The Lord is my Light Psalm 27
Of David.
GOD’S LOVE AND PROTECTION
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?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
GOD IS OUR LIGHT
David’s song of praise 2 Samuel 22
29 You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.
Psalm 18 28You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light
Micah 7 8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be my light.
Isaiah 60 19 The sun will no more be your light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow will end.
GOD IS OUR SALVATION
Exodus 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:
“I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
THE PATHWAY TO GOD’S PROTECTION – SEEKING GOD
4 One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
The writer is seeking God. To dwell in His House. To gave on His beauty. Seeking God for His own sake. Not seeking God for any of the blessings he gives. Not seeking God for safety and protection. But seeking God for Himself. Because if we seek God for any of the very many blessings He gives we will inevitably miss the greatest blessing which is knowing God Himself.
Salvation comes from resting in God’s presence.
Psalm 91 1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 37 3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
THE PATHWAY TO GOD’S PROTECTION – CALLING OUT TO GOD
7 Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Saviour.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not hand me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
Something obvious. The people who can confidently call upon God in times of trouble are the people who seek God’s face when the going is good.
Some people don’t think of turning to God until their situation is totally hopeless. The story is told of a bomb disposal expert who found himself with bombs falling all around. He was so desperate he began to say a prayer, a bit like a letter.
“Dear God, You probably don’t know who I am. I’ve never bothered you before and if you’ll get me out of this mess I promise I’ll never bother you again.”
We shouldn’t wait to come to God until there is nowhere else to turn. We should continually be seeking God. But then when trouble comes we should call on God. Not try to find our own solutions to our problems – but call on God.
Psalm 4 1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.
Psalm 176 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 18 1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
13 I remain 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.
The Bible speaks about waiting for the Lord more than 20 times and 8 of those verses are in Psalms.
Psalm 33 20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.
Standing on the edge of the Red Sea with the armies of the Egyptians charging towards them
Exodus 14 13 Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.’
We need to learn how to wait on the Lord. How to be still and put our trust in God and let Him fight for us.
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
