Psalm 62 is a psalm of quiet, unshakable trust: “Shall not my soul be subject to God? for from him is my salvation. For he is my God and my saviour: he is my protector, I shall be moved no more.” Modern translations render its opening “In God alone is my soul at rest.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 61. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 62 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David.
Shall not my soul be subject to God? for from him is my salvation.
For he is my God and my saviour: he is my protector, I shall be moved no more.
How long do you rush in upon a man? you all kill, as if you were thrusting down a leaning wall, and a tottering fence.
But they have thought to cast away my price; I ran in thirst: they blessed with their mouth, but cursed with their heart.
But be thou, O my soul, subject to God: for from him is my patience.
For he is my God and my saviour: he is my helper, I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: he is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.
Trust in him, all ye congregation of people: pour out your hearts before him. God is our helper for ever.
But vain are the sons of men, the sons of men are liars in the balances: that by vanity they may together deceive.
Trust not in iniquity, and cover not robberies: if riches abound, set not your heart upon them.
God hath spoken once, these two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God,
And mercy to thee, O Lord; for thou wilt render to every man according to his works.
Psalm 62 or Psalm 61?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 61 is Psalm 62 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Nonne Deo subiecta erit anima mea. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- Rest in God alone: the soul finds peace by entrusting itself completely to God.
- Unmoved: with God as protector, “I shall be moved no more.”
- “Pour out your hearts before him”: honest prayer, holding nothing back.
- Riches are not security: “if riches abound, set not your heart upon them.”
- Power and mercy: “power belongeth to God, And mercy to thee, O Lord.”
How the Church uses Psalm 62
- At Mass on the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A): “Rest in God alone, my soul.”
- In the Liturgy of the Hours.
- For anxious and restless hearts, as a prayer of trust. See psalms for anxiety.
A prayer with Psalm 62
Written for this page:
Lord, in you alone my soul finds rest; from you comes my salvation.
You are my rock and my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
I pour out my heart before you: take my worries and my cares.
Let me trust not in riches or in people, but in your power and your mercy. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “My soul finds rest in God alone”?
Psalm 62:2 in modern Bibles (61:2 in the Douay-Rheims: “Shall not my soul be subject to God? for from him is my salvation”).
What is Psalm 62 about?
Quiet trust in God as the only secure rock, in the face of enemies and false security.
More psalms and prayers
- Psalm 55 (Cast your burden on the Lord)
- Psalm 61 (Hear my cry, O God)
- Psalm 46
- Psalm 23
- Psalms for anxiety
- Catholic prayer for anxiety
- How many psalms are there?
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 61 (62), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.