Psa 27:3 | KingComments | STEP | Psalm 27 is connected to the previous psalm by the desire for the dwelling place of God ( ). We hear here the desire of the believer who has confessed his sins (Psalm 25) and goes in integrity about the altar (Psalm 26) to dwell in the house of the LORD. In Psalm 24 the question is raised: Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Psalm 25 speaks of longing for the LORD and Psalm 26 speaks of loving the house of the LORD. Psalm 27 speaks of staying in the house of the LORD where you may tell Him everything. You may spread there, like Hezekiah, as it were, the threatening letters before the LORD ( ). The psalmist, who is a type of the faithful remnant of Israel, has put his trust in the LORD in the past and He has not brought shame on that trust ( ). Now that danger threatens again ( ) – prophetically the king of the North, of whom Daniel and Isaiah speak at length –, the psalmist, like Hezekiah in Isaiah 38, decides to persevere and to put his trust in the LORD (cf. ). The psalmist, or the faithful remnant, desires not only to stand in God’s presence to serve Him, but to dwell with Him and to meditate [literally inquire] ( ). To meditate indicates that there is a desire to know Him better, Who He is, Who worked the great redemption, how beautiful He is. This psalm is read by the Jews every day between the Feast of Booths and the day of atonement, ten days during which the Jews humble themselves before God. Humiliation is a condition to draw near to God ( ). The psalm can be divided as follows: 1. Confidence ( ). 2. Request ( ). 3. Renewed confidence ( ). For “[a Psalm] of David” ( ) see at Psalm 3:1. David begins this psalm by expressing his confidence in the LORD Himself ( ). He does so in view of his enemies, for he speaks of “fear” and “dread”. He fears no one, not because the LORD gives him light and salvation, but because the LORD is his “light” and his “salvation” (cf. ). He needs light because darkness is all around him. Darkness here means without the LORD’s guidance and safekeeping, without the pillar of fire. By “light” we may think of the pillar of fire in the wilderness ( ; ). Connected to this is what the Lord Jesus said: “I am the Light of the world” ( ). And in Psalms, light is connected with truth ( ) and joy ( ) and is needed for salvation ( ). He needs salvation because he is in need. He feels his own weakness and also sees the strength of the enemy. Salvation means that the Lord helps him through it, He cares for him day by day ( ), so that even though he is weak or even though the enemy is strong, he will arrive safely. Therefore, not darkness and distress control his thinking, but the LORD. The same is true of the “defense of my life”. In Hebrew, “defense of my life” literally means “the fortress of my life” (cf. ). He has no strength in himself to resist the adversaries and stay alive. The power of evil is a reality; he does not close his eyes to it. Yet this does not paralyze him because he does not compare the evil with his own strength, but with the strength of God Who protects his life. He views evil from the presence of God and then he has peace and is without fear amidst evil (cf. ). He recalls a situation when evildoers came upon him ( ). These people wanted to devour his flesh, indicating that they came at him like wild, tearful beasts. They were his “adversaries” and his “enemies”. Adversaries are men of his own people (cf. ), enemies come from outside the people. Then he saw how they themselves “stumbled and fell”. That is how God helped then. That is why there is no fear in his heart now, even if a host should encamp against him and a war should arise against him ( ). We have an example of this in Isaiah 36-37. He simply trusts in the LORD. In whom else? His trust concerns the present ( ), the past ( ) and the future ( ; cf. ). This trust is put to the test ( ) and not ashamed, but strengthened and renewed ( ). Prophetically, it is about the time of the great tribulation, when adversaries within their own people – the antichrist and his followers, that is, the unbelieving mass of the people – oppress the believing remnant. The enemies from outside the people (the Assyrians) will besiege the faithful remnant at the end of the great tribulation and make war on them. They will be robbed of all light. But then they look up and see the LORD there. He gives light, yes, He is light (see ), in that dark period. The immediate consequence is that He is also their salvation. He will cause them to arrive safely in the realm of peace. These verses are particularly applicable to the unshakable confidence of the Lord Jesus when He is taken captive to be condemned and crucified. When they come to take Him captive, He says: “This hour and the power of darkness are yours” ( ). But God is His light. God is also His salvation, for He knows that God will save Him from death ( ). He goes to the crowd that comes to take Him captive without fear and without anxiety. When He calls His Name, “I am” or I am the LORD, the I AM WHO I AM, they fall down ( ; ).

‏ Psalms 27:3

Introduction

Psalm 27 is connected to the previous psalm by the desire for the dwelling place of God (Psa 26:8 ; Psa 27:6). We hear here the desire of the believer who has confessed his sins (Psalm 25) and goes in integrity about the altar (Psalm 26) to dwell in the house of the LORD.

In Psalm 24 the question is raised: Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Psalm 25 speaks of longing for the LORD and Psalm 26 speaks of loving the house of the LORD. Psalm 27 speaks of staying in the house of the LORD where you may tell Him everything. You may spread there, like Hezekiah, as it were, the threatening letters before the LORD (Isa 37:14).

The psalmist, who is a type of the faithful remnant of Israel, has put his trust in the LORD in the past and He has not brought shame on that trust (Psa 27:2). Now that danger threatens again (Psa 27:3) – prophetically the king of the North, of whom Daniel and Isaiah speak at length –, the psalmist, like Hezekiah in Isaiah 38, decides to persevere and to put his trust in the LORD (cf. Mk 9:24).

The psalmist, or the faithful remnant, desires not only to stand in God’s presence to serve Him, but to dwell with Him and to meditate [literally inquire] (Psa 27:4). To meditate indicates that there is a desire to know Him better, Who He is, Who worked the great redemption, how beautiful He is.

This psalm is read by the Jews every day between the Feast of Booths and the day of atonement, ten days during which the Jews humble themselves before God. Humiliation is a condition to draw near to God (Isa 66:2).

The psalm can be divided as follows:

1. Confidence (Psa 27:1-3).

2. Request (Psa 27:4-12).

3. Renewed confidence (Psa 27:13-14).

Strong in the LORD

For “[a Psalm] of David” (Psa 27:1a) see at Psalm 3:1.

David begins this psalm by expressing his confidence in the LORD Himself (Psa 27:1b). He does so in view of his enemies, for he speaks of “fear” and “dread”. He fears no one, not because the LORD gives him light and salvation, but because the LORD is his “light” and his “salvation” (cf. Mic 7:8b).

He needs light because darkness is all around him. Darkness here means without the LORD’s guidance and safekeeping, without the pillar of fire. By “light” we may think of the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Exo 13:21-22; Neh 9:12 ; 19). Connected to this is what the Lord Jesus said: “I am the Light of the world” (Jn 8:12). And in Psalms, light is connected with truth (Psa 43:3) and joy (Psa 97:11) and is needed for salvation (Psa 18:27-28).

He needs salvation because he is in need. He feels his own weakness and also sees the strength of the enemy. Salvation means that the Lord helps him through it, He cares for him day by day (Psa 68:19), so that even though he is weak or even though the enemy is strong, he will arrive safely. Therefore, not darkness and distress control his thinking, but the LORD. The same is true of the “defense of my life”. In Hebrew, “defense of my life” literally means “the fortress of my life” (cf. Psa 18:2 ; Psa 28:7).

He has no strength in himself to resist the adversaries and stay alive. The power of evil is a reality; he does not close his eyes to it. Yet this does not paralyze him because he does not compare the evil with his own strength, but with the strength of God Who protects his life. He views evil from the presence of God and then he has peace and is without fear amidst evil (cf. Rom 8:35-39).

He recalls a situation when evildoers came upon him (Psa 27:2). These people wanted to devour his flesh, indicating that they came at him like wild, tearful beasts. They were his “adversaries” and his “enemies”. Adversaries are men of his own people (cf. Psa 27:12), enemies come from outside the people.

Then he saw how they themselves “stumbled and fell”. That is how God helped then. That is why there is no fear in his heart now, even if a host should encamp against him and a war should arise against him (Psa 27:3). We have an example of this in Isaiah 36-37. He simply trusts in the LORD. In whom else?

His trust concerns the present (Psa 27:1), the past (Psa 27:2) and the future (Psa 27:3; cf. Heb 13:8). This trust is put to the test (Psa 27:4-12) and not ashamed, but strengthened and renewed (Psa 27:13-14).

Prophetically, it is about the time of the great tribulation, when adversaries within their own people – the antichrist and his followers, that is, the unbelieving mass of the people – oppress the believing remnant. The enemies from outside the people (the Assyrians) will besiege the faithful remnant at the end of the great tribulation and make war on them. They will be robbed of all light. But then they look up and see the LORD there. He gives light, yes, He is light (see Psa 27:1), in that dark period. The immediate consequence is that He is also their salvation. He will cause them to arrive safely in the realm of peace.

These verses are particularly applicable to the unshakable confidence of the Lord Jesus when He is taken captive to be condemned and crucified. When they come to take Him captive, He says: “This hour and the power of darkness are yours” (Lk 22:53). But God is His light. God is also His salvation, for He knows that God will save Him from death (Heb 5:7). He goes to the crowd that comes to take Him captive without fear and without anxiety. When He calls His Name, “I am” or I am the LORD, the I AM WHO I AM, they fall down (Jn 18:6; Exo 3:14).