Psalm 27

Whom shall I fear? (vs. 1-3)—To David, the Lord is his light, salvation, and strength. And because of that, he has nothing to fear (v. 1). As David’s light, the Lord provides guidance and direction in his life. As his salvation, the Lord is his deliverer, and as his strength, David is able to make it through hard times. Even if “an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear” (v. 3)—the Lord is on the king’s side, and that’s all he needed.

The beauty of worship (vs. 4-6)—Since he realized that it was the Lord Who guided and protected him, David’s heart was full of desire to worship Him: “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple” (v. 4). “In the time of trouble,” the Lord would hide David, “in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle” (v. 5), again emphasizing the Lord as his protector—His pavilion, His tabernacle. The next thought, “He shall set me high upon a rock,” seems contradictory, but remember this is poetry. The “rock” suggests immobility, and “high upon” it means no one can reach him. All of this the king attributes to Jehovah. As a result, “I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle” (v. 6). The reasons for worshipping God are many, of course, not least of which is what He has done for us.

The Lord our help (vs. 7-14)—Understanding all of the above is an incentive for prayer, which occupies most of the rest of the psalm. David asks for the Lord’s ear, and His mercy (v. 7). Jehovah makes requests of us—“seek My face”—a request David was happy to fulfill with his “heart” (v. 8), not just his lips. Our seeking after Jehovah must be with the whole heart, or we will not find Him (Jer. 29:13). Even though David knows it is the Lord Who is his helper, He still asks Him to be so; the Lord knows what we need before we ask Him (Matt. 6:32), and we know much of what He can do for us (light, strength, salvation, helper, etc.). But still, He is God, we are His servants, and it is in all ways right and proper that we should humble ourselves and acknowledge our need and dependence upon Him. And especially when faced with “enemies,” as David mentions earlier in this psalm. Verse 10 is lovely: “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me.” Even if our nearest and dearest turn away from us, the Lord never will. And indeed, even if we turn our back on Him, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). No matter how far we have drifted from Him, or for how long, He will always accept us back. Rather than depending upon human wisdom, David asks “teach me Your way, O Lord,” (v. 11), especially when “enemies,” “adversaries,” and “false witnesses have risen against me” (vs. 11-12). “Unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD,” David would have lost heart. Hope is the anchor of the soul, and when all seems lost, we can remember that the Lord is always there. So David’s final exhortation is to “wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (v. 14). Patience builds character, and the more of that we have, the better able we will be to meet future trials and burdens. The Lord will work, for our good, in His own time. Thus, “wait, I say, on the LORD!” David’s deliverance is a perfect example of what will happen if we do so.