He sat on his balcony overlooking the city. The sounds of morning drove him from his bed and out onto the balcony. The warm sun seemed to take the pain out of his aching bones. The pain robbed him of the luxury to roll over and go back to sleep. Day after day his eyes opened with the chirping of birds when the darkness vanished with the light. Besides, laying in bed allowed his body to feel the effects of the abuse he had put it through many years before. The noise of the streets, the smells of the city, and the voices of kids playing swords brought back memories of the days that put him in his current condition. His right hand, calloused and still strong from gripping his sword, now reached for an even more powerful weapon, his pen. While reflecting on the past, he feels inspired to write a song about the goodness of God in the land of the living.
As David penned these words of reflection his wounded body and soul were continual reminders of his past. It was his enemies that brought this pain upon him (2). It was they who mentally crushed him with threats of war and siege (3). He knew even at this hour war could arise at any time (3). No matter how hard he tried his spirit cried out for acceptance. People, even now, were spreading rumors and doubting him and his leadership abilities (12).
This all had taken a toll on the King. One could not see the bloodshed, play the mental games, lose children and watch friends die the way David did without mental, spiritual, and emotional damage. Therapy and medicine would not be enough for some of us, but David still was able to take these times and turn them back on the Lord.
This is what he does here in Psalm 27.
HE IS MY LIGHT.
As he sits and sees the sun coming out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, he writes, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear…” David had many enemies that God delivered him from. He should be a dead man, but God was faithful to deliver him. Even now, with assignation a looming threat, he didn’t seem to worry.
You see, David chose not to live in fear. He knew the one who saved him from the hand of the lion, bear, Goliath, and army after army would save him again.
This same light of David’s salvation illuminates our way today (Ps. 119:105). This same light illuminates and renews our minds continually (I Cor. 2:16; Eph. 4:23). We can experience this same confidence and light in our darkness that David did. Through His Word and the Spirit, we can enjoy the same presence and confidence. When talking about the combination of the Word and His Spirit Paul writes:
“Eye has not seen,
nor ear heard,
nor has it entered into the heart of man
the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Cor. 2:9).
“God is a light to his people, to show them the way when they are in doubt, to comfort and rejoice their hearts when they are in sorrow. It is in his light that we now walk on in our way, and in his light, we hope to see light forever.” (Matthew Henry)
“Such who are made light in the Lord have no reason to be afraid of the prince of darkness; nor of the rulers of the darkness of this world; nor of all the darkness, distress, and persecutions they are the authors of; nor of the blackness of darkness reserved for ungodly men; for their light is an everlasting one, and they are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light: and the more light they have, the less fear.” (J. Gill)
HE IS MY SALVATION.
David is not referring to spiritual salvation as we are familiar with today. His salvation context is deliverance from his enemies and near-death experiences.
Although we might have some of those experiences, this would not be our emphasis today. Today we would praise God for saving us from the power of darkness and the enemy who enslaved our souls. Praise God “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son…”. There is no going back. The sun cannot change its mind and reverse its direction. God has made us children of light and his children we remain. “You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness” (I Thess. 5:5).
Acknowledging who God is should change everything. If you, like David, are struggling with the past or with your current circumstances as your self the same questions David is asking here:
Why should you fear? Why should you be afraid?
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