Psalm 27 (NASB)
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.
Fearless Trust - are you kidding me?!!! WOW. This strikes me and presses into me - I was just speaking today with someone and saying that I struggle with fear (she already knew that!) and that it can be a pattern for me to hesitate in trusting God with my heart (relationally, my significance, my acceptance...). But this Psalm is a song - a crying out of One with bold adversaries, and haunting circumstances (not unlike some of us) - a song stating the facts of the situation around him (it's intense), but David begins and ends with the Lord. Which makes sense - He IS the Alpha and Omega...
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
I remember being in high school church choir and we sang some song, I have no idea which song, but this was the verse for the song - and still to this day, it is renewed in my mind to recite this verse when fear and anxiety creeps in...With the Lord as the Light (which opposes darkness..) and IN HIM there is no fear, because there is perfect love. WOW.... So, what can fear do for us? It's like David is Daring fear (the entity of sin, or the forces of the enemy) to taunt him, because David just KNOWS that the Lord is the salvation he needs.
The LORD is the [a]defense of my life;
The LORD is the [a]defense of my life;
REFUGE!
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
Well, that about sums up all those who could be "after us" ... so, what happened to them? They fell.
My heart will not fear;
My heart will not fear;
YES God, my Heart will not fear - my Spirit - which is all yours, Will not fear!
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I [b]shall be confident.
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I [b]shall be confident.
What a good image - IN SPITE OF - not "if" or "just in case" - IN SPITE OF, he David will have a postured heart. He will be confident. Confident in his standing and his position with God. Confident in His goodness.
4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
Just ONE thing?!
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the [c]beauty of the LORD
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the [c]beauty of the LORD
BEHOLD! I LOVE this word and it's meaning.
But what are WE going to BEHOLD?
But what are WE going to BEHOLD?
The beauty of the Lord.
He walks on waves, and sees us. He paints the sky and breathes shape into mountains. He orchestrates creation. And knows the details of life: our swigs of coffee during finals, daily conversations, our checking accounts, basketball games, house hunting efforts with the realtor, and negative reports from doctors...
And to [d]meditate in His temple.
And to [d]meditate in His temple.
Oh, it's a two part request... HA!
mediate. to pause. to linger. to truly consider (kristine paraphrase)
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His [e]tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock. He will.
mediate. to pause. to linger. to truly consider (kristine paraphrase)
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His [e]tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock. He will.
This is a Promise of God.
And He will not fail.
A rock is a solid territory!
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices [f]with shouts of joy;
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices [f]with shouts of joy;
Okay, so in ALL of this warr-ing and battling...He will give shouts of JOY!
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
And sing?? - shoot, when I am stressed out, I gotta say, I don't sing all that much...I ponder, or wretch, or sometimes whine....
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
And be gracious to me and answer me.
YES!
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
May be one of the most compelling and gorgeous phrases I read from King David!
I think of seeking as disciplined intention, but not frantic. intentional. aware. a choice.
9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
GOD OF MY SALVATION!
10 [g]For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the LORD will take me up.
10 [g]For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the LORD will take me up.
NOT ALONE.
he came as IMMANUEL the infant, but existed as Lord GOd Almighty too!
he came as IMMANUEL the infant, but existed as Lord GOd Almighty too!
11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a level path
And lead me in a level path
YES, please teach me. And let this teaching come to me from Your Voice, Lord!
Because of [h]my foes.
12 Do not deliver me over to the [i]desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 [j]I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
Because of [h]my foes.
12 Do not deliver me over to the [i]desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 [j]I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
GOODNESS of the LORD!
He would have despaired, but LO, the goodness of God kept him from such worries.
In the land of the living.
In the land of the living.
There is LIFE with the Lord.
14 Wait for the LORD;
14 Wait for the LORD;
WAIT for the Lord. Yes. Seek for Him in each miracle-moment. Recognize His creativity and patience and humor and goodness in all moments in Time. He is not surprised. And he does see us!
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Let your heart take courage. Yes, Spirit, let it. Courage towards Fearless Trust!
Yes, wait for the LORD.
Yes, wait for the LORD.
YES!
Footnotes:
- Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
- Psalm 27:3 Lit am confident
- Psalm 27:4 Lit delightfulness
- Psalm 27:4 Lit inquire
- Psalm 27:5 Or shelter
- Psalm 27:6 Lit of shouts
- Psalm 27:10 Or If my father...forsake me, Then the LORD
- Psalm 27:11 Or those who lie in wait for me
- Psalm 27:12 Lit soul
- Psalm 27:13 Or Surely I believed
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