For the next couple of days we're going to spend time with Psalm 27 which I love a lot. Many in our congregation who have been for surgery have heard me read it to them before their operations. It's a psalm I love very much and it ties in with Isaiah 40...
Psalm 27 is a Psalm of David. The psalm brings faith and fear together in a special way. It is made up of three parts:
- Faith (vv.1-6)
- Fear (vv.7-12)
- Balancing Conclusion (vv.13-14).
Hope you enjoy the journey!
-------------------------------
1 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? Psalms27:1
Hebrew poetry doesn't rhyme, but uses parallel or contrasting lines to make a point.
Our introduction to David's "stand of faith" is a parallelism.
Twice over it asks and answers the same question:
"Of whom shall I be afraid?"
"Whom shall I fear?"
None! Because God is light, He is salvation and He is the stronghold of life.
In David's context the threats were very physical:
Armies, battles, desert, endurance and survival.
Darkness was dangerous, not having backup was dangerous and not having shelter was dangerous.
Darkness and its uncertainty chokes and stifles us.
Being alone, without a Rescuer, sucks the life out of us.
Having no place of shelter is bad for us.
We need light, a Rescuer (salvation) and Shelter.
Here in this first verse, David reminds us that God provides all three:
Light - shining into and dispelling darkness.
Salvation - backup: a Rescuer who makes a way where there is no way.
Stronghold - fortress: Shelter for our souls and an unchanging God who holds us in the firm grip of grace.
When trouble comes,
there is the darkness of uncertainty and we need light.
there is the concern that we won't escape and we need salvation
there is a longing for something solid and unchanging so we need shelter.
David reminds us that these three are found with God!
---
--------------------------
Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
