Psalm 27 - Staying strong in the struggle

There are no doubt many times in your lives when you are tempted to fear.

When the mountains seem high

The the valley seem low

When the enemy seems strong

When friends seem few

How do we endure? How do we stay strong

The one things about the Bible is that the authors of each book was a real human, and God, in His kindness and wisdom, got him to write about his experience of learning to trust in God. If you are anything like them you get to do this again and again!

David was facing a barrage of enemy attack and life is challenging. We don’t know the conxtext. I think, in God’s sovereign prividence, that’s intentional so that we can see that these truth apply in all areas of life!

Psalm 27 CSB

Of David. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. 4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. 8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face. 9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me. 11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. 12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. 13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

This Psalm gives us 4 affirmations that we can apply daily in our walk with God. These affirmations help the child of God stand strong whatever comes our way.

1. Affirmation #1 - I have God

He is my God. That’s a wonderful Gospel truth!

1.1. Living reality for our lives

He uses 3 realities of God and knowing God that every child of God can claim.

i. He is my light

In September of 1940 in a village in Southern France, 4 teenage friends were out exploring and came across a hole in the ground. They began dropping stones down and then one by one they made the decision to go into the narrow hole. They went down about 15 meters and when they lit their lamp they discovered they were in a caves that had walls covered with paintings - they had made one of the greatest discoveries of pre-historic cave art and what’s now called the Lascaux Cave Art.

These boys didn’t know what was there until the light was turned on. Bit it’s a great picture of what light does - it illumines what’s around. It brings what’s hidden to ito focus.

That’s a common characteristic atttibuted to God.

1 John 1:5 CSB

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.

God IS light!

There’s purity and illumination.

Where God is, His light shines. Our problem is that we live in darkness and until we come to know Christ we remain in darkness.

I can’t help but think of my salvation story in this. For years, hearing the Gospel, and even reading my Bible, I finally came to the knowledge of God when He shone His light and I could see the glory of Christ, and in contrast, the sinfulness of my heart.

When God comes into our lives, we see.

ii. He is my salvation

As N.T. Christians, when we response to the light of God in repentance and faith, we say that He is our salvation.

I don’t find that elsewhere. You may be trying but you won’t find it until you put your faith and trust in Him who died for you and rose again from the dead.

iii. He is my stronghold

He is my place of refuge, my place of safety!

Psalm 46:1 CSB

1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.

Proverbs 18:10 CSB

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.

You find that David goes back to this truth again and again.

1.2. Experience this reality v2

This isn’t just imagination, it’s experience. He saw how God protected him from his enemies.

Many years back we went through a tough time with people attacking us. We felt God say again and again, He is our refuge. And we saw the eney fail even though there were more of them. David saw this as God was for Him.

1.3. Applying reality in life

This is always a challenge for every child of God - to take the truth, what is real, and apply it to our lifes.

1.3.1. We remind ourselves of the truth

It feels like that is what David is doing here.

1.3.2. Truth builds confidence for life

When your undrestanding of God is Biblical you respond in faith.

i. Whom should I fear

ii. Whom should I dread

iii. My heart will not be afaraid

iv. I will still be confident

There are some truths that we need to take hold of by faith!

2. Affirmation #2 - I want God

Now he’s not content to just have God, he longs for something more. It feels like there is a holy dissatisfaction without the main things. This is a decision He has made that affects his heart.

2.1. I ask for one thing

What is the one thing you long for? What would you have said next?

Husband or wife

A better husband or wife

A job or a better job

A car or a better car

Children or better children

More money

How we answer that reveals what we are living for! Analyse your prayer shows when you believe your hope is found. This is a palce where we can discover how much we have lost sight of what really matters. We often long for lesser things.

2.1.1.To be where God is v4a

He’s not actually wanting to live in the temple. In fact, at the time when David wrote this, the temple hadn’t been built.

When the tabernacle was in the wilderness, Joshua set a wonderful example for us in this. When people were invited, but most remained spectators.

Exodus 33:7–8 CSB

7 Now Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, at a distance from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand up, each one at the door of his tent, and they would watch Moses until he entered the tent.

Exodus 33:11 CSB

11 The Lord would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend, then Moses would return to the camp. His assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.

To be where God is.

Early morning in your lounge fellowshipping with God

In church where God has promised He will be - in His people.

I suspect he longed for Sabbath worship.

2.1.2. To know God v4b

He wanted to gaze upon the beauty of God.

Listen to how Augustine put it. “Christ is beautiful in heaven, beautiful on earth, beautiful in the womb, beautiful in His parents’ arms, beautiful in His miracles, beautiful under the scourge, beautiful when inviting to life, beautiful when laying down His life, beautiful in taking it up again, beautiful on the cross, beautiful in heaven.”

In Christ we see perfect love, and that love casts out fear. This tells me that if you are fearful, you need to gaze on Him a whole lot more.

He is the One who, the closer you get to Him the more beautiful He becomes!

2.2. I want my faith to grow

To do this is to take the means that God has given to know Him.

Prayer

Word

Felowship

Discipleship

Other

Being discipled yourself

2.3. I want to worship God

In the sacrifices that he brought

These would be offered with joy

In the songs that he sang

These would he to God!

Philippians 3:10 CSB

10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

3. Affirmation #3 - I need God v7-12

I have Him. I want Him. I need Him! But, do we really?

We need daily grace for life!

3.1. He prays v7-9b

In fact, his heart is saying, “You need Him!”

Remember the song, “I need thee every hour!”

Paul understood this because he frequently prayed. He asked for prayer.

3.2. He acknowledges his need

I need God to help me!

I have enemies - help me.

I am weak - help me!

“You are the same God who has been with me - be with me still!” There is a confidence with which he asks God.

3.3. He stands

The Lord cares for me! Everyone else may abandon me, but the Tthe Lord cares for me. You only do that when you are confident that the God of the universe is not just God, but He’s also your Father!

4. Affirmation #4 - I rest in God

Psalm 27:13–14 CSB

13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

4.1. I know God has got it!

4.2. I know I can trust Him

That’s what iot means to wait for the Lord. It doesn’t have to be in my way, in my time, in my strength.

I am learning to apply this is Sabbath rest.

4.3. I still preach the truth to myself

Psalm 27:14 CSB

14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

You don’t rush Him! You wait patiently. He is God. His timing is poerfect. He see you. He is your Father! Wait for the Lord!

A song that is by Mark Altrogge - One pure and holy passion

Give me one pure and holy passion Give me one magnificent obsession Give me one glorious ambition for my life To know and follow hard after You To know and follow hard after you To grow as your dicsiple in your truth This world is empty, pale, and poor Compared to knowing you, my Lord Lead me on and I will run after you

Remind the church

Until we meet again... The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not, the darkness will not, the darkness cannot overcome it!

To leave via the coffee area and have some fellowship

To remember that the prayer team is ready to pray