Psalms
Chapter 27
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation, Whom Shall I Fear?
The Lord is my light and my salvation —whom shall I fear? The Lord is the rampart of my life; I will not be afraid.
When the wicked rush at me to devour my flesh, it is my foes who stumble, my enemies fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fail; though war break out against me,I will still be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek—that I may dwell in his house all the days of my life,to gaze at his jewel and to visit his Sanctuary.
For he will keep me safe in his shelter in times of misfortune; he will hide me beneath his roof,and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be lifted up over the enemies round about me. I will offer sacrifices at his Tent with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music in praise of the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord, have mercy on me and answer.
My heart says to you, “I seek your face, O Lord.”
Do not hide your face from me nor turn away your servant in anger. You are my protector, do not reject me;abandon me not, O God my savior!
Though my father and mother forsake me, yet will the Lord receive me.
Teach me, O Lord your way;lead me along a straight path.
Save me from the plot of my enemies, for false witnesses have risen against meto pin me down in their violence.
I hope, I am sure,that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous yes, put your hope in the Lord!
Commentaries
27
One notices the rapid mood shifts in many psalms. However, it would be unwise to assume this alone indicates a combination of two or more. Prayer has its own rules—or none at all. Unsurprisingly, high confidence should suddenly give way to urgent plea. Peter jumped into the lake without hesitation, but he was soon crying out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Furthermore, confidence returns, even in the psalm’s second part. Our fathers and mothers must leave us eventually, but our Father in heaven never does!
The anonymous voice in the final verse advocates and affirms courage over fear and hope over discouragement. This also applies to Christians; before facing danger, there is a word of encouragement, such as in John 16:33 and Matthew 14:26. Here is a beautiful prayer to help the believer develop complete trust in God.
In life’s struggles, the believer is not discouraged but holds onto the hope the Lord has for us at the end of the fight. An unwavering trust: Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will accept me. To such a God, the psalmist can say: One thing I seek… (to) dwell in the house of the Lord. All the struggles, trials, and temptations will not let us forget the house of the Lord at the end of the road.