PSALM 27

A Psalm of
       "Fearless" Trust in God

David shows us how to overcome fear.  He says:  To overcome fear, Seek the Lord!  Knowing  how to overcome fear is the ONLY way to find success.  We don’t have here a simple formula for overcoming fear. What we have is a way of life: Seeking the Lord is the way to overcome fear in all areas of our lives—all the time. If we had a formula, we’d use it and then forget it until the next crisis.

PSALM 27   A Psalm of David

 1   The Lord is my light and my salvation—

Whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the defense of my life, whom shall I dread?

 2   When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

 3   Though a host encamps against me, my heart will not fear—

though war arise against me, in spite of this I 1shall be confident.  

 4    One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall 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 meditate in His temple.

 5   For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;

In the secret place of His tent He will chide me; He will  lift me up on a rock.

 6   And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,

And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy.  

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.  

 7   Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.

 8  When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,

     “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

 9   Do not hide Your face from me—

  Do not turn Your servant away in anger.  You have been my help;

 Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!

 10  For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.  

 11   Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.

 12   Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,

for false witnesses have risen against me, and such breathe out violence.

 13   I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

 14  Wait for the Lord—be strong and let your heart take courage.

Yes, wait for the Lord.          [New American Standard Version]

Seek the Lord in a time of fear by affirming your faith in Him alone (vs.27:1-3).

We all have the proud tendency to trust in ourselves.   “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Everything, even our faith, comes from God. He alone is our salvation. We dare not trust in our goodness, our efforts, or even in our faith.  As David said in Psalm 26:
         " If you fear God, then it is God alone you need to fear, because He is on your side!
          Seek the Lord by affirming your faith in Him alone."

When fear returns, seek the Lord by redirecting your focus in heartfelt prayer (vs. 27:7-12)

— Prayer flows out of awareness of our need

Even though we are totally dependent on the Lord, we are often ignorant of the extent of our need.  Often the Lord will bring into situations that teach us our need for Him alone.

 — Prayer is based on God’s mercy

The only way to approach God is through His abundant grace and mercy as shown to us in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 —  Prayer should expect answers

How often when we pray do expect God to answer immediately?  More often the answer is delayed… another lesson on waiting and dependence on Him alone. 

 —  Prayer is a response to God

Prayer is in response to our relationship with Him.  I never thought about this until just recently.  God invited David to seek His face and David responded immediately by doing it. When we see God in all His splendor and beauty and when we recognize our own sinfulness, we might be hesitant to draw near.  But we are his children and wants us to come—He graciously invites us to draw near with confidence… that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Continue seeking the Lord by continually reaffirming your faith in Him

In times when God seems silent and the crisis is severe, we have to keep reminding our self of the goodness of God (which we have a decency to forget) and our own need to keep waiting on Him. This an active mental attitude that says, “I believe that God is… and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).