Confidence is in the Lord
The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?... The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek 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. Psalm 27:1, 4-5
The Psalmist from the text expresses an unshakable confidence and trust in God. Many things around us can inflict fear. Fear creeps in to the crevices of our lives that can paralyze us. Then we begin to ask the “What if” questions. Unprincipled people can easily change their position or mindset once shaken by fear. There are several reasons why we have fears. It could be fear of failure; fear of heights; fear of disease or illness; fear of rejection; fear of what others will say about you; fear of being true to yourself; fear of being alone; fear of losing your job; fear of moving away; fear of death; fear of buying; fear of selling; fear of loss or financial reversal; fear of war; fear of the dark. Such fears could threaten inner peace and composure. They attack unannounced and can come in our vulnerable moments. They can shake our sense of security that we find it difficult to restore our nerves and strength when attacked. The Psalmist was resolved to rely on the presence of the Lord. His mind is focused in living in “the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” He knew that once beset by fear, he will not allow it to overcome him instead he will turn and seek out the presence of the Lord. He will bring his fears to the Lord in prayer and will remind himself of God’s promises. He will shift his mind by thinking of God’s perfection and sovereignty. He will offer God his worship and praise and will wait for his answers in his prayer. “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord” (Psalm 27:13-14). He will be brave and courageous in times of uncertainties for his mind is set in the Lord. We can learn from the Psalmist’s example that when times of doubts come, we come to the Lord in prayer and ask him to “Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path” (v. 11).
Blessings,
