SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:7

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:  

David now begins to bring his requests before the Lord…

Psalms 27:7 Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.    

The first appeal to the Lord that is made is for the Lord’s gracious acceptance of the requests he is about to make…  

Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

Request #1: David now asks the Lord to “hear” his requests.

The idea of “hear” involves not only perceiving his requests but placing His attention upon them. It is one thing to hear a request, it is another thing to really pay attention to it, consider it, and act accordingly upon it. David understood he did not deserve for the Lord to hear nor actively consider his requests. The Lord owed him nothing. And yet, David also understood the Lord’s love, mercy and grace. He knew that the Lord, as a loving heavenly Father, would accept his requests and act in his best interest.

David’s requests would be in the form of a “cry”.  In the Hebrew language the word translated “cry” means “to address by name”. In other words, as David presented his appeals to the Lord, he would be crying out to God by His name (Jehovah, Deliverer, Merciful One, Defender, Almighty, etc etc). He would be recognizing who He was and what He has done for His people.   have mercy also upon me,

Request #2: The Lord’s mercy to be shown to David

Now we see that David asks the Lord to show him His mercy. David understands that he does not deserve for his requests to be granted. That is why he asks the Lord to intervene in his life by His mercy. What does mercy mean?  The most basic definition of “mercy” throughout both Old and New Testaments is the idea of withholding something harmful to those who deserve to be harmed. The greatest example of this is the Lord withholding the Lake of Fire to each one of us (as sinners who deserve to be punished eternally). So too, is this case. David is saying that, because he is a sinner by nature and choice, he deserves to live in a fallen world that is filled with trials, difficulties, sorrows and fears. The Lord could very justly allow David to face these evils unaided and without any divine intervention. His only option is to plead for the mercy of the Lord to intervene in this situation and come to his aid and defense.   and answer me.

Request #3: The Lord to answer the requests of David

David asks that the Lord might intervene in such a way that David can perceive the workings of the Lord in his midst. We all know what it feels like to come before the Lord with our requests and not sense His presence and intervention in our situation. We feel as if we are all alone and He has left us.

Although every Christian, by faith, understands that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us, and He ALWAYS answers our prayers, we still desire to sense the Lord is at work in our lives during troublesome times. This is what David is requesting of the Lord.  

 

[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

David’s declaration of submission to His will.

David, as he brings his requests to the Lord, he verbally proclaims the submissive spirit that lies within him. He simply explains that he is acting according to the revealed will of God for his life. The Lord has told us in His Word to seek His face and that is what David is attempting to do. May we all be in submission to His will as we bring our requests before Him.

May we all be able to say to the Lord “not my will but thine be done” just as Christ set the example for us at Gethsemane.  

 

APPLICATION: As David begins to bring his requests before the Lord, he takes the time to humbly ask His Lord to hear his requests, show him His mercy, and to reveal himself to the Lord. As he approached the Lord he retained a spirit of submission to the Lord’s will and a willing to do whatever the Lord may desire for His life. May we all make sure that our attitude aligns itself with that of King David as we bring our requests before our loving, merciful Lord.

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SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:6

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:

In this part of our text, David explains, due to his knowledge of the protection given to him by His Lord, what his attitude can be in the midst of life’s storms… Psalms 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.  

 

And now

Based upon David’s close walk with the Lord, and his knowledge of the Lord’s protecting hand of grace…    

 

 

shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me:

He found himself being encouraged and strengthened (head lifted up) even while his enemies surrounded him. In other words, he was encouraged and strengthened while yet under the burden of the fearful event taking place. He had not been delivered, yet found encouragement knowing that his Lord was with Him in the midst of it all.  

 

 

therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Because he knew that his Lord was with him… David joyfully worshiped and sang praises to his Lord.    

APPLICATION:

As we come to a greater realization of the Lord’s protecting presence in our lives in the midst of the fearful times that we face, let us by faith bring Him joyful praise and honor for all He does for us. Let us never take the Lord, His presence and His blessings for granted, but always appreciate and glorify Him for all He does for us!  

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.   He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed [is] that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered.” (Psalms 40:1-5)  

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SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:5

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:  

In this part of our text, David explains one of the reasons why he so greatly desired a close walk with the Lord…  Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.  

David understood that the Lord was the only One that he could rely upon, with certainty, as a help during times fo great fearful trials of life.  

 

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:

David describes a fearful time of life as “the time of trouble” (the day of danger of harm). It was during those times that David could run to the Lord, who would protectively cover David in His den.  

 

in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me;

David further describes the Lord’s protection as covering David in the hidden places of His tent.  

 

he shall set me up upon a rock.

The Lord’s protection of David could also be pictured as the Lord holding David up over the tempest that raged beneath him. David said that the Lord would “set me up” (to lift up high using the hand or rod). In doing so, the Lord was placing David upon “a rock” (giving him firmness and stability). David understood the need to retain a close relationship to the One that would truly be there for him no matter what he may face in life. Although his family, friends and acquaintances would all eventually fail him, the Lord would never fail.  

Always remember the promise the Lord gave to His physical chosen nation (the Israelites) and remember this same Lord will be faithful to His spiritually chosen nation (the Israel Of God) as well … “And the LORD, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)  

 

APPLICATION:  

Folks let us draw near to our Lord, and in doing so He will draw near to us as our Protector, Guide and Deliverer during the very difficult times of our lives. How are we to do this? We can do this by trusting in Him and His enabling grace to rid our lives of sin (through prayer and the application of His Word). And then submitting our cleansed being to His use for His honor and His glory! …

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”   (Hebrews 10:22)  

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:6-10)  

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SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:4

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. 

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life.

May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:

In this part of our text, we have clearly revealed David’s great desire for an intimate relationship with His Lord.  

Psalms 27:4 “One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple.”    

“One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after”

The intensity of His desire for intimacy with the Lord is reflected in his outward actions.  He came before the Lord urgently requesting and actively, diligently, pursuing fellowship with Him. David understood that a close relationship with the Lord was the lifeblood of anyone facing fearful times in his life. To know that the Lord is close to us, guiding us, and protecting us is like a stream of life-sustaining water in the midst of the desert of stressful and uncertain times of life.    

“that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,”

David describes intimacy with the Lord as dwelling in His house. Keep in mind, in the Old Testament times, the Lord displayed His presence in both the tabernacle (in David’s day and prior) and in the temple (Solomon’s day until NT times).   His presence is described as Him, literally, dwelling in these two houses of worship.

Now, David tells us that he desired “to dwell in the house of the Lord” (to live where God lived). The most intimate of relationships are had when people live together in the same place.

How long did David desire to enjoy a close relationship with His Lord? “All the days of my life”.  He didn’t say “when I am facing the fearful times of life”. No, David desired a close walk with Him 24/7. Why was this?   Communion is a wonderful blessing for His people at all times… in good times and bad, in times of plenty and need, in times of joy and sorrow.

In any condition of life, it is a great blessing to be close to our Lord. It is only the desire of a carnal, or immature Christian to desire the Lord’s presence only in the bad times of life. A mature, spiritual Christian will enjoy His presence at all times.  

“to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.”

David’s close walk with the Lord would allow him to “gaze at” (behold) Him in His greatness. In other words, David wanted to learn more about Him, who He was and what He does. Not only that, but David also desired to be more receptive of the Lord’s will for his life. The word for “enquire” comes from a Hebrew word for “plough”, this word is describing opening up the soil to receive seed and then bring forth fruit. David wanted to come before the Lord with an open heart, seeking to receive His Word (as seed), which would result in David’s bearing of fruit for the Lord’s glory and honor.  

 

APPLICATION:

Folks, as we continue to mature as Christian’s let us all, like King David, seek to continue in the presence of Almighty God. In doing so, we will learn more about Him, His works among men, and His desires for our life.   When this knowledge of Him is received into a softened heart, spiritual growth and bearing spiritual fruit will increase…even during the fearful times of life.

“Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)  

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

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SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:3

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  
EXPOSITION:
Psalms 27:3 “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident.”
What great faith is being shown by King David!
Even if an army of warriors would plant themselves against him, David’s innermost parts would not be terrified. Although a war would be waged against him, he would still be assured.   What was the basis of his great confidence?   Remember the context of this passage…
In vs 1, we saw that David recalled the Lord’s greatness and His role in David’s life as his “light”, “salvation” and “strength of life”… “The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” In vs
2, David remembered examples of the past deliverances that the Lord had brought to pass…. “When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.” These principles gave David his great assurance in the midst of life’s trials. This assurance rested upon His knowledge of the Lord’s greatness, His enabling graces, and His past deliverances.  

APPLICATION:
In the midst of the fearful times of our lives, it is important that we spend plenty of time in the Word of the Lord. It is in His Word that we can learn more of His greatness, His protective intervention in the lives of His people and His deliverances of the saints of old.
It is in these areas of His Word that we will find rest in the midst of the storm…
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, [and] strengthenedst me [with] strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great [is] the glory of the LORD.” (Psalms 138:2-5) SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/ SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/ SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:2

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:

Psalms 27:2 - “When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”

David, in the midst of his fearful circumstances, took time to think back at how the Lord had protected him in times past. His description of the Lord’s intervention is very interesting indeed.   First of all, he clearly recalled the source of his past trial. He described those who opposed him as:

1. “the wicked” (one who causes spoil, or one who makes worthless, one who breaks) David recognized the danger he was in. He recognized that the intent of these men was to break him, render him useless to be used of God and no longer beneficial to those around him.  

2. “mine enemies” (one who places in a tight place, one who causes distress) David recognized how they would go about breaking him. They would try to trick him, “corner” him in a place where he could not find safety from them. He would be placed in a seeming unescapable situation.  

3. “my foes came upon me to eat my flesh” (one who is an enemy, one who is hates) David understood their true motive.  They hated David. This was perhaps from jealousy, or perhaps from his service to the Lord or some other reason.   The bottom line was that they were working to fulfill their own fleshly desires and to profit from David’s fall (much like a person kills and eats the flesh of an animal to satisfy their hunger)  

From these titles, we can see David had a great factual understanding of the situation he faced. He clearly understood the actual danger that he faced, the different pitfalls that awaited him, and the driving force behind the circumstance he was in. This is a great lesson for us all. We are to seek God’s face and ask Him to open our eyes to the genuine situation we are facing. We are to ask Him to not allow us to make unreasonable assumptions, nor exaggerate, nor understate the trial that we are facing.  

But David also recognized that, in the past, they had been defeated through the Lord’s intervention… “they stumbled and fell”.

In spite of their great desire to overcome David, the Lord’s intervention brought about the ultimate failure of his enemies.  David called these past victories to his remembrance to encourage and strengthen his heart in the midst of the life storm he was facing.  

APPLICATION:

Folks, when we are faced with difficult trials in our lives, let’s always seek the Lord’s clarity concerning it. As the Lord shows us the actual situation that we are facing, no matter how formidable our opposition may be, we re already overcomers through faith in Him… “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)  

Also, let’s take a moment to encourage ourselves in the midst of the struggles of life by thinking back to our past trials and the gracious deliverances He has granted to us! ”He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD [is] gracious and full of compassion.” (Psalms 111:4)  

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SIH’s Think On These Things: Psalms 27:1

Psalms 27: [A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident. One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; 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 enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, [when] I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.[When thou saidst], Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face [far] from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.[I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.  

As we will see in our series, King David addresses many of the same issues that each and every one of us faces when we are in the midst of the most difficult, fearful situations of life. May the Lord honor this study in His Word, by granting to us the truths of this Psalm and their practical application to our life.  

EXPOSITION:  Psalms 27:1  “[A Psalm] of David. The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  

In this opening verse of Psalm 27: we find David describing the Lord in three different ways:

1. “my light” or “the One that opens my eyes of perception and understanding” David is acknowledging the Lord was the source of all knowledge, understanding and wisdom. It was the Lord, and the Lord alone, that could enable David to understand the appropriate response to the difficulties he faced in life.

2. “my salvation” or “my Deliverer” – David knew that the Lord was the only One that could bring him through his fiery trials unharmed. By giving the Lord the title “Deliverer”, David was not implying the Lord would always, immediately, remove his trials from him. On the contrary, David was simply stating that he knew that his trial would not last forever and that the Lord would keep him safe in the midst of it.

3. “the strength of my life” or “the place of defense and safety of my life” – David, though previously life experiences had learned that, during times of great difficulty, it was to the Lord that he was to flee. Other family members, friends, and acquaintances could never be fully relied upon. Many of David’s closest companions and family members had failed him during the course of his life. But there was One that was ALWAYS faithful to David, being a sure rock of strength, defense and safety for him…. His Lord!  

 

Along with David’s acknowledgment of his need of the Lord during times of great distress, he also came to another conclusion as well…. Because of His Lord, he never needed to fear. David used two different words to describe his fear.

In the phrase “whom shall I fear?” , we find the Hebrew word “yare”; while in the phrase “whom shall I be afraid?”, we find the Hebrew word “pachad” used.

By understanding the difference between these two words, we can gain important insight into the fear we face in our lives…

1. “yare” - describes the cause of fear. Basically, this word carries with it the idea of something that is harmful and overwhelming. This helps us to understand that the greatest cause of our fear involves seeing something as a threat and believing that we will be overwhelmed and unable to stand against it nor stop it from taking place.

2. “pachad” –describes the results of fear. This word carries with it the idea of trembling, startled, terrified and weakened (due to shock). This helps us to understand the effects that will be manifested in our lives when fear indwells us. We will find ourselves:

a. recognizing our total impotence against it and unmotivated to attempt to stand against the threat;

b. mentally paralyzed and unable to make proper decisions;

c. possessing a distorted view of the situation and, therefore, be unable to recognize the appropriate course of action to take.  

APPLICATION: What is the remedy for this fear? For the Christian, it is to keep our minds on our Lord, His everlasting presence in our lives, His promises given to us, and His Sovereignty over all situations in our lives.

Stop and think about it…

1. If we recognize He is in control of all our life’s circumstances (Daniel 4:34-35) and that He promises that all things will work for our good (Romans 8:28), we will come to a quick recognition that even this trial will not harm us but is placed in our life for our benefit and spiritual growth.

2. When we understand He will always be with us and will constantly work on our behalf (Romans 8:35-40), we will come to an understanding that this threat will not overtake us, but will be constantly under the control of a loving Lord.

These truths will do away with both causes of our fear that David has outlined for us.

Therefore, we will be able to stand strongly in the face of the trial at hand knowing our Lord is with us every step of the way… “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine… When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:…”  (Isaiah 43:1-3)  

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