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Psalms

About this book
Psalm 62

1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David. For God alone I patiently wait; he is the one who delivers me. 2 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended. 3 How long will you threaten a man like me? All of you are murderers, as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence. 4 They spend all their time planning how to bring their victim down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah) 5 Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me hope. 6 He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be shaken. 7 God delivers me and exalts me; God is my strong protector and my shelter. 8 Trust in him at all times, you people! Pour out your hearts before him. God is our shelter. (Selah) 9 Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air. 10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression. Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery. If wealth increases, do not become attached to it. 11 God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong, 12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. For you repay men for what they do.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 62:12 and Revelation 20:12

Hebrew Bible · New Testament

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Summary

Revelation’s description of the dead being judged according to their deeds echoes Psalm 62, which declares that each person is fairly repaid for their actions. Revelation incorporates this ethical principle into its narrative of universal judgment.

Passages

Psalm 62:12

Hebrew Bible
9 Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air. 10 Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression. Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery. If wealth increases, do not become attached to it. 11 God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong, 12 and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love. For you repay men for what they do.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

Revelation 20:12

New Testament
11 Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.
92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

"... The Old Testament and Judaism stressed that God was righteous and would reward his people (e.g., Genesis 15:1; Psalm 18:20; 19:11; Isaiah 49:4; 4 Ezra). That God would give each person according to his or her works was also Old Testament teaching (e.g., Psalm 62:12; see Revelation 20:12) ..."
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2nd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2014), 776.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Psalm 62:12 and Revelation 20:12

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