The Lord is My Stronghold
The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life–whom should I dread?
Psalm 27:1 (CSB)
The Psalmist expressed his trust in the Lord while facing various challenges, enemies, and fears. He declared that the Lord is the light and salvation we need. He encourages us today to seek the Lord and find our true refuge in His presence. As we read Psalm 27, may we recognize that the moments of lament in our lives are countered by the promise of God as our salvation and refuge.
Trust in God’s Light (1-3). Darkness and sin plague the world. The fallen nature of the world promotes division, war, and pain. Living in this world means that everyone faces various forms of adversity, opposition, and fear. The Psalmist reminds readers that part of the Lord’s unchanging nature is that He is light and salvation. As light, the Lord illuminates and penetrates the darkness. As our salvation, the Lord alone offers and provides the necessary salvation to ultimately escape the darkness. Since the Lord is light, we must trust in Him as we navigate the battles of this life, knowing that He is our refuge and salvation.
Desire God’s Presence (4-6). The Psalmist requests the ability to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This request arises as the Psalmist acknowledges his need for the Lord, his yearning to be with Him, and his faith in the Lord’s protection. The longing to live in God’s presence inspires a life of worship, even amidst experiences of lament. We, too, must seek and yearn to be in the presence of the Lord. We recognize that this is ultimately offered through Christ. When we strive to be in the house of the Lord, our lives prioritize our relationship with Him above all else.
Rest in God’s Faithfulness (7-10). The Psalmist speaks to the desire to rest in the promises of the Lord and to trust that the Lord who has promised to be with His own and never abandon them will remain faithful and true to His promise. The Psalmist gains the ability to rest in the Lord because the Lord is constant and never leaves. When we recognize and remember the faithfulness of the Lord, we can rest in the Lord even when facing the most difficult of moments in life.
Develop Strength in Waiting on the Lord (11-14). The Psalmist concludes this Psalm with the call to wait on the Lord, be strong, and let your heart be courageous. He makes this declaration after asking the Lord to guide him through the surrounding temptations and opposition. This threefold desire challenges us today to have patience in the moment and trust that the Lord is at work. As we wait on the Lord, we must be strong. This strength is not physical; it comes from our relationship with Jesus and is provided to us by the Lord. When this strength manifests, our hearts become courageous because they receive courage from the Lord.
QUESTIONS
How does your life mirror a desire to be constantly in the presence of the Lord?
How has the faithfulness of the Lord helped you navigate a difficult moment and time in your life?
