The tone of this Psalm reveals that it was a prayer during a hostile condition. The authors of the Old Testament used the term deliverance to describe how God saved them from the hands of their enemies. After the enemies of Israelites drowned in the Red Sea, Moses and Israelites sang how God became their salvation. As the Hebrew word for salvation means deliverance, people did not have any scope to think about salvation beyond deliverance from wicked people. Until God conquered death on the cross, no one understood the deeper meaning of salvation and understood it as a deliverance from the hands of their enemies. In the New Testament era, we are aware of our salvation. God redeemed us from eternal death when we were unaware of our destiny.

Experience Gathers Confidence

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?
When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

Psalms 27:1-3

David fought his maiden war with Goliath as a shepherd, not as a warrior. He used a sling and a stone and not a sword to kill Goliath. David confessed his faith that Lord would not save with a sword or a spear and used a sling unfit for a battlefield. Till we trust God completely, whatever God has provided would appear unsuitable to solve the problem we face. From that day onwards, David felt the presence of God in every battle, and God won them. With this personal experience, David gathered confidence and trusted God whenever war broke out and witnessed how his enemies stumbled and fell. If we trust God and experience His intervention in every problem of our life, we will gather confidence to say God is my light and my salvation, and whom shall I fear?

God Will Keep Me Safe

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.
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.

Psalms 27:4-5

These verses are an eye-opener for people who run to God only when they encounter problems to find a solution. Even in the hostile condition, David did not ask for any instant solution but opted to ask God to give Him a place in His dwelling place so that he could gaze on the beauty of the Lord at all times. He did not ask for shelter but asked God to keep him at His altar. We seldom ask God to keep us in His dwelling place but seek refuge when the world we loved corners us. But the Psalmist declared that he will be ever in the presence of God, and God kept Him safe during the days of trouble and set him high upon the rock. David was unaware of the offer given to us by Jesus, and he made it his choice to be present in His dwelling place.

My Head Will Be Exalted

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.

Psalms 27:6

We struggle to keep our heads high when our oppressors surrounded us. But David kept his head high while the enemies surrounded him. The difference is that David chose to be in the presence of God when his enemies surrounded him, but we would like to live among our enemies even when they surround us. Many people of God disagree with the statement that God sends disease to his enemies. Unknowingly they deny the truth that God controls everything. But in the below verse, God says He is the one who brought the sicknesses on the Egyptians.

He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”

Exodus 15:26

We love to conform to the pattern of this world, and at the same time, we do not want any diseases that God sent on them. A simple decision to stay at His feet all the time will make us sing the goodness of God, and heaven will come down to exalt our heads on high. 

Seek His Face

Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face! ”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
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 Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

Psalms 27:7-10

From these verses, the tenet of the Psalm turns out to be a petition from that of an acclamation. Because of this sudden change in the tone of the Psalm, some Bible Scholars suggest that two different Psalms are combined. But if you read it carefully, this part of Psalm does not differ much from the first part.

In the first part, David desired to be in the presence of the Lord by enumerating its benefits. In the second part, he raises his petition to God to sustain him till He fulfilled his desire. Again in this portion of Psalm, David trusted God more than his father and mother, and he was confident that even when the parents forsake their children, God will not forsake them.

Often our hearts ask us to deny God and seek the ways of this world. Our hearts do not synchronize with our attitudes, and God examines our hearts and their attitudes. The Psalmist highlighted the synchronization of his heart with his mind in seeking God.

False Witnesses

Teach me your way, LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.

Psalms 27:11-12

These verses are the repetition of Psalm 25, except for the part about the false witnesses. This portion of Psalm teaches us about the behaviour of our fellow brothers and sisters. We might think that they are our genuine supporters, but at times they prove themselves to be traitors.

When Jesus lived on this earth, the Pharisees and Sadducees syndicated many false witnesses to accuse Him of anything worthy of the cross. Whenever they tried to trap Jesus by asking Him for clarifications regarding the law of Moses, He gave them a befitting reply. We should always learn from God to discern the spirit of our associates and should be careful that they should not influence our lives. This prayer applies to us as we do not know the motive of our associates.

Wait For The Lord

I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Psalms 27:13-14

In times of trouble, prayer strengthens our faith, reveals the plans of God about us, makes us feel His goodness, and helps us visualize the secrets of His Kingdom. After offering a sincere prayer, David regained His confidence that he confessed in the first portion of this Psalm. He spoke to his soul to wait for the Lord. David would have learned from his predecessor Saul, the first king of Israel, what would be the consequences of not waiting for God to make his decisions. Are we waiting for God to take our life decisions?

David once viewed salvation simply as deliverance from his enemies. But now, he prophesized that he would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. What are we prophesizing? Have we ever prophesized the secrets of His Kingdom? Are we waiting on the Lord, to understand His ways and the secrets about His Kingdom?

God, 
Help us wait on you and pray in Spirit that we will also understand the secrets of your Kingdom.