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Fearless Trust in God (Psalm 27)

There have been many periods of mankind’s history on this earth. Throughout the highs and lows, there have always been faithful obedient people despite the cultural and societal backdrop. Good times and bad, flush and lean, the faithful keep their trust in God. David writes a psalm that has at its heart the concepts that the faithful must have in order to ride the tides of mankind’s disobedience to God. If these same sentiments can be ours, they will keep our trust in God.

First, David focuses on who God is to him (Psa. 27:1-3). The phrase “He is my” repeats in verse one and sets the tone for these verses. To David, God was his light, salvation and defense. Then no matter what arose against him, David said he would be fearless and confident (Psa. 27:3). It is evident that God is those same things for us, but do we know that like David did when he took the five smooth stones from the brook as he approached Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40)? In the same way, we need to fill ourselves up with a confidence in God based on what we know about Him.

Second, David has an ask of God, a certain expectation. “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” (Psa. 27:4). In the time of David, he would’ve been talking about the tabernacle, if he was talking a physical place. To be near the tabernacle was to be near the physical presence of God. For us, we see this in the church.  The church is the household of God (Eph. 2:19). The church is the tabernacle of the Lord, and we are his royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5-9). There is a sense in which this can be seen as looking forward to the promise of heaven. Both of these concepts can be used to draw courage. Standing with our brethren in the church we find courage. We can find courage in the face of danger and indifference knowing that we will be renewed in heaven (2 Cor. 4:16).

Third, David asks for God to hear him. There is a conversation between God and David. David asks to be heard. God tells David to seek His face. David responds saying he will always seek God’s face, for his mother and father have abandoned him, but God hasn’t (Psa. 27:7-10). Likewise, we find strength knowing that the throne of heaven hears us (Heb. 4:16).

Lastly, he asks to be instructed of the Lord, to be lead on a level path (Psa. 27:11-14). His word helps us traverse this life. He ends the psalm with this thought. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD” (Psa. 27:14). There is courage in a certain expectation.