Psalm 27--The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

Psalm 27
English Standard Version

The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David.
27 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked 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 gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
    and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
9     Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the LORD will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.
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13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
    in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the LORD;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the LORD!

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This sounds like a different person than the one who has been talking about being in fear of his life and needing for the LORD to deliver him.  Now David starts off confident that the LORD is his light and his salvation; the LORD is the stronghold of his life, therefore he need not fear anyone.

He is sure that his enemies that plot evil against him will fail and will fail.  The LORD will cause those that seek to destroy David to themselves be destroyed.

David's one and only request?  That he should dwell in the house of the LORD (heaven) forever and gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and inquire in His holy temple.  We know he's not talking about the earthly temple, because only those of the tribe of Levi could enter there and David is of the tribe of Judah.  No, he's talking about the heavenly temple that we see that the Tabernacle was based off of and which we see in both Ezekiel and Revelation.

David returns to praising the LORD for how He will save David--a salvation that hasn't happened yet in David's life, but he's sure it will come to pass.  David is sure that he will be safe in the LORD's tent, in the shelter of His wings and with his feet placed upon the sure and steady foundation that is the Rock of our Salvation.

David then says he will go to the Tabernacle of the LORD and make sacrifices to the LORD for the salvation that He has provided.  He will shout for joy and sing praise to the LORD in His sanctuary.

David feels forsaken by all, even his parents have forsaken him apparently, but he knows that the LORD will never forsake him.  He petitions the LORD to hear the cry of his heart and his prayers and to see that he is seeking the LORD's face (a relationship with the LORD as well as seeking the LORD's favor and blessing).

David desires to know the ways of the LORD so that he can walk in them.  He desires to walk righteously so that his enemies will have no accusation to make against him.  They had made up reasons for their violence against David and David desires to be such a person of integrity that no one would believe the lies that are being spewed against him.

Then David says something interesting.  Most of this psalm it appears that David is looking forward to a future blessing that comes after he dies, but David says at the end that he is certain that he will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living--that is that he will not have to die to experience the blessings that the LORD has in store for him.  All he needs to do is wait on the LORD for His perfect timing and take courage to not be afraid of the circumstances, because God is bigger than anyone or anything we face.

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