The Meaning of Psalms 62:5 Explained

Psalms 62:5

KJV: My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

YLT: Only -- for God, be silent, O my soul, For from Him is my hope.

Darby: Upon God alone, O my soul, rest peacefully; for my expectation is from him.

ASV: My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My soul,  wait  thou only upon God;  for my expectation  [is] from him. 

What does Psalms 62:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 62:1-12 - Our Only Rock And Refuge
This is the "Only" Psalm. It consists of three stanzas, each of which begins with that word and ends with Selah. It was probably composed during Absalom's rebellion.
Waiting, Psalms 62:1-4
They who wait for God, and God alone, cannot wait in vain. Though ringed around by men who hide their malice under specious words, the soul is not greatly moved. Their ring-fence of hate totters to its fall, but the inner wall of God's care is steadfast.
Silence, Psalms 62:5-8
Wait here, and in Psalms 62:1, may be rendered "is silent," "be silent." There are times when God seems so near that we cannot speak aloud, but are just silent before Him and breathe out our thoughts and desires.
Not disappointed, Psalms 62:9-12
Men and money are lighter than air, but God endures. His performances, unlike man's, weigh heavier than His promises. They who trust Him will be satisfied with an abundance of power and mercy, which are open to the poorest, but which gold can never buy. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 62

1  David, professing his confidence in God, discourages his enemies
5  In the same confidence he encourages the godly
9  No trust is to be put in worldly things
11  Power and mercy belong to God

What do the individual words in Psalms 62:5 mean?

Alone for God wait silently My soul for from Him my expectation [is]
אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּי־ מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי

אַ֣ךְ  Alone 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
לֵ֭אלֹהִים  for  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
דּ֣וֹמִּי  wait  silently 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: דָּמַם 
Sense: to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb.
נַפְשִׁ֑י  My  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ  from  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
תִּקְוָתִֽי  my  expectation  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תִּקְוָה 
Sense: cord.