Psalm 27
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Rev. Bruce McGee
My Light & My Salvation
I organize this psalm around four words: confidence, presence, deliverance, and patience.
CONFIDENCE
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David’s Confidence
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God is three things to David: his “light, salvation, and stronghold”
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David makes a strong braid with these three descriptions. Together, all of these descriptions of
God emphasize God’s protection- a cord of three strands that cannot be broken.
o
Some of the dangers of darkness are real, but the light exposes them so we can deal with them.
Some are imaginary—the light exposes them for what they really are.
o
Interestingly, this is the only passage in the OT where God himself is described as light.
No Fear
o
David matches the 3 descriptions of God in verse 1 with 4 descriptions of his enemies in verses
2 & 3.
o
Our ultimate options are faith or fear.
PRESENCE
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Our Desire
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David is literally obsessed with living in God’s presence—this is his one desire.
o
David is empty & dry when God is not near. He cannot be satisfied by anything less than the
reality of God himself.
Our Shelter
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Without God we have nothing. But when we have God we have everything.
o
Three phrases of protection in verse 5 emphasize complete care: God will “keep me safe, hide
me, and set me high.”
DELIVERANCE
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David’s prayer shows us the reality of his suffering in spite of a strong faith.
o
There is nothing more crushing and devastating than being rejected by your own parents. Many
orphans are driven to know why their parents let them go.
PATIENCE
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This may mean that David expects God to rescue him during his lifetime.
o
On the other hand this also could mean that David knew God would save him through death,
that he would live again to see the goodness of God after the resurrection. In Psalm 23:6, for
instance, David expects to experience God’s goodness after death for eternity. In fact, the
resurrection was a vital part of OT faith. (Job 19:25-27)
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