During a recent season of anxiety and uncertainty, my family began reading a Psalm aloud together each evening. For about six weeks, we read Psalm 27 together every day.
Psalm 27:1-3
I found in Psalm 27 a guide of words that acknowledge the presence of a threat but also declare truth and assert faith and hope. Verses 1-3 give us this truth: Any powers coming against the Lord’s children are ultimately powerless. We are safe, in the deepest sense of the word.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
Yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27:1-3)
The Psalmist David knew this truth not simply by conviction, but also by repeated physical experience experience as far back as his youth. Goliath had threatened his flesh. “ The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:44). But David fought Goliath in the name of the Lord — and prevailed. (1 Samuel 17). Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20 tell us that God’s sovereignty prevails regardless of the threats against us.
Psalm 27:4-6
From warfare, the Psalm moves on to devotion. Personally, these words were an important transition, moving my focus away from my fears to re-focus my heart on my Lord.
One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
And in this place of devotion and intimacy, there is both safety and glory:
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me, (Psalm 27:5-6a)
From safe shelter, our hearts respond in worship:
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord. (Psalm 27:6b)
Psalm 27:7-12
As I read through this Psalm, I notice the back-and-forth between the Lord’s actions and the Psalmist’s responses. (As someone who loves language, I like to go through the Psalm and circle the subject of each phrase and underline the verbs. Try it!).
Throughout this Psalm we have descriptions of God’s identity and His actions. He is light, salvation, a stronghold, and beautiful. He hides, conceals, and lifts up the Psalmist. Then, there are David’s responses: He does not fear; he will be confident. He asks and seeks, gazes and inquires, shouts and sings. The exchange comes to a pinnacle in this next section:
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence. (Psalm 27:7-12)
Psalm 27:13-14
And in conclusion, David focuses his heart on hope, with confident expectation of God’s goodness. In light of God’s power, sovereignty, and protection, courage is well founded.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14)
And there, at “Wait for the Lord,” is where I would rest each night after our evening reading. With those words, I left the day behind and stepped with a little more courage towards the next, in the assurance that the Lord remains my light and salvation.
Dear friends, as we move into whatever is ahead of us, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord, our light and salvation.
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