Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 4: Psalms 60–80

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Psalm 62 with Augustine – The Justice of God Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him (v. 8), by imploring, by confessing, by hoping. Do not hold back your hearts. What you pour out does not perish. For God is our refuge. If He protects us, why do you fear to pour out? “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” (Ps 55:22). What do you fear among whisperers, slanderers hateful to God, where they are openly attacking, where they are secretly lying in wait, falsely praising, truly in conflict, what do you fear of them? God is our refuge. Do they equal God? Are they stronger than He? God is our refuge, do not worry. Do not trust in extortion (v. 10), for my hope is in God. Or put vain hope in stolen goods. You are not rich. But will you rob? What do you find? What do you lose? O losing gains! You find money, you lose righteousness. Therefore, you proud and lying people, neither rob, nor set your heart upon riches. No longer love pride, or seek lying. Do not set your heart on them. For “blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.” (Ps 40:4) You who would deceive, you who would commit fraud, what do you bring in order to cheat? Deceitful scales, in order to cheat. Do you not know that one person weighs, but Another judges the weight? He does not see who you weigh for, but he sees the one who weighs you and him. Therefore do not wish for fraud or robbery any longer, nor those things for which you have hoped. Fear is not the enemy. What fear does, he has been empowered to do. Fear the one who does what God wills, and who does nothing unjustly. We might suppose something or other to be unjust. If God has done it, believe it to be just.