Psalm 27:1: “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?”

February 2nd, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

There are times in our lives when it feels like we live in a world full of darkness. And although much of the world is lost in darkness, there is a light. David claimed that God was his light, his salvation, and his strength for the journey along the path of life. Notice how personal David made it: “my light . . . my salvation . . . the strength of my life.” There are times when we think we don’t have the strength to make it or to go on. David was pointing to the fact that in those times God strengthened him, but even more importantly he was pointing out that God was the constant, main source for everything he did in life. Paul wrote to the Philippians: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

The believer is in great danger when he begins to trust in some area of personal strength, like the old story of the stag, who admired his stately antlers as he drank from a pool but felt ashamed of his spindly legs. Suddenly he heard an approaching mountain lion, and his spindly legs propelled him into the safety of the forest, but his stately antlers became caught in the underbrush, and as a result he was soon killed. If we have one area where we think we are strong, then that will be the very area the enemy will bring an attack against. Our full trust must be placed in God alone.

When John Patton was translating the bible for one south-seas island tribe, he discovered that they had no word for trust or faith. One day a native who had been running hard, came into the missionary’s house, flopped down in a large chair, and said a word Patton did not recognize. He asked the native what it meant, and the man said, “It’s good to rest my whole weight on this chair.” “That’s it,” said Patton. He then used that native word to translate the word faith: resting one’s whole weight on God.

“LORD, we want to put our full weight on You this day and not look to anyone else, including our own cleverness.”

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Psalms 27 KJV

¹ 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?

² When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

⁷ Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

⁸ When thou saidst , Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 

¹¹ Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.  

¹² Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

¹³ I had fainted , unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.