King David, who wrote this Psalm 27, probably knew more about FEAR than many of us. For the earlier part of his life, he was often on the run for his life. One attack came after another. Initially hiding from King Saul, who wanted him dead. Later on, his life was threatened by his own son Absalom. And yet through it all, he learnt to overcome his fears by placing his trust in God.
We fear all kinds of things, in differing degrees:
· Fear of the unknown· Fear of death · Fear of failure· Fear of being rejected · Fear of sickness· Fear of being attacked
These fears may not be all real, yet we suffer under it. Sometimes for a long time. We lost confidence and strength to live on, just like Elijah when he was running for his life.
We can learn from King David today... read Psalm 27 and find the encouragement to stand strong in crisis.
David began with a declaration - that’s the source of his confidence. WHO can really help us? WHO are we trusting in times of a crisis? Our faith is as good as the object of your faith... If our source is shaky, then how can we fully trust they can help us?
But David declared, (Psalm 27:1)
1The 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?
Both line ends with a similar question - and an obvious answer. No one!
Notice the way David expressed it - he did not say God will give me light, God will save me, will give me strength. Instead God Himself is my light, He is my salvation, He is the stronghold of my life. His focus was not on WHAT God will do... but WHO He is.
WHAT God can do, HOW He is going to do it, WHEN is He going to do it... all these are not as important to him because he knows WHO God is. David knew God personally. He knows the character of God - One who loves him, who is always faithful and true. That’s why he can fully trust Him.
Which explains why David said in verse 4:
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: 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 seek Him in His temple.
· We see his desire - just ONE THING - that which he longs for...
· What is that - spend time with Him. To dwell in His house and fellowship with Him.
· There is this picture of conversation with God, this "get together" time with the Lord.
This is all that is important - WHO do I really know?
Sometimes in the business world, people say success depends on WHO you know...
In LIFE too, it depends on WHO you know. David KNOWS God - He commune with Him daily and therefore he is able to say, "Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I be afraid?"
Psalm 27:5 "For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."
Notice the repeated reference to God’s dwelling place -
· dwell in the house of the Lord
· seek Him in His temple
· safe in His dwelling
· in the shelter of His tabernacle
These are expressions of being in the place of contact with the Lord. And because of this close fellowship, David experienced God’s help...
· He will keep me safe...
· He will hide me in the shelter...
· He will set me high upon a rock...
"...If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom 8:31)
Do we spend time with God daily? Do we know Him? The closer we are to Him, the less we fear what life can bring against us.
Not only can we overcome harsh circumstances, even when we are under overt attacks, like David, we can stand strong.
Psalm 27:2-3 2When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
Sad realities but he wasn’t affected. These things were not imaginary - for David, they were real - He was under attack. And it was intense - "devour my flesh"; "besiege me"; "war break out against me."
Yet "in spite of this I will be confident", David said. Hebrew literally says, "I am confident!"
"Confident" in Hebrew means "to trust, to be secure, to have assurance" - directing it to a source. David’s confidence was not in his own strength - but God. God was his only foundation, the Rock upon which he is standing. That is the unshakeable foundation!
Danger was imminent. Pressure was mounting. Severe days were ahead. David had every reason to be shaking in fear. But he was standing firm!
Recession is imminent. Pressure is mounting. Difficult days are here. To whom do you turn? In whom do you trust? We have many reasons to be shaking in fear, burdened with many worries. But we can stand strong!
This psalm shows us - fear and pressure of life pushes us to fall back on our Lord.
In the hymn Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus (Hymn 308 3rd stanza) - "Stand in His strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you - Ye dare not trust your own."
We have a God worthy of our trust. Paul said, "... I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day." (2 Tim 1:12)
Hudson Taylor, missionary to inland China, wrote this while under intense pressure and difficulty:
"It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies - whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.
Dr & Mrs Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1958), p.107.
Do you know Him today?
Psalm 27:6 6Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
We should be singing with joy because of this confidence with have in God. Not just within a church building, but more so in the midst of the people. Living in fellowship with God should result in joyful singing throughout the day. Let us sing our faith so that others will know of Him!
With such a confidence, David prayed for deliverance - vv. 7-12.
David did not take for granted things will be good because God is good. He made a passionate prayer to God. Not because God do not know our needs, but that He wants us to turn to Him in earnest prayers. Prayer is for our benefit, not to inform God of something He does not know. We need Him... we need to rely on Him and learn to trust Him.
· 9 Do not hide your face from me,
· 9 ...do not turn your servant away in anger...
· 9...Do not reject me or forsake me...
· 12Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes...
It is a cry of a man in desperate need for help. It is passionate and determined.
This is the kind of prayer we need. Not half-hearted requests. We need Him, at all times, not just in moments of despair and crisis. May the Lord help us...
· Pray with fervency, pray with faith without doubting.
· Pray with urgency... our relatives and friends needs that.
· Every Friday night, let us fill the room with passionate prayers - for our families, children, our nation. Prayer is for man’s good.
In the midst of his prayer, David expressed:
10Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (Ps 27:10)
In Isaiah 49 the people in Jerusalem said,
14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me."
And the Lord said, (Isa 49:15-16)
15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before me.
By way of expression, even mothers may forget their infant babies but the Lord does not forget one of His.
Have you been forsaken? Do you feel you’re suffering under pressure and no one bothers? Not even those closest to you? The Lord wants you to know - you are greatly loved by Him! You have nothing to fear.
David ended his prayer in verse 12 and break off to say, (Psalm 27:13-14)
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
It was like David encouraging himself - to wait.
· He knows that the pressure would not suddenly leave, nor
· will his enemies suddenly turn around immediately after he prayed.
But he will surely see the goodness of the Lord... All he needs to do is to relax... be strong and take heart... and wait!
We develop strength and courage - during a trial, not after it is over.
CONCLUSION
Every time we are tempted to be afraid, read again Psalm 27... again and again.
"Fear makes the wolf seem bigger than he is."
Trust in God and see His goodness manifest.
Let each crisis be an opportunity for us to grow in our faith and strength.
1. Declare what you know - claim it - God is there for you!
2. Express what you need - pray with boldness.
James 4:2 "...You do not have, because you do not ask God."
3. Wait... You will soon "see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." (v.13)
