Add parallel Print Page Options

Trust God at all times, my people!
    Pour out your hearts to God our refuge!
Selah

III

10 Mortals are a mere breath,
    the sons of man but an illusion;(A)
On a balance they rise;[a]
    together they weigh nothing.
11 Do not trust in extortion;
    in plunder put no empty hope.
On wealth that increases,
    do not set your heart.(B)
12 [b]One thing God has said;
    two things I have heard:(C)
Strength belongs to God;

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 62:10 On a balance they rise: precious objects were weighed by balancing two pans suspended from a beam. The lighter pan rises.
  2. 62:12 One thing…two things: parallelism of numbers for the sake of variation, a common device in Semitic poetry. One should not literally add up the numbers, cf. Am 1:3; Prv 6:16–19; 30:15, 18, 21.

Surely the lowborn(A) are but a breath,(B)
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance,(C) they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion(D)
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;(E)
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.(F)

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,(G)
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;(H)
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”(I)

Read full chapter