Psalm 27:1-3 - God is our light and salvation
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There’s always going to be some focused hate on Biblical values. The focused attention now is on Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. There was a great victory in this a couple days ago, but there’s still many more battles to go. Whether this is the topic that is heaviest on your heart or there is something else going on in your life, there is only one guide to lead you through the challenges to come and that’s Jesus. Doesn’t matter what it is or the size of the struggle, there’s not a moment where Christ is not accessible as your guide. And as we discussed awhile back, although he loves you more than you can comprehend, every way that God blesses us and works through us is not for our glory but for His.
Probably one of the biggest reasons we fail God is because of fear. And it’s something we’re challenged with everyday. The only time in scripture are we told to fear is when we’re told to fear God. We have a reverent fear of God. And the fear of God should not only make us want to follow his commands, but also not fear people.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
2 When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
When put into situations where it seems like we can’t win, when it feels like the world is crashing in on you, remember fear is not of God. We’re not perfect, but we must look to God for hope and strength. Here in this first verse King David is saying there is no reason to fear.
The Lord is my LIGHT and SALVATION. He is my FORTRESS, protecting me from DANGER. God is our comforter, our rescuer, our protector, and he guides us through life by the Holy Spirit. King David knew there was no reason to fear because he understood God’s character and his relationship with Him. Now we have the opportunity for that same understanding and same relationship through Jesus Christ. One important thing to note here though is, although these statements are being made about why there is no reason to fear when you have a relationship with God, this doesn’t mean you don’t respond to danger or conflict. Typically we are problem creators, so before we try to be a problem solver, always go to the Lord. In other Psalms you’ll read about King David pleading to God to protect Him. David is constantly bringing requests to the Lord, and he does so in a way that acknowledges God’s power and authority.
I’m going to fire off some verses focusing on David’s pleads to God.
1 Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
1 O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from honest lips.
1 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
That’s a plea for other followers of God. We won’t read the verse but in 1 Samuel 13:14 David is declared as “a man after God’s own heart”, and as someone that desired God that much, he knew to bring his requests to God. In James 4:2 it says “you have not because you ask not”. Our prayer life is very important.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
So bring your requests to God, thank Him for what he has done. That’s how you experience the peace of God. So let’s compare this verse with how David brings his requests to God in Psalm 27.
4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high
above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
singing and praising the Lord with music.
7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
9 Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
You could divide these verses into 3 main sections.
Communion with God.
King David desires and asks for communion with God. “The thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
delighting in the LORD’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple”
How many people out there want to claim belief in God but desire no communion. That’s a result of a lack of understanding of who God is, because if someone really understood they would have this desire. Now in verse 4 we see a reference to the temple. Temple is the standard word for a divine or royal residence. There wasn’t the temple in Jerusalem at this time, but when it was built during King Solomon’s time, that was the place for people to come and worship God. And in Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well we can read that because of Christ we can worship the Father anywhere in spirit and in truth. We always have the opportunity for communion with God. Our relationship with God is a personal and intimate relationship. He wants alone time with us, when we are sealed off from the world and distractions. It is an opportunity for us.
2. The Lord’s will be done
In verse 11 we read “Teach me how to live, O Lord.” The first step required in changing something about yourself is you have to desire to be changed. Think about sports, if someone has the greatest coach in the world for whatever given sport, they likely will not improve at all if they’re not teachable. If they have no desire to be taught they’ll throw out and ignore all instructions. We need to be teachable and seek the Lord’s instruction. And we’ll have to wrestle with this process. The Bible never says life and spiritual growth will be easy. Commune with God, seek understanding, desire that we live how God wants us too so we can be ambassadors for Him. If we don’t understand why we are to live that way and what is to come in the end, then it’ll be challenging to desire to live how God wants us too. We must understand what’s at stake, the sacrifice Christ made for us, and the promises God has for us. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice so we could spend eternity with him. We must respond to this by loving Him, and we show that by desiring his will to be done in our lives. Ask the Lord to guide and direct you, and you must be teachable.
3. Believe and Wait
In all the sections thus far, King David makes a request and follows up with praises to God in faith. God hadn’t answered him yet, his faith and worship in God is not dependent on how and when the Lord would answer.
I’m going to read a specific verse, but strip out some of the praises from the sections we just read in Psalm 27.
“He will hide me in his sanctuary.”
“He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”
“At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.”
“You have always been my helper.”
“The Lord will hold me close.”
“I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.”
There are so many scriptures displaying people that put their faith in God regardless of the circumstances. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the Lion’s den, David himself when he took on Goliath. Thankfully we likely will never face a challenge like they did, but whatever challenges we do face, we must persevere with faith in God. The way we respond will be a result of our faith. If our faith is strong, we will not stumble because the Lord will carry us through.
We live a life in communion with God, desiring to do His will, requesting Him to help us, we wait expectantly for His answer, and we give him praise no matter the result. And because of our relationship with God we have no reason to fear. God is the only reason to live fearless. Because challenges and struggles we face are not a result of flesh and blood. We are against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). We have no chance to withstand against the attacks of satan on our own. With Christ though, the victory has already been won.