficulty being still in times of waiting on God. 

In verse 5, King David speaks back to his own soul of this spirit of waiting, also referring to a kind of waiting to which belongs silence, stillness. He is encouraging himself to that same disposition he just confessed. Sometimes we need to speak to ourselves and encourage ourselves to be still and to wait on God. 

David’s mind was surely racing with fear and confusion. Confusion about the situation, and maybe confusion about God’s timing. “Why hasn’t He come through and rid him of his foe?” “Why hasn’t He stepped in met his need yet?” “Why is He letting Absalom revolt against him and raise up an army to try to kill him?” "Where are you God?”

But he encouraged himself to wait and to be still. It’s as if he had to remind himself. But he could do so because he knew he could trust in God. God is his salvation (1, 2, 6, 7), his rock (2, 6, 7), his defense (2, 6), strength (6), refuge (6, 7), his glory (7). 

Stillness is the evidence of trust in the waiting. David said that truly his soul waits on God, and to his soul, to wait only on God. 

Don’t give up and take matters into your own hands. Trust. Wait. Be still.