Psalm 27 - Confidence in the Lord Our Light

Intro

The Fourth of July is a day where we celebrate independence and freedom—It’s a blessing to live here. And while we may have political differences, we can all be thankful that God has given us the freedom to gather and worship Him openly.

That freedom is something many believers around the world still don’t have. And though the founding of our nation had a complex mix of motivations— one of the driving desires for many early settlers and founders was the freedom to worship God without government interference.

But for many people in this country, freedom didn’t really begin until almost 100 years later. It wasn’t until after generations of slavery, struggle, and injustice that they began to taste what freedom truly meant. And they had to fight for it.

One of those fighters was Harriet Tubman.

Born into slavery in the early 1800s, Harriet endured beatings, trauma, and injustice from a young age. After escaping, she chose to go back—again and again—risking her life to lead others to freedom. She had no maps. No weapons. No protection. What she had was unshakable confidence in God.

Harriet once said, “I always told God, ‘I’m going to hold steady on You, and You’ve got to see me through.’” And God did.

She made 13 missions on the Underground Railroad and led an estimated 70 men, women, and children to freedom. She never lost a single person.

She would pray before every journey. She would stop and wait when she felt danger, and move when she sensed God say it was safe.

The Lord was truly her light. Her Salvation. Her stronghold. And although I’m sure she was scared at moments, her confidence was in the Lord.

Today, we get to talk about this confidence and where it is placed. A confidence not based in circumstances or people, but a confidence in God who is our light and our salvation.

Let’s Pray

Please open your bibles to Psalm 27.

I. The Confidence (Verses 1-6)

Psalm 27:1 ESV

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?

From the very beginning of this Psalm, we get the emphasis of the entire Psalm. David expresses in verse 1 that the Lord is his Light, Life, Stronghold, and salvation. Because of this, who does he need to be afraid of? This is a confidence that is rooted in one thing and in one thing only.

The word light stands out because this is not mentioned as often as you’d think in the Psalms. The word light means: In Scripture, light represents:

God’s presence – illumination that dispels darkness.

Salvation/deliverance – freedom from danger or death.

Revelation and truth – clarity in confusion or moral darkness.

Blessing and life – health, joy, and favor.

Holiness and righteousness – what is pure and good.

Hope and guidance – direction in life’s path.

In the book of exodus, after the Israelites are delivered, they are scared and afraid. They are now in the wilderness where danger lies, they don’t know where to go, and they are in a state of uncertainty. God continues to guide them though and does so in two ways.

Exodus 13:21 ESV

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

God is with them, protects them, and guides them. They do not need to fear or be afraid for the Lord is their Light. God doesn’t leave them alone in the darkness, He goes before them and makes their paths clear.

Psalm 27:1 ESV

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?

We move forward and see the next two verses:

Psalm 27:2–3 ESV

2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

In the first three verses of Psalm 27, we see David repeat his confidence in the Lord.

In verse 1: “Whom shall I fear?” and “Of whom shall I be afraid?”

In verse 2: “It is they who stumble and fall.”

In verse 3: “My heart shall not fear… I will be confident.”

We don’t know exactly when this psalm was written, but we do know that David wrote it—and that he was a man who endured many trials. People wanted to kill him, betray him, and tear him down. Enemies literally encamped around him.

In 1 Samuel 21–24, David is fleeing from Saul, unjustly pursued, hiding in caves and wilderness places—but he still trusts God's deliverance.

In 2 Samuel 15–18, during Absalom’s rebellion, David is betrayed and surrounded by enemies from within his own household and kingdom.

And yet, in the face of all that, David still says: “I will not be afraid.”

The very people who try to rip him apart—as if to “eat his flesh”—are the ones who will stumble and fall. Though his circumstances scream fear, his confidence is in a God who is above those circumstances, who works differently than we expect and never fails.

What a testament to David’s faith.

As a believer, I’ve been on both sides of this.

There are times when I’ve felt like nothing could shake me. I’ve stood on the rock and felt like the waves had no power. I’ve worshiped with deep peace in my heart, declaring the truths we sang today:

“In Christ alone, my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song.”

And those words rang true. There was joy, even when the world hurt me.

But I’ve also been on the other side—where I still knew the truth, I still knew the doctrines, I knew what the Bible says...

But my soul was afraid.

I didn’t feel confident. The waves hit hard, and I fell. The ground shook, and my foundation crumbled.

David is showing us here that confidence in the Lord isn’t a one-time event—it’s a daily, ongoing, persistent trust.

A trust that isn’t based on what you feel, or what you see around you, but on who God is:

your light,

your salvation,

your stronghold.

Your priority should be on one thing and one thing alone and that is being in the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 27:4–6 ESV

4 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. 5 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. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

What is this "one thing" that David will seek after?

The "one thing" David seeks is to dwell with God—to live in constant, uninterrupted communion with Him. For David, the house of the Lord was the tabernacle, the central place of God’s presence. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was the sacred tent where God's presence dwelled among His people during their wilderness journey. It was the center of Israel’s worship, where sacrifices were made, prayers were offered, and God’s glory was visibly manifested above the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place.

But this longing goes deeper than just being in a location; it’s about nearness to God Himself. David doesn’t just want to visit God occasionally—he wants to live his life before God, constantly and intimately connected to Him.

Isn’t it amazing that we get to experience the fullness of David’s longing? In the Old Testament, the Spirit worked in specific moments or seasons in the lives of believers. But for us, we now get to experience the presence of the Lord always.

John 14:16–17 ESV

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

We now get to experience the "one thing" David sought after. Jesus fulfilled this longing and created a new covenant through His death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, now indwells believers permanently. This is the very reality David could only long for.

David goes on to say that he longs to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. This isn’t about physical sight—it’s about spiritual beholding. David wants to see and savor God’s character—His glory, holiness, mercy, and goodness. He wants to know God for who He truly is and to be transformed by that vision.

Additionally, David wants to inquire in His temple. This means he wants to seek God’s will, to listen, to understand, and to submit to His direction. David desires not only God’s presence, but also God’s voice. This shows us what a real relationship with God looks like—not transactional religion, but a life of devotion and obedience.

Then, in verses 5 and 6, we see the effects of seeking God:

We will be hidden and concealed in the shelter of His presence.

We will be victorious over our enemies, knowing that God fights for us.

We will worship with sacrifices and singing, offering our hearts in joyful praise.

These are the blessings that come from seeking God’s face, trusting in His goodness, and delighting in His presence. When we pursue God as David did, we experience protection, victory, and joy that only come from a life fully surrendered to Him.

David's confidence is anchored in God's presence and light. In the same way, our confidence today comes from seeking and resting in God's nearness and light, knowing He is our shelter, strength, and guiding hope.

The Seeking and Praying (Verses 7-12)

So the Psalm shifts the narrative. In the first 6 verses, we have David declaring who God is. Now, we see him seeking and praying to God.

In these next verses, David shows us how we be confidenct and that is by going to Him. He’s already explained the what and why, but in all honesty, we can’t say for certain that David feels fully at peace in this moment. He never actually says, “I am not afraid.” The closest he gets is, “Yet I will be confident,” but even that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s confident right now. That’s an important clarification—because what follows is David praying and seeking God.

Psalm 27:7–12 ESV

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” 9 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! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.

We have the declaration, and now we have the prayer. David goes to God. I’ve experienced this shift before in my journaling: first, I state what is going on, then declare what God has done, and who He is, but eventually my tone shifts to a direct plea for His help, mercy, and wisdom.

In verse 7, David wants the Lord to hear his cry and answer his prayer. From what we've already read in the first 6 verses, we know the one thing David seeks is to be in the house of the Lord, to be with God. He may understand God’s omnipresence, but his soul longs for intimacy. Let’s be reminded of what God’s presence provides:

Light – Guidance, clarity, and truth.

Salvation – Protection and rescue from enemies.

Confidence – Courage to face trials and dangers.

Intimacy – Deep communion and relationship with God.

Security – Refuge and shelter from storms and fears.

From what we can gather, David feels distant from God. In verse 8, God calls him to seek His face, and David responds, “I’m doing that, God. I’m seeking Your face. Where are You?” Though we have the Holy Spirit and can always dwell in God’s presence now, it doesn't always feel that way, does it? You can be doing everything right and still feel like God is far off.

David expresses a deep inner tension. In verse 9, he pleads with God not to forsake him, but then, in verse 10, he affirms truth by saying, “The Lord will take me in.” It’s almost as if David is declaring a future hope that he’s not fully experiencing in the moment. There's a wrestling between his plea and his faith declaration, reflecting the reality that our faith sometimes leads us to declare truth before we feel it.

In A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis writes about the overwhelming grief he felt after the death of his wife, Joy. His sorrow was amplified by a sense of God’s absence, which he wrestles with throughout the book. In a real, raw part of the book, Lewis describes the silence of God during his deep emotional pain:

"Where is God? Go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and the sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well ask the postman where he is going, ask God where He is when you are in need. The door is locked, and God seems utterly absent. It is a question that every believer must face at some point—the feeling that, despite all our prayers and seeking, God has forsaken us."

Lewis goes on to acknowledge that grief doesn't immediately vanish with a simple prayer or change of heart. It’s the painful, human experience of feeling that even when we seek God, He seems silent, distant, or unresponsive:

"But the great thing that grief teaches, that I learned through my agony, is that God is there even in the silence. He is in the waiting. Even when He feels absent, He is present. The silence is not absence; it’s part of His plan of drawing us closer, even through the pain and questioning."

David is respectfully asking “Where are You, God?" Yet, even in his wrestling, David clings to the truth that God is faithful and will not ultimately forsake him. Just as Lewis finds God’s presence in the silence, David holds on to the hope that God’s light, salvation, and refuge will come, even when it feels distant.

Charle’s Spurgeon states "David, in his distress, pours out his soul in earnest prayer to God. He does not take refuge in cold doctrinal formulas, but pours out his heart in a personal plea, ‘Hide not thy face far from me.’ There is something in the absence of God which makes the soul feel forsaken, but in the sight of His face, there is comfort and light."

While it's clear that God has not forsaken David, nor us as believers, there are times when life can feel otherwise. What stands out here is David's persistent plea. Though he calls on God for deliverance and answers in the present moment, he also humbly asks for God's continued guidance and teaching.

Psalm 27:11–12 ESV

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.

Praying to God doesn’t always guarantee an immediate change in our circumstances. I’ve prayed for peace, and instead, God reminds me of who He is through His word, helping me find peace in His power, presence, and plan. I’ve prayed for wisdom, and God often places me in situations where I must learn and grow rather than simply receiving all the answers. I’ve prayed for God to teach me His ways, but it often feels like He’s shedding my pride and stubbornness—a painful and uncomfortable process. Yet, in those moments, my eyes open, and the path becomes clear once more. David prays for God to teach him the Lord’s ways and for him to be lead on a level path.

I’ve seen videos of chiropractors treating patients who’ve forgotten what 'normal' feels like. These individuals walk with a noticeable limp or a 40-degree slant, so accustomed to their pain that they no longer realize how they appear. The pain has become their new normal. It’s sad to see, but then, a chiropractor performs a technique called the 'ring dinger,' and suddenly, the pain begins to subside. At first, it looks painful—almost like they are dying—but then, you see the pain start to subside. The person stands up, walks, and for the first time in years, they walk without a limp. It’s such a surreal experience that they often burst into tears, overwhelmed by the relief and the return of something they thought was lost forever.

I bring up this example because although it’s obvious for us to witness on the outside that this person is not walking normal or with a limp, they’ve often grown accustomed to is and don’t even realize it. Maybe some of you can relate to them. You’ve been in pain for so long, something not normal and bad has become normal and you don’t even realize it.

Church, sometimes, we may think we are walking on a level path, but in reality, we’ve become so accustomed to the brokenness of this world that we don’t even realize how misaligned we’ve become. We might think it’s how life is supposed to be, but David, in his prayer, asks God to "lead me to a level path" (verse 11), a path that’s aligned with God’s will, not the distorted path the world often offers.

In verse 12, David recognizes the danger of the world’s influence—the false security it provides. He prays, "Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries," acknowledging that the world’s way is often a path filled with threats, deception, and misalignment.

But we know that God is the Light. He is our stronghold, the one who protects, guides, and helps us discern what is right and what is wrong. His presence is the one thing we should seek and desire, for His ways are ultimately what's best for us.

In all of this, our confidence rests in the Lord, who is the Light.

The Hope (Verses 13 and 14)

David again shifts the tone and declares of what is going to happen because of his confidence in the Lord.

Psalm 27:13–14 ESV

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

We see a sense of hope, which means confident expectation. David believes He will look upon the goodness of God, in this world. The land of the living. He’s not just waiting to die and experience the goodness of God in heaven, but now in this world. In spite of what he is going through, David is continuing to go to God and find hope in what is truly good, not the ways of evil. This happens regardless of circumstance but in what verse 14 says, waiting for the Lord.

John Goldingay states “To ‘wait for the Lord’ means to look to Yahweh in hope, to expect Yahweh to act. It’s not a passive attitude but a posture of trust and anticipation.”

I love the word he uses, posture.

Confident Expectation

We aren’t saying if God acts, but when He acts.

Ready for Battle

David says to be strong and let your heart take courage. It takes a unique kind of strength to wait. It takes courage to not take matters into your own hands and rush into things when you shouldn’t. It’s a fight. It’s a battle.

But we are called to wait for the Lord—and that is an active process. It means going to Him, meditating on His Word day and night, seeking His face—as Rocco preached about last week. To behold His face in righteousness.

Waiting isn’t weakness. It’s preparation. It’s warfare.

You must be ready as you wait.

Humility

Ultimately, it’s not about you. It’s about God. Are you able to be humble and submit to God’s ways and not your own?

Confidence in the Lord our Light

What I see be the main point throughout the entire Psalm is a confidence in the Lord.

Confidence in who He is

Confidence in going to Him

Confidence in What He will do

You place your confidence in anything else, and it will always fall short.

One thing that is specific about this Psalm though in every other Psalm is how the word light is used.

Other psalms describe light from God, walking in the light, or God sending light, but Psalm 27:1 names God Himself as light in David’s own life.

And in a dark world, light is very mportant because the darkness is scary.

I know this place, this church, is safe. But when I’m the last one to leave and it’s completely dark, and the only thing glowing are the red exit signs, this place gets scary. Obviously, I know Jesus is going to protect me. I know I’m okay. But when the lights are off, it’s dark outside, and some rooms are tinted red from those signs, part of me feels like I’m going to die. And I know—that’s absurd. The sane part of me knows I’m going to be just fine.

But haven’t you all felt something similar in the dark? There’s just something about darkness that stirs up fear. It brings more intrusive thoughts, more irrational feelings, more noise in our heads.

But I think that’s why it’s so important to David and why he starts off this Psalm with The Lord is my Light, whom shall I fear? The one who calms the thoughts, irrational feelings, helps us see, and gives us confidence that it will be okay.

We have Jesus who is our LIght, in fact the light of the world.

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

This world is dark. Hopeless. Depressing. You my find little candles and beacons here and there, but those lights will always turn off. There is a light in this world that will never be overcome by the Darkness. His name is Jesus. Jesus provided a way to overcome the darkness through His life, death, and ressurection so that not onlywill you be saved when you die but you will be saved now in this life, no longer walking in darkness.

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Application: Perspective. Priority. Persistence.

1. Perspective: Think About Him

David longed to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord—so must we.

For Christians: In trials, don’t fix your eyes on your circumstances. Fix them on Christ. Think about His goodness. Meditate on His beauty, faithfulness, and presence.

For Non-Christians: You’re already seeking beauty, peace, and meaning—but nothing in this world will satisfy. Only Jesus can fulfill the longing of your soul.

2. Priority: Seek Only Him:

God alone is the safe place when life falls apart.

For Christians: When fear comes, don’t run to false comforts—run to Christ. He alone is your refuge, strength, and shelter.

For Non-Christians: Whatever you’re trusting in—whether success, control, or pleasure—will eventually fail. Only Jesus offers a shelter that saves both now and forever.

3. Persistence: Confidence Must Be Constant

Even when surrounded by enemies, David remained confident in God.

Confidence in yourself will eventually crack. Real, lasting confidence comes from trusting the One who overcame death for you.

Anchor your confidence not in how you feel, but in who God is. Wait for Him. Stand firm with strength and courage because the Lord is your light.