I have mentioned before that David was a man after God’s own heart and in Psalm 27 here he is again seeking God in the midst of some trying circumstances with great faith and anticipation. While I was reading through the Psalm, there were several things that struck me. David starts out talking about things that would invoke fear in just about anyone. His enemies were once again coming after him, but he was confident that the Lord would keep him safe and would protect him from them. “Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (3)
The first thing that really stood out to me about this Psalm can be found in verses 4-6. “The one thing I ask of the Lord – the one thing I seek the most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary, I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.” David was confident that God was where he would find safety and security. He was also confident in God’s power to protect him. David wanted nothing else in his life but to follow God each and every day. How many of us can really say that? There was nothing else in this life that David wanted more than to seek and follow the Lord with all his heart. His enemies were closing in, making it difficult for him to do what he longed to do, but he was strongly confident in God’s protective and saving power. Even though David knew that God was with him and that God would protect him, maybe he thought God wasn’t moving fast enough for him. How many of us have ever thought that? I know I have. “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (7-10) David was in tune with the voice of God, he knew that God was calling him and he was trying desperately to follow him no matter what the cost. David cries out to God because he knows that he is trying so hard to do what is right and he is not seeing the promises that God has made being fulfilled right when he expected them to. It is incredibly difficult to wait on the Lord and to wait on his timing, but God’s timing is indeed perfect. His plans for us far outweigh anything we could ever imagine. It is even hard for me to write those words, because it has most certainly been a struggle for me to wait on the Lord and for his timing and I have been so discouraged by well-meaning people who have told me that God’s timing was not own and it was better than mine. I have been so discouraged by that folks, but it’s not because they were saying something wrong. It’s not because what they were saying isn’t true. It’s because I wanted things to happen in MY timing and in MY way and I was failing to trust the God of my salvation! You see, God wants us to be fully dependent on him. If we are depending on our own strength, and resources, or on other people, then we are not dependent on him and we end up floundering around when troubles come. I think it is so very interesting that David ends that set of passages with this; “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” If you think about it. Having the people who are supposed to be the closest to you abandon you is pretty scary, even terrifying. David’s confidence in the Lord and his timing was strong enough to recognize that there was nothing that could happen to him where the Lord’s presence would not be felt. He knew that even in the most terrifying circumstances, that the Lord would hold him close. Folks, that very same thing David came to realize is also true for us. The Lord holds us close all the time, in the happiest times in our lives and in the most terrifying times in our lives we are held close by our Father God who loves us very much. Please understand that this life is not easy. It is full of difficulties, but God gives us all that we need to persevere through it all and he holds us through it all. If you are struggling right now, know that he is near. Know that he loves you and has not abandoned you. Take some time to be still in the presence of God and listen for his still small voice. Pick up his Word and read! The book of Psalms is such a great place to be reading when you are discouraged. God does hear you! Talk to him! Wait for Him! It’s not always easy, but it is oh, so very worth it.
“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (14)
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