Conquer Fear with the Lord as Your Light & Salvation
by Heather Adams – crosswalk.com
It’s said that when we have a problem, we can choose to have either fear or faith. Fear usually puts the focus on us – our situation, and what we can do to affect the outcome. Conversely, faith sets our mind on God’s authority, His control of our lives, and acknowledges His goodness.
It’s clear by Psalm 27’s powerful message which path David has chosen to follow. His trust in the Lord is evident from the opening declaration in verse 1, and carries all the way through to a calm direction in the final phrase, “…be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
This Psalm has always resonated with believers, and is still a part of holy days in our time. It is recited as a part of the Jewish observation of Rosh Hashanah. Roman Catholics have included it in their Vespers prayers as well as a response during Mass.
David’s use of the word “light” here shares a long tradition of Scripture authors before and after him. He may have heard some of these passages as a boy. The Lord may have revealed this picture of Himself as light into David’s spirit while he tended sheep in the fields. However it came to him, the thought brought David both peace and joy.
[button open_new_tab=”true” color=”accent-color” hover_text_color_override=”#fff” image=”default-arrow” size=”large” url=”https://johnxxiii.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Bulletin012223w.pdf” text=”DOWNLOAD THE BULLETIN” color_override=””]In this context, David is proclaiming that God is with him even in the midst of trouble. This is a common theme in his writings, because of so many times David had seen this truth already. From facing a lion in the wilderness to confronting the giant Goliath, David had experienced God’s presence and deliverance.
Imagine being a soldier in David’s day, getting ready to go out into battle. You would take great care to equip yourself with defensive armor, from the helmet on down, to be protected from the enemy’s attacks. The final piece you’d need would be a shield to wear or hold in front of you for an extra layer of protection.
In his songs, David compared putting on a strong shield before battle with asking God to go with us as we face struggles in life. He wasn’t the first Scripture writer to do that, either. Moses recorded God’s words in a vision Abram had, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield…” (Genesis 15:1). Moses himself used the phrase as he spoke blessings over the tribes of Israel: “He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword” (Deuteronomy 33:29).
This picture of God reveals a challenging truth, namely that God is more interested in growing our character than giving us perfect lives. So, He often lets us go through difficult times, using situations and issues to mature us. But, as we walk into our battle, however big or small, God promises to cover us. He protects our hearts and minds from attacks that the enemy (that is, Satan) launches, while strengthening us to stand firm.
