Psalm 27
Time with the Lord in the Psalms! The notes you’ll find here are the nuts & bolts of my efforts to understand & apply the Psalms to my life. I hope that they’ll be an encouragement as you glean the Scriptures for guidance & encouragement.
You’ll notice 3 basic pieces to my notes: A basic outline, the question “What sticks out this time?” and the final question “What difference does this make?” These are the three regular parts of my time in the word. The outline will vary in length and detail. It’s simply a product of my efforts to understand & keep track of the flow of each Psalm. The first question is an effort to stay sensitive to what God is featuring for me as I read that day. The final question is an effort to apply the truth to my life – my thoughts, my choices, etc.
I want to profit from God’s word. As your brother in Christ, I want you to profit from it. I want you to carry these 3 basic pieces into every passage you study anywhere in Scripture.
Enjoy your time in the Word!
A Basic Outline
A strong declaration: Yahweh is my Provider, 1
..my light…my salvation…my strength
(He provides comfort, deliverance, power, etc)
..”whom shall I fear?” shows level or degree of confidence
A description of a past deliverance, 2
..when…they stumbled and fell.
A declaration of confidence about the future, 3
..though war may rise…my heart shall not fear
David’s top priority: be close to the Lord, 4
The reason this closeness is a priority, 5-6
..the Lord will protect me, 5
..and I will get to praise Him, 6
A request for mercy, 7
A declaration of loyalty, 8
A request for help, 9
A declaration of the Lord’s loyalty, 10
A request for guidance & protection, 11-12a
The reason for the request, 12b
The effect of hoping in the Lord’s goodness: It sustains the heart, 13
Advice to the listener: courageously wait for Yahweh’s certain provision, 14
What sticks out?
“Whom shall I fear?” When David was clear on who You are he was fearless. There were times when he was fearless before Goliath or Saul or others. There were times when he was fearful before men. Perhaps this is the single most important factor in fearlessness… to be clear on who You are toward me, my Provider.
What difference does this make?
It makes me want to pray for clear vision and strong faith. Who doesn’t want to be fearless? Help me see. Help my unbelief. You have taken care of me a million times. Help me to sweep my anxieties away with the truth about who You are and how loyal You are… “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.”
In other words, “if the devotion of the most devoted people in my life failed, even then Your devotion would not fail.”
And if I’m clear on who You are, may You give me the wisdom to apply that truth to the whole of my life. May I choose confidence because of You & Your involvement… confidence instead of fear or panic or anxiety… in my job, in my marriage, in my role as a parent. “He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
I don’t see the way to safety. I don’t have the strength to solve the things in front of me. But You do. You will.
What sticks out?
Verse 13. The first italicized phrase is implied… supplied by the translator. What’s clearly stated in the Hebrew is how essential it is to trust in the Lord’s goodness. He will help me in this life.
Perhaps David is saying how discouraged he would have become. Perhaps he’s saying how off track he would have gotten… Whatever it is, it is essential to keep the fact of Your goodness central in my thinking.
What difference does this make?
It seems that this is a basic question in times of trouble: “Are You good? Truly trustworthy?” If so, then I’ll continue to wait for You and follow You. If so, then my courage is inflated. May I have the sense to remember all the goodness You have poured out thus far… as I wait for You in what is certainly momentary light affliction. You are worth the wait.