The Soul Finds Rest in God Alone

Lynn McChlery November 04, 2026 3 2

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Psalm 62: 1-2 (NIV-UK)

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken.

I find the famous picture “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” very striking, and judging by its enduring popularity, I’m not alone. The shot is real, taken on the 69th floor of the RCA building in New York during its construction in 1932. Eleven men are perched on an iron beam 840 feet up, sharing cigarettes, eating lunch, reading a paper. It brings a lurch of vertigo to normal mortals. Without safety nets or harnesses, how can they be so relaxed? Partly, it’s their utter confidence in this beam. It cannot possibly let them down. All they need to do is stay attached. (That would be the deal breaker for most of us!)

The Psalmist has similar confidence in God: “My soul find rest in God alone.” So much is coming against him that he feels he’s about to be toppled from a great height: people lying about him, false friends bringing him down. Yet his soul rests in God – or he commands it to! (Verse 5) He reassures himself by repeating his descriptions of God: my salvation, my strong fortress, my mighty rock, my refuge. His soul finds rest, not by contemplating his own weakness or his enemy’s strength. He remembers who God is and takes out a sandwich.

Our busy heads are easily preoccupied with whoever threatens our peace. How strong are they? What will happen next? How can I respond against them? That internal noise won’t let us relax. Instead, we can name who God is for us. The Psalmist’s names for God may resonate for us: rock, strength, salvation, refuge. Or maybe we can recall other descriptions that feel more apt for our situation: Father, judge, creator, shepherd. In which description of God can I find rest today?

Prayer:

All-seeing God, I bring you whatever is most troubling my mind.

All-knowing God, I remember that nothing comes as a surprise to you.

All-wise God, I recognise that you know what to do and what I should do.

All-powerful God, I thank you that you have the resources to bring a good outcome. All-loving God, I ask you to bring rest to my soul. Amen.