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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 Romans 2:6

Hebrew Bible · New Testament

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Summary

Romans echoes Psalm 62, saying divine judgment is fair and responsive to human acts. In the psalm, this expresses trust in a just order where each person is repaid for their deeds. Paul uses this language to describe universal moral accountability.

Passages

Psalm 62:12

Hebrew Bible
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

Romans 2:6

New Testament
4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! 6 He will reward each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 8 but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.
55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

References

"... a review of the Psalms makes clear that God, as judge, is righteous (Psalm 9:4), and judges with equity (Psalm 9:8). There are occasions when, as Lewis suggests, the Psalmist looks to God to vindicate him, but there are other occasions when the Psalmist recognizes that he is in the dock. God will judge the nations: “for he comes to judge the earth” (Psalm 96:13). God will also judge every person, and that is according to his covenant love (Psalm 62:12). Paul’s references to judgment parallel these aspects ..."
Iain Gibb, “Paul and the Psalms: Paul's Hermeneutic and Worldview” (MTh(R) diss., University of Glasgow, 2017), 189.

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 Romans 2:6

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