For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
Psalm 62:5
This verse evokes lots of emotions within me and has become my challenge in practicing silence and solitude. I do not have the practice of silence and solitude all figured out. I just happen to be in a decade-long season of life where an overflowing calendar has led to an overflowing mind and an unsettled soul. So, my pursuit of silence and solitude is my very real attempt at self-care in the most superficial light and self-preservation at its core.
Before we go back to explaining why this verse just might be my personal nemesis, let’s define the practices of silence and solitude. In Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life: A Study Guide, Donald S. Whitney explains:
“The Discipline of silence is the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought. Sometimes silence is observed in order to read, write, pray, and so on. Though there is no outward speaking, there are internal dialogues with self and with God. This can be called “outward silence.” At other times silence is maintained not only outwardly but also inwardly so that God’s voice might be heard more clearly.
Solitude is the … voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes. The period of solitude may last only a few minutes or for days.”
There is room to argue that these definitions are incomplete. What about communication other than speaking? Can you practice solitude if you do not have the ability to go to a private location? I, however, selected these definitions for their clear connection to the spiritual purpose of each discipline. Silence isn’t about inner peace or creating a meditative environment. Solitude isn’t about having a time away— that’s called “vacation.” These practices are means to pursue an encounter with the Most High God. They are methods to interact with God and recalibrate your soul settings to better align with Him.
Now, back to Psalm 62, which was written by King David. It was believed to have been written around the time of 2 Samuel 17, when David’s reign was threatened by his son, Absalom, and David fled in fear for his life. The Psalm opens up with David saying, for God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation (Psalm 62:1 ESV). Now, I would be angry at the threat of being deposed and threatened by my own child. It would be virtually impossible for me to keep a silent mouth. So, a silent soul seems far-fetched under those circumstances.
What amount of humility and faith is required to silence your soul in the midst of this life-threatening upheaval? Yet, David finishes this first statement with this: from him comes my salvation. In those simple words, David anchors his faith and explains his heart. David has faith that God, who has saved him before, will save him again. He had so much faith that anxiety, questions, fears, and worries were unnecessary. He was assured of his Savior and confident that his Savior would be there for him. So, his soul could confidently and quietly exist in the midst of extended adversity and wait for God to show up. This is the challenge summed up and repeated in verse five.
You might wonder why verse five is my featured verse and not verse one. They are essentially the same, right? They are very similar, and both direct to a deeper, more settled faith. In verse five, however, there is a subtle shift that resonates with human imperfection. Verse one has more conviction and feels like a declaration of faith. Verse five, on the other hand, feels like a request of the soul. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him (emphasis added). It is almost a pep talk that hints at desperation and faltering. David doesn’t talk about salvation but hope at this point. Yes, he knows on whom he is waiting and what his Savior can do for him. Despite that, David reminds himself to put his hope in God. This is the reality of many episodes of silence and solitude for me. I might start off fairly confident in my Savior but at some point in the waiting, I might start to falter, and many reminders are needed.
Again, I am no expert in practicing silence or solitude. I spend lots of time trying to quiet my thoughts and settle my soul. I don’t always succeed in silencing my soul. My inner voice is too loud, or my soul is too unsettled for the time I have available. Regardless of the outcome of any one particular session of silence and solitude, I continue to try to practice. I encourage you to continue on the journey as well. Why? Because of the definitions of these practices. These are means of pursuing and encountering God, not just skills to learn. Christ Himself practiced these disciplines. While they don’t make you more holy or righteous, they do help to usher you into God’s presence and to navigate the demands of life as God intended. Isn’t that the underlying purpose of the followers of Christ?
