Psalm 27
1 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?2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Fear. Strife. Bad news. It seems like that’s all we’re surrounded by. Between the news media and social media, there is anger and fear everywhere we turn. We cannot get away. Unless, we enter His house, the House of the Lord. There, and only there it seems, we will find peace, protection and perspective.
I love this Psalm. From its very beginning, this light-loving and often fearful girl basks in a sense of calm and peace. When the armies advance, and they do advance, we seek the shelter of His House and gaze at the beauty of His Face.
I love the confidence of the psalmist, David, who exalts and worships. Faced with advancing armies, surrounding enemies, foes who bears false witness, and even the rejection of his mother and father, David recognizes the stronghold that God is. He reminds himself over and over again that the Lord is his protector and his salvation.
The Psalm ends on a hopeful note. The bad news will not win. Wait for the Lord to work. You will see the goodness of the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
And in the meantime, in the words of the beautiful hymn, by Helen Howarth Lemmel:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
