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? [²When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. ³Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.] —Psalm 27:1 [2-3]
We’ve all been in situations that seem insurmountable. Whether it's near financial ruin, a devastating diagnosis from your doctor, or trauma in your family, we can relate to the sense of feeling powerless, out of control, and with little or no hope. King David can relate to those types of situations, too.
In just three short verses, David speaks of people attacking him, his enemies warring against him, and feeling as if an army is surrounding him. David is under duress! And yet in these same verses, David says three times that he will not fear. How can this be? Is David naive? Is he full of conjured up self-confidence? Or is he just foolhardy? Actually, it’s none of those.
David’s confidence isn't due to a change of circumstances. His confidence is in God. He demonstrates this in three ways. First, David knows that God is his light and his salvation. However dark his situation and however little light David can see, he knows that God sees and hears him and is with him through it all (Psalm 34:15, 17).
Second, David’s confidence flows from seeing God as his stronghold. David knows that, as Solomon later wrote, “the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). Instead of focusing on his circumstances, David focuses on God’s ability to deliver him.
Finally, David’s confidence flows from experiencing God’s preserving power. God chose David, He is the one who spoke to David, and it will be God who preserves and keeps David. David knows he doesn’t have to fear because God is greater than all his enemies. His trust prefigures that of Isaiah, who wrote that God will uphold him with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
The amazing reality is that we as Christians can have this same confidence because we have the same God! When our situation is dour, we need to focus on our great God just like David did. Our circumstances may not change, but as our focus shifts toward God, our perspective changes because we see God in it with us.
As we behold God’s all-powerful sovereignty and recall His relentless goodness toward those who are His, our joy will increase. The key is remembering that God is our goal, God is our hope, and He is our reward. This is what enabled David to endure and this is what will enable us, too. No matter our circumstances, may we always keep our eyes on our great God!
For Reflection
Which one of God’s attributes is most helpful for you to focus on in hard times?
Which historical account from the Bible most encourages you to persevere in your faith?
Who in your life needs encouragement in their faith this week? Let them know that you’ve been praying for them.
Pat Dirrim and his wife Barbara helped start Grace Fellowship church in Cumming, Georgia 20 years ago and have worshipped there ever since, outside of the two years when they served as missionaries in Guatemala. They've been married for 29 years and have seven children, three of whom remain at home, and one grandson. Grace Fellowship has been using Truth78 curriculum from the start and the Dirrims have introduced it to many other churches, as well as trained others how to use it.